Two total lunar and three partial solar eclipses this year

Theworld will be able to witness two total lunar eclipses and threepartial solar eclipses during 2018, Qatar Calendar House (QCH) announcedyesterday.The first lunar eclipse – a total eclipse - will be on January 31, during full moon of Hijric month “Jumada I”.This lunar eclipse will be visible throughout Asia, Southeast Europe, Southeast Africa and South America.“From Qatar a partial lunar eclipse phase can be seen after sunset on this day,” astronomer expert at QCH Dr Beshir Marzouk said.The second lunar eclipse – again a total eclipse - will be on July 27, during full moon of Hijric month “Dhul- Qa’da”.Almostall of Asia, nearly all of Europe, Africa and eastern side of SouthAmerica, Qatar and the rest of the Arab region will have chance to seeall phases of this lunar eclipse. The first solar eclipse of theyear will be on February 15. The partial solar eclipse will be occurringin conjunction with the new crescent of Hijric month “Jumada II”. Themoon will cover 60% of solar disk at peak of the solar eclipse, whichwill not be seen in Qatar and the other Arab regions, Dr Marzouk explained. Thesecond solar eclipse will be on July 13, 2018. Again a partial eclipse,it will be occurring in conjunction with the new crescent of Hijricmonth “Dhul- Qa’da”. The moon will cover 34% of solar disk at peak ofthe solar eclipse, which will not be seen in Qatar and the other Arabregions.The final solar eclipse of the year will be on August 11.The partial eclipse will be occurring in conjunction with the newcrescent of Hijric month “Dhul- Hijja”. The moon will be cover 74% ofsolar disk at peak of this partial solar eclipse, which again will notbe seen in Qatar and the other Arab regions.