 A photo of the recent total lunar eclipse that we had January, 2000. I took this picture as the moon was emerging from the shadow of the earth. |
When one heavenly body is hidden by the shadow
of another, it is eclipsed. When the Earth passes between the Sun and the
Moon so that the Moon is in Earth's shadow, a lunar eclipse occurs for
everyone on the nighttime side of the Earth. The Earth usually casts a
coppery, dim light on the Moon, rather than a black shadow.
|
| Sources: The World Book Encyclopedia 1951 Skywatching by David Levy I highly recommend Skywatching. Look for it at your public library. |
The
large cone shaped shadow of the Earth (the umbra) envelops the Moon during
a lunar eclipse. During a total eclipse, the entire moon is in the umbra.
Lunar eclipses happen only when the moon is full, but they do not happen
to every full moon. The moon usually passes to one side of the umbra. A
total lunar eclipse lasts about two hours. The Earth's shadow is twice the
diameter of the Moon where the Moon enters, and the Moon travels the
length of its diameter in one hour.
Here