Lunar Eclipse - An eclipse that occurs when the Moon enters the cone of the shadow cast by the Earth. The diameter of the Earth's shadow spot at a distance of 363,000 km (the minimum distance of the Moon from the Earth) is about 2.5 times the diameter of the Moon, so that the entire Moon can be shaded. At each moment of the eclipse, the degree of coverage of the lunar disk by the earth's shadow is expressed by the phase of the eclipse. The magnitude of the phase is determined by the distance 0 from the center of the moon to the center of the shadow. In astronomical calendars, the values ​​of Ф and 0 are given for different moments of the eclipse.

 

When the Moon completely falls into the shadow of the Earth during an eclipse, they speak of a total lunar eclipse, when partially - a partial eclipse. A lunar eclipse can be observed in half of the Earth's territory (where at the time of the eclipse the Moon is above the horizon). The view of the shadowy moon from any point of view is negligibly different from another point and is the same. The maximum theoretically possible duration of the total phase of a lunar eclipse is 108 minutes; such were, for example, the lunar eclipses of August 13, 1859 and July 16, 2000.

 

 

During an eclipse (even a total one), the Moon does not disappear completely, but turns dark red. This is explained by the fact that the Moon continues to shine even in the total eclipse phase. The sun's rays that pass tangentially to the earth's surface are scattered in the Earth's atmosphere and due to this scattering they partially reach the moon. Because the Earth's atmosphere is most transparent to the rays of the red-orange part of the spectrum, these rays reach the surface of the Moon to a greater extent during an eclipse, which explains the color of the lunar disk. In fact, it is the same effect as the red-orange glow of the sky near the horizon (dawn) before sunrise or even after sunset. The Danjon scale is used to assess the brightness of the eclipse.

 

Bemorepanda collected 50 interesting facts about the full moon eclipse, that you can check below.

 

1. An observer on the Moon, at the time of a total (or partial, if on the shaded side of the Moon) of a lunar eclipse sees a total solar eclipse (the eclipse of the Sun by the Earth).

 

2. If the Moon falls in the partial shadow of the Earth only partially, a partial eclipse is observed. With it, part of the Moon is dark and part, even in the maximum phase, remains in partial shade and is illuminated by the sun's rays.

 

3.There is a penumbra around the cone of the Earth's shadow - a region of space where the Earth hides the Sun only partially. If the Moon passes through the penumbra but does not enter the shadow, a penumbral eclipse occurs. With this, the brightness of the moon decreases, but insignificantly: such a decrease is almost imperceptible to the naked eye and is recorded only by instruments. Only when the moon in a penumbral eclipse passes by the cone of full shadow, with a clear sky, can you notice a slight darkening on one edge of the lunar disk.

 

 

4. At least two lunar eclipses occur each year, however, due to the mismatch of the plans of the lunar and terrestrial orbits, their phases differ. 

 

5. Eclipses are repeated in the same order every 6585 days (or 18 years 11 days and 8 hours - a period called saros). By knowing where and when a total lunar eclipse was observed, you can determine the exact time of subsequent and previous eclipses, which are clearly visible in this area. 

 

6. This cyclical nature often helps the exact date of the events described in the historical annals.

 

7. The eclipse, whether solar or lunar, has always frightened and delighted mankind. From a scientific point of view, this is an astronomical phenomenon, during which one celestial body shuts off the flow of light to another and visually creates the impression that the planets are disappearing.

 

 

8. Any processes and phenomena that occur on and around the Earth have a certain conditioned influence on our planet and its inhabitants. Solar and lunar eclipses can cause various types of cataclysms, as well as changes in the psychological and physiological health of people.

 

9. During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon disappears completely into the shadow of the Earth. The total phase of a lunar eclipse lasts much longer than the total phase of a solar eclipse. 

 

10. The shape of the edge of the earth's shadow during lunar eclipses served the ancient Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle as one of the strongest proofs of the Earth's sphericity. The philosophers of ancient Greece calculated that the Earth is about three times the size of the Moon, simply based on the duration of eclipses (the exact value of this coefficient is 3.66).

 

 

11. The moon at the time of a total lunar eclipse is actually devoid of sunlight, so a total lunar eclipse is visible from anywhere in the Earth's hemisphere. The eclipse begins and ends simultaneously for all geographical points. However, the local time for this phenomenon will be different. 

 

12. As the Moon moves from west to east, the left edge of the Moon first enters the shadow of the earth. 

 

13. An eclipse can be total or partial, depending on whether the Moon enters the shadow of the Earth completely or passes near its edge. 

 

14. The closer the lunar eclipse is to the lunar node, the greater its phase. Finally, when the lunar disk is covered not by a shadow but by a penumbra, penumbra eclipses occur. It is difficult to see them with the naked eye. 

 

 

15. During an eclipse, the Moon hides in the shadow of the Earth and, it seems, should disappear from view every time, because the Earth is opaque. However, the Earth's atmosphere scatters the sun's rays, which hit the moon's eclipsing surface, "bypassing" the Earth. 

 

16. The reddish color of the disc is due to the fact that the red and orange rays pass best through the atmosphere. The reddish color of the disk during a total lunar eclipse is due to the scattering of sunlight in the Earth's atmosphere.

