Browsing: Lunar Eclipse

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow that blocks sunlight from directly reaching the Moon. There are three types of lunar eclipses: total, partial, and penumbral, depending on how deeply the Moon enters or touches the Earth’s shadows. During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon completely enters the Earth’s umbra (the central, darkest portion of the shadow), often exhibiting a dramatic red or orange hue due to sunlight being filtered and refracted by the Earth’s atmosphere. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when only part of the Moon passes through the umbra, and a penumbral eclipse happens when the Moon passes through the penumbra, the outer shadow, causing only a slight shading on the Moon’s surface. Lunar eclipses can be seen from anywhere on the night side of the Earth, if the sky is clear, and unlike solar eclipses, they are safe to view with the naked eye.