Broken Comet

So The Shravan starred day eclipse didn't occured because of Moon covering the Sun. But it was a rare Phenomenon of Comet bursts.

Yes The following verses explain a comet burst. None of them would explain the following verses fully.

Source:Bhishma Parva,Chapter 2, Verse 20-23

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs06002.htm

20  उभे पूर्वापरे संध्ये नित्यं पश्यामि भारत
      उदयास्तमने सूर्यं कबन्धैः परिवारितम
21  शवेतलॊहित पर्यन्ताः कृष्ण गरीवाः स विद्युतः
      तरिवर्णाः परिघाः संधौ भानुम आवारयन्त्य उत
22  जवलितार्केन्दु नक्षत्रं निर्विशेष दिनक्षपम
      अहॊरात्रं मया दृष्टं तत कषयाय भविष्यति
23  अलक्ष्यः परभया हीनः पौर्णमासीं च कार्त्तिकीम
      चन्द्रॊ ऽभूद अग्निवर्णश च समवर्णे नभस्तले 

20  ubhe pūrvāpare saṃdhye nityaṃ paśyāmi bhārata
      udayāstamane sūryaṃ kabandhaiḥ parivāritam
21  śvetalohita paryantāḥ kṛṣṇa grīvāḥ sa vidyutaḥ
      trivarṇāḥ parighāḥ saṃdhau bhānum āvārayanty uta
22  jvalitārkendu nakṣatraṃ nirviśeṣa dinakṣapam
      ahorātraṃ mayā dṛṣṭaṃ tat kṣayāya bhaviṣyati
23  alakṣyaḥ prabhayā hīnaḥ paurṇamāsīṃ ca kārttikīm
      candro 'bhūd agnivarṇaś ca samavarṇe nabhastale

In both the twilights, prior and posterior, I daily behold, O Bharata, the Sun during his rising and setting to be covered by headless trunks.

Tri-coloured clouds with their extremities white and red and necks black, charged with lightning, and resembling maces (in figure) envelope the Sun in both twilights.

I have seen the sun, the Moon, and the stars to be all blazing. No difference in their aspect is to be noted in the evening. I have seen this all day and all night. 

All this forebodes fear. On even the fifteenth night of the lighted-fortnight in (the month of) Kartika, the Moon, divested of splendour, became invisible, or of the hue of fire, the firmament being of the hue of the lotus.

They would happily try to explain that verse 23 indicates that there was an eclipse happened on Kartika month Purnima. So moon was seen as Red in colour.

One thing we all forget is Vyasa is well understands the Lunar eclipse. Lunar eclipse is a common phenomenon and he says it also in another verse also

Source:Bhisma Parva,Chapter 3, Verses 27-29

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs06003.htm

27  तरिषु पूर्वेषु सर्वेषु नक्षत्रेषु विशां पते

      बुधः संपतते ऽभीक्ष्णं जनयन सुमहद भयम

28  चतुर्दशीं पञ्चदशीं भूतपूर्वां च षॊडशीम

      इमां तु नाभिजानामि अमावास्यां तरयॊदशीम

29  चन्द्रसूर्याव उभौ गरस्ताव एकमासे तरयॊदशीम

      अपर्वणि गरहाव एतौ परजाः संक्षपयिष्यतः

27  triṣu pūrveṣu sarveṣu nakṣatreṣu viśāṃ pate

      budhaḥ saṃpatate 'bhīkṣṇaṃ janayan sumahad bhayam

28  caturdaśīṃ pañcadaśīṃ bhūtapūrvāṃ ca ṣoḍaśīm

      imāṃ tu nābhijānāmi amāvāsyāṃ trayodaśīm 

29  candrasūryāv ubhau grastāv ekamāse trayodaśīm

     aparvaṇi grahāv etau prajāḥ saṃkṣapayiṣyataḥ

The constellations are divided into three classes. Upon one or another of each class, a planet of evil omen has shed its influence, foreboding terrible dangers. 

A lunar fortnight had hitherto consisted of fourteen days, or fifteen days (as usual), or sixteen days. This, however, I never knew that the day of New-Moon would be on the thirteenth day from the first lunation, or the day of Full-Moon on the thirteenth day from the same. 

And yet in course of the same month both the Moon and the Sun have undergone Eclipses on the thirteenth days from the day of the first lunation. The Sun and the Moon therefore, by undergoing Eclipses on unusual days.

Here Vyasa clearly talks about eclipse. So the previous one he told Red Moon is not the effect of Eclipse. that is some thing else.

The verse claiming that he could see Sun in the night also some times, Moon in day and night and stars also several day times clearly indicates that the thinks are not Normal.

On 14th day evening after Sun is set, again it was visible in Sky enabling Jeyatrata Killing.

On 18th day on a no Eclipse day Sun was eclipsed.

So there was a Rare Phenomenon of Second Sun / Moon is hiding here. Is is possible? 

Though it is not imaginable, it is scientifically possible. We have enough scientific events recorded to show it is possible, For that, Udyoga Parva (Karna-Krishna talks) and Bhishma Parva (Vyasa -Dhritarashtra  conversation, Planet position when 1st day war started), Shalya Parva (Bhima - Duryodhana Mace war) Drona Parva (Jayadratha killing, 14th night events), Karna Parva (Planet positions when 17th day war started and Ended) can be explained by this only. 

We will see that in next upcoming discussions.