What is a lunar eclipse?
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| Lunar eclipse • Eclipse • Earth |
A lunar eclipse is when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, blocking out the light of our star. But it's not the same as a solar eclipse, which occurs when either one or all three bodies are in alignment. In this case, only two—the Sun and Earth—are involved in a lunar eclipse.
When we look up at night and see a full moon shining down on us from above, we're actually seeing its reflection on Earth's surface. The shadow that causes an eclipse happens when those two celestial bodies align perfectly (usually once every 18 months). The moon moves into this shadow for about five hours before reaching totality and disappearing entirely for about an hour longer than that; after which time it begins appearing again as if nothing had happened at all!
What do different lunar eclipse types look like?
Lunar eclipses are separated into three different categories: total, partial, and penumbral (a type of partial lunar eclipse).
The most common type of lunar eclipse is the partial one, which occurs when the earth passes between the sun and moon. Sometimes there are two eclipses in a month—the second one being a partial eclipse rather than a total one.
A penumbral eclipse occurs when only part of the sun shines on the moon’s surface at any given time during its revolution around Earth. It usually happens at night when we don't notice it because we can't see anything happening to our satellite since we can only see it by day!
What causes eclipses?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than that of the Sun and appears black in comparison to the Sun's light. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with only a small section of its surface in direct line with the center of the Moon.[5]
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes between its satellite, which casts its shadow over part or all of it.[6] This causes its size to reduce by about 14% due to an effect called tidal deceleration as well as atmospheric refraction.[7] When first observed lunar eclipses were thought to be caused by passing clouds or storms; Aristotle commented on their puzzling nature because he believed them impossible if our celestial system was unchanging.[8]
When is the next total lunar eclipse visible in my area?
If you're trying to plan a lunar eclipse viewing session, you'll want to know when the next total lunar eclipse will be visible in your area. There are several ways to find out this information. One way is by typing your city or town name into a search bar on Timeanddate.com, where there is an option that allows users to enter their location and get detailed information about any upcoming eclipses in their area.
Another way is to visit NASA's page for upcoming solar and lunar events (https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/). This website displays every solar or lunar event for which there are predictions made by astronomers at any given time during its existence as well as information such as what type of eclipse it will be (total, partial), when it'll occur, how long it'll last and where on earth it'll be visible from among other things like weather conditions on those days etc...
Lunar eclipse facts
Lunar eclipses are a type of solar eclipse, but instead of the moon passing between Earth and the sun, Earth passes between the sun and the moon. A lunar eclipse can only occur at full moon because it takes place when Earth lies directly in front of our celestial satellite. As a result, there is no direct sunlight reaching our planet's nearest neighbor during this time—hence its dark appearance in our night sky.
Lunar eclipses are safe to look at! In fact, they're one of two types of astronomical events that can be observed by the naked eye (the other being an annular eclipse). Totality lasts for about an hour; this is when you'll see an eerie red hue on your beloved satellite as it passes through Earth's shadow.
Lunar eclipses are an exciting way to get into looking up at the moon!
Lunar eclipses are an exciting way to get into looking up at the moon!
You don't need special equipment to watch a lunar eclipse. You also don't need to travel somewhere far away from home (or even leave your couch) to see it.
In fact, you can watch from the comfort of your own home without having any expertise in astronomy or science in general. It's certainly one of the easiest astronomical phenomena to observe, but it can also be just as entertaining and fascinating as any other celestial event that requires more preparation and knowledge on your part.<
