What is a Lunar Eclipse - When and why Lunar eclipses do happen?
What is a Lunar Eclipse?
A lunar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon it happens when the moon passes directly into the shadow of the earth which can only occur on the night of a full moon and when it happens the Moon, Sun, and Earth are exactly or very closely aligned with Earth between sun and moon. Lunar eclipses happen about twice a year and can be seen from anywhere on the planet for which the moon is above the horizon at the time of eclipse and its type and length depend on the Moon's proximity to either node of its orbit.
Simple A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun.
Read about Eclipses |
Solar eclipses
Why do lunar eclipse occur?
- A lunar eclipse occur when the Moon enters the Earth's shadow.
There are two parts of Moon's shadow
- Penumbra
- The Moon's faint outer shadow.
- Umbra
- The Moon's dark inner shadow.
Instruction Lunar eclipses are safe to view with just telescopes and also with your eyes.
There are three basic types of lunar eclipses depending on the position of the Moon around the Earth’s two shadows
- Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
- Partial Lunar Eclipse
- Total Lunar Eclipse
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
- Penumbral Lunar Eclipse only passes through the penumbral shadow of the earth
- Penumbral Lunar Eclipses are much harder to observe
Partial Lunar Eclipse
- Partial Lunar Eclipse happens when the moon passes through the earth’s penumbral shadow
- There are a portion of the much darker umbral shadow
- Only part of the moon appears reddish-brown
- Partial lunar eclipse can be seen in different exposures , for example with exposures of 1/80, 2/5, and 2 seconds
Total Lunar Eclipse
- Total Lunar Eclipse happens when the entire moon passes through the earth’s umbral shadow.
- Earth completely blocks direct sunlight from reaching the Moon during a total lunar eclipse.
- All of the moon appears reddish-brown
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