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LUNAR ECLIPSES Credit: Johannes Schedler

lunar eclipses - Astronomy - University of Californiaastro.ucr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/lunar-eclipses.pdf · Credit: Johannes Schedler Lunar eclipses are perfectly safe to

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LUNAR ECLIPSES

Credit: Johannes Schedler

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

SAFETY

ANATOMY OF A LUNAR ECLIPSE

PENUMBRAL ECLIPSES

PARTIAL ECLIPSES

TOTAL ECLIPSES

REVIEW ECLIPSE TYPES

DANJON SCALE

NEXT ECLIPSES

MORE

Credit: Johannes Schedler

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Credit: Johannes Schedler

Lunar eclipses are perfectly safe to view without protection.

You can use your eyes, binoculars or telescopes.

Be patient, it takes time for the lunar disc to change color.

SAFETY

Credit: starrynight.com

A lunar eclipse happens when Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, projecting its shadow onto our satellite. Shadows come

in 2 forms: the penumbra which is the outmost and is partly-shaded; and the umbra, which is the innermost and is fully-shaded.

ANATOMY OF AN ECLIPSE

Umbra

Penumbra

Frontal view of Earth’s shadow.

Penumbral eclipses can be total, when the whole Moon enters the penumbra; or partial, when a fraction of the Moon

enters the penumbra. They are difficult to detect because the Moon only changes its brightness a bit.

Umbra

Penumbra

PENUMBRAL ECLIPSE

Example of a partial penumbral eclipse.Credit: Hong Kong Space Museum

Partial umbral eclipses take place when a fraction of the Moon enters the umbra, and of course, in its way it also

enters the penumbra. When in the umbra, the lunar disc will change color or become very dark.

Umbra

Penumbra

PARTIAL ECLIPSE

Example of a partial umbral eclipse.Credit: Rodney Pommier

Total umbral eclipses take place when all of the Moon enters the umbra, and of course, in its way also the penumbra. When in the umbra, the lunar disc will change color or

become very dark.

Umbra

Penumbra

TOTAL ECLIPSE

Example of a total umbral eclipse.

Review of lunar eclipse typesCredit: Tom Ruen / Wikipedia

REVIEW ECLIPSE TYPES

Credit: Tim Trott

1 2 3 4 5

During the maximum of a total umbral eclipse we can see what color the lunar disc has taken and assign a value

according to the Danjon Scale.

DANJON SCALE

0 very dark totality, with the Moon almost invisible

1 dark/gray/brownish, details distinguishable with difficulty

2 deep red/rust, very dark central shadow, bright outer edge

3 brick-red with a bright or yellow rim

4 bright copper-red/orange, with a bluish & very bright rim

DANJON SCALE

NEXT ECLIPSES

Visible in the continental USA

Date Type

March 23, 2016 penumbral

February 11, 2017 penumbral

January 31, 2018 total

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