A partial lunar eclipse occurred last night (August 16, 2008), the second of two lunar eclipses in 2008. Most of Eastern Europe and Africa, and a large portion of Western and Central Asia and India, saw the entire eclipse. South America, Eastern Asia and Australia also observed part of the event. In Saudi Arabia the partial eclipse started at 10.36 PM (Riyadh Time) and was over at 1.44 AM (Riyadh Time). A lunar eclipse occurs whenever the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, there is always a full moon the night of a lunar eclipse. The type and length of an eclipse depend upon the Moon's location relative to its orbital nodes. The next total lunar eclipse occurs on December 21, 2010. and the partial lunar eclipse might happen on December 2009. The previous partial eclipse occurred in last February. Solar-Lunar Eclipse Prayer which were performed last night in the Two Holy Mosques of Makkah and Madinah and in a number o Mosques around the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a confirmed Sunnah that was first performed at the time of Prophet Mohammed (Peace and Blessing be upon him) when he was in Madinah. --MORE