 

17. Each lunar eclipse is different in terms of the distribution of brightness and color in the shadow of the earth. The color of the eclipsed moon is often estimated according to a special scale proposed by French astronomer André Danjon:

 

0 points - the eclipse is very dark, in the middle of the eclipse the Moon is almost or completely invisible.

 

1 point - the eclipse is dark, gray, the details of the lunar surface are completely invisible.

 

2 points - the eclipse is dark red or reddish, a darker part is seen near the center of the shadow.

 

3 points - a red-brick eclipse, the shadow is surrounded by a gray or yellowish edge.

 

4 points - a copper-red eclipse, very bright, the outer area is light, bluish.

 

 

18. If the plane of the Moon's orbit coincided with the plane of the ecliptic, then the lunar eclipses would be repeated every month. But the angle between these planes is 5 °, and the Moon crosses the ecliptic twice a month only at two points, called the nodes of the lunar orbit. Even ancient astronomers knew about these knots, calling them the Dragon's Head and Tail (Rahu and Ketu). For a lunar eclipse to occur, the moon on a full moon must be close to the node of its orbit. 

 

19. There are usually 1-2 lunar eclipses per year. In a few years it may not be at all and sometimes the third one happens. In the rarest cases, there is a fourth eclipse, but only a partial penumbra.

 

20. The period of time after which the moon returns to its node is called the draconian moon, which is 27.21 days. After this time, the Moon crosses the ecliptic at a point offset from the previous 1.5 ° westward passage. The phases of the month are repeated on average every 29.53 days (synodic month). The time interval of 346.62 days in which the center of the Sun's disk passes through the same node of the lunar orbit is called the draconian year. 

 

 

21. The recurrence period of eclipses - saros - will be equal to the time period after which the beginning of these three periods will coincide. Saros in ancient Egyptian means "repetition." Long before our era, even in antiquity, it was established that saros lasts 18 years 11 days 7 hours. Saros includes: 242 draconian months or 223 synodic months or 19 draconian years. During each Saros 70 to 85 eclipses occur; of these, there are usually about 43 solar and 28 monthly. 

 

22. During the year, the seven largest eclipses can occur - either five solar and two lunar, or four solar and three lunar. The minimum number of eclipses per year is two solar eclipses. Solar eclipses occur more often than lunar eclipses, but are rarely observed in the same area, as these eclipses are only visible in a narrow band of the moon's shadow. At a certain point on the surface, a total solar eclipse is observed on average once every 200-300 years.

 

23. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, and the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon. This happens on a full moon if it is observed near the lunar node. A lunar eclipse affects the psyche to a greater extent than life's plan of events, giving rise to a feeling of excruciating anxiety and a desire to do something without a clear understanding of the meaning and purpose of actions. Under a lunar eclipse, people experience a wave of emotions, there are illusions about partners and their own role in relationships

 

 

24. A solar eclipse can only occur on a new moon. A lunar eclipse can only occur on a full moon.

 

25. The moon governs everything related to the interests of the home and motherhood and represents the external part of a person's personality. Personality is what we see in the external expression (appearance, words, deeds), that is, everything that distinguishes one person from another.

 

26. The moon governs the stomach, breast, fertility, household, maternal instinct, adaptation to everyday circumstances, popularity. It has a significant impact on the general, mundane activities of everyday life.

 

27. The sun rules character, personality (what we really are), power and authority, authority among others. The sun means the influence of high-ranking people and the occupation of high positions.

 

28. Everything that happens a week before the eclipse has a completely different quality from what happens a week later. Events that occur a week before an eclipse can rarely be reconciled with how they were planned. They get out of control, gaining about higher purpose and higher speed. 

 

 

29. Everything that happens on the day of the eclipse itself is endowed with fatal significance and is almost out of human control. During an eclipse, we are aware of the information that may have been available to us before, but for one reason or another did not reach our consciousness. Therefore, important decisions should be made in the week after the eclipse.

 

30. Solar and lunar eclipses affect differently. Solar eclipses stimulate a crisis of consciousness, change our internal attitudes, bringing events that we did not consciously cause, dictated by external circumstances. Situations conditioned by karmic predestination are made here.

 

31. Lunar eclipses are more associated with events caused by our thoughts and feelings. These indicate the area of ​​daily life where the changes caused by the solar eclipse will take place.

 

32. If a lunar eclipse precedes a solar eclipse, the situation in a certain area of ​​life reaches a critical point, requiring reorganization and pushing to rethink and seek a new approach to the time of the solar eclipse following the moon. If a solar eclipse is followed by a lunar eclipse, what will be determined at the beginning of the cycle will inevitably manifest itself in the next lunar eclipse - new conscious attitudes will be realized or rejected in situations that will determine the next stage of life. This can be a time of important choices and life-changing decisions.

 

 

33. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is the completion of a stage in our lives. The Enlightenment came to the opposition - after passing this point, the Moon begins its journey back to the Sun. 

