What is a lunar eclipse?
The lunar eclipse is one of the most spectacular sights the night sky must offer. When the moon slides into the shadows of the Earth, the usually pale white moon is painted dark red, which can last for a long time.
A lunar eclipse, like a solar eclipse, can occur partially or wholly and only during a single eclipse. The phases of the moon:full moon.
What is a lunar eclipse?
Unlike Solar eclipseWhere the moon falls between the earth and the sun ”A lunar eclipse occurs when: Moon Pass just behind Earth Dara Patel, a space expert at the National Space Center in Leicester, told Live Science. “That is, they always happen in the full moon,” Patel said.The other side of the earth Sun).
Why is the lunar eclipse red?
When the moon is in the shadow of the earth, our planets prevent sunlight from reaching the surface of the moon directly. During this time, it is natural to think that the moon will be completely invisible. “But because of the atmosphere on Earth, the red light bends toward the moon, so the lunar eclipse tends to turn red like its blood,” Patel said.
Sunlight contains seven different color spectra of the same color as the rainbow (and infrared and ultraviolet). During the lunar eclipse, the blue and yellow parts of this spectrum are largely absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere, allowing the red light to bend and refract freely toward the Moon. European Space Agency..
The composition of the Earth’s atmosphere during a solar eclipse can determine the exact shade of red we see. “The more dust there is in the atmosphere, the stronger the red color can be,” Patel said.
Volcanic ash in particular plays an important role and can darken the moon so much that the lunar eclipse loses its distinctive red color.The effect of this volcano is so significant that some historians A historical explanation of a particularly dark lunar eclipse Track past volcanic activity.
What is the type of lunar eclipse?
The shadow of the earth can be divided into two separate parts. “The circle inside the shadow, which is much darker, is known as Umbra,” Patel said. “Around you having an outer circle called the penumbra.”
The orbit of the moon is tilted, and the orbit of the moon through these shadow areas is always different. “If it goes through the shadows, you will get a full lunar eclipse,” Patel said. If the moon straddles the lunar eclipse and the penumbra, SkyWatcher will see a partial lunar eclipse and only part of the moon will be invisible.
If the moon only passes through the penumbra, it is, of course, called a penumbra lunar eclipse. Casual Sky-Watchers are unlikely to notice anything has changed.
According to the lunar eclipse, it is reasonably evenly divided among these three types. EarthSky.org..
How often does a lunar eclipse occur?
“Lunar eclipses occur two to five times a year,” Patel said. “Usually, a total of two lunar eclipses occur every three years.”
However, these solar eclipses are spread throughout the planet. Staying in the same place is likely to result in a total lunar eclipse every 2.5 years, Patel said.
This is in stark contrast to the frequency of total solar eclipses. “At any point on the planet, you may experience only one solar eclipse in total in the 3rd and 4th centuries on average.” Britannica..
When is the next lunar eclipse?
| date | type | position |
|---|---|---|
| May 15-16, 2022 | total | South / Western Europe, South / West Asia, Africa, most of North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Antarctica. |
| November 7-8, 2022 | total | North / Eastern Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, most of South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica. |
| May 5-6, 2023 | penumbra | South / Eastern Europe, most of Asia, Australia, Africa, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Antarctica. |
| October 28-29, 2023 | Partial | Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, North / East South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica. |
How can I see the lunar eclipse?
“The great thing about a lunar eclipse is that it happens on a full moon, so if you’re on the night side of the globe, you should be able to see at least part of it,” Patel said.
That is in contrast to the solar eclipse, where you have to judge your location very carefully. The duration of a lunar eclipse is also easier to witness than a solar eclipse. “The solar eclipse may last for a few minutes, but the entire lunar eclipse can last up to an hour or even a little longer,” Patel said.
Simply put, you just have to look up at the right time and expect a cloudless sky. Patel says there are less safety concerns from a lunar eclipse. “In a solar eclipse, you need to be careful not to glance at the sun. It’s okay to see the full moon at night.”
Additional resources
Use this handy display guide from NASA To learn more about how to see the moon, including during a lunar eclipse. See a wonderful image of the lunar eclipse. NASA..Search for the next lunar eclipse near you by zip code TimeandDate.com..
What is a lunar eclipse?
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