 

34. A lunar eclipse is a time of maximum illumination, manifestation of questions and problems. This is a crisis in which something will be drastically changed or thrown away. One way or another, the circumstances will not remain the same. This is the time when relationship issues, legal disputes and open conflicts come to the fore. It is the most public and public time of the year, revealing information that could have remained hidden for a long time. The information spreads instantly, becoming public knowledge. The secret can be revealed. If you've been looking for someone or something, you might find it during a lunar eclipse. Carries out long-term projects and tasks. It can bring a long-awaited meeting or it can end a long-awaited breakup.

 

35. A lunar eclipse is a time of public outcry, termination of contracts or, conversely, mergers and acquisitions of parties. Although the conflict, clarifying the positions of the parties, is often a way to resolve the issue, however, it should be remembered that at this time the emotional tension is too strong, so beware of making spontaneous decisions. What will be destroyed during this period is difficult to restore.

 

 

36. A lunar eclipse is a cosmic phenomenon that occurs when the moon falls in the shadow of the earth. Moreover, as in the case of the Sun, events may have more development options.

 

37. Depending on some factors, a lunar eclipse can be total or partial. Logically, we can well assume what this term or another that characterizes a particular eclipse means. 

 

38. A total lunar eclipse is a lunar eclipse that is usually seen where it is above the horizon at the right time. The satellite is in the shadow of the Earth, but a total eclipse is not able to completely hide the Moon. In this case, it fades only slightly, acquiring a dark, reddish hue. This is because even when it is completely in the shade, the lunar disk does not cease to be illuminated by the sun's rays passing through the Earth's atmosphere.

 

39. The partial lunar eclipse is in the case of the Sun, the darkness of the visible surface of the Moon is often incomplete. We can observe a partial eclipse when only part of the Moon is in the shadow of the Earth. This means that when part of the satellite is eclipsed, that is, shaded by our planet, then the second part of it continues to be illuminated by the Sun and remains clearly visible to us.

 

 

40. The penumbral eclipse, which differs from other astronomical processes, will seem much more interesting and unusual. This type of eclipse of the Earth's satellite occurs slightly differently than partially. From open sources or from our own experience, it is easy to see that there are areas on the surface of the Earth where the sun's rays are not completely hidden and therefore cannot be a shadow. But even here there is no passage of direct sunlight. This is the region of the penumbra. And when the Moon, caught right in this place, is in the penumbra of the Earth, we can observe an eclipse of the penumbra.

 

41. It's unbelievable, but true: the number of solar eclipses is greater, even if the Moon is smaller than After all, knowing what an eclipse is and why it occurs, one might think that the shadow of a larger object is more likely to cover a smaller one than the other way around. Based on this logic, the size of the Earth makes it possible to hide the lunar disk in the shortest time.

 

42. For those who have extraordinary abilities, the lunar eclipse can present a surprise in the form of doubling the extrasensory abilities, increasing the acuity of perception and intuition.

 

 

43. In the Middle Ages, mankind feared seriously for its present and future in times of eclipse, seeing only the negative consequences. Today, old prejudices have sunk in the summer, and modern science has begun to defend the interests of humanity. Long-term studies have shown that solar eclipses carry various energies. The influence of eclipses in a balanced way is both positive and negative. To smooth over the latter, esotericism is recommended to follow certain rules associated with some restrictions that are not typical of everyday life.

 

44. The lunar eclipse also, according to scientific research, helps to drive away the old resentment from your conscience, to reduce the feeling of guilt for past mistakes, regardless of their severity. Anything negative can lead to destruction and chaos. The energy of the eclipse will help to release the accumulated negative energy and, in return, will gain a positive and an unprecedented inspiration. In a lunar eclipse, it is advisable to forgive your criminals.

 

45. Lunar eclipses are as old as our planet (and the moon itself), and the moon has long played a role in shaping people's religious beliefs. So it's no wonder that lunar eclipses - especially the spectacular one in the world on Friday - have a serious history behind them.

 

 

46. The lunar cycle changes the quality of the light at night, and an eclipse temporarily throws the entire cycle out of the highest path. So it is no wonder that an eclipse can affect nocturnal species. Lemurs, for example, stop their activity altogether (maybe those big eyes aren't that great without moonlight?) While bats increase their activity before and after the eclipse to go hunting.

 

47. Record duration! The longest total solar eclipse in the last 100 years was on July 22, 2009. It has been admired in India, Nepal, Bhutan and China. The total dark phase lasted up to 6 minutes and 29 seconds.

 

48. The only place in the solar system where an eclipse can be seen is the Earth. However, some planets also have spectacular phenomena. A triple eclipse can occur on Jupiter at the same time, because it has several satellites. The phenomenon can be observed from Earth with the help of a telescope.

 

 

49. The lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are placed on an axis, in that order. At a lunar eclipse, the phase of the moon will always be a "full moon".

 

50. The moon is moving away from the Earth! This phenomenon is proven and it has been estimated that over 600 million years ago, the Moon will be so far away that we will not see a total solar eclipse. A solar eclipse is likely to be visible twice from the same place for 360 years, however, in Carbondale, Illinois, a solar eclipse will be observed in 2017, and in 2024 the second will be observed.