Understanding Lunar Eclipse
Wayne Douglas
Mrs. Quackenbush
11/20/14
Lunar Eclipse The moon is a cold, rocky body about 2,160 miles in diameter. The moon shines by sunlight reflected from its surface. Every 29 and a half days it orbits around the earth. When it circles the planet, these can be known as the phases of the moon.
Many early civilizations used the moon’s monthly cycle to measure the passage of time.
Different phases of the moon symbolizes different things. The full moon is known as the phase of love and romance, because it is full and visible all night long.
An eclipse of the moon can only occur at full moon, and only if the moon passes through some portions of the earth’s shadow. Three types of lunar eclipse are Penumbral lunar eclipse,
Partial lunar eclipse, and Total lunar eclipse. When an eclipse of the moon takes place, everyone on the night side of earth can see it. About 35% of all eclipse are of the penumbral type which are very difficult to detect. Another 30% are partial eclipse which are easy to see. The final 35% are total eclipse and are extraordinary events. During a total lunar eclipse the earth blocks the sunlight from reaching the moon.
Total eclipse tend to be very dark after major volcanic eruptions since the events dump large amounts of volcanic ash into the earths atmosphere. During the total lunar eclipse of
December 1992, dust from mount Pinatubo rendered the moon nearly invisible.
Unlike solar eclipses, the lunar eclipse completely is safe to watch. During the five thousand year period from 2000 BCE through 3000 CE, there are 7,718 eclipses of the moon.
This averages about one and a half eclipse each year. The last time that three total lunar eclipses occurred in one calendar year was in 1982.
Mrs. Quackenbush
11/20/14
Lunar Eclipse The moon is a cold, rocky body about 2,160 miles in diameter. The moon shines by sunlight reflected from its surface. Every 29 and a half days it orbits around the earth. When it circles the planet, these can be known as the phases of the moon.
Many early civilizations used the moon’s monthly cycle to measure the passage of time.
Different phases of the moon symbolizes different things. The full moon is known as the phase of love and romance, because it is full and visible all night long.
An eclipse of the moon can only occur at full moon, and only if the moon passes through some portions of the earth’s shadow. Three types of lunar eclipse are Penumbral lunar eclipse,
Partial lunar eclipse, and Total lunar eclipse. When an eclipse of the moon takes place, everyone on the night side of earth can see it. About 35% of all eclipse are of the penumbral type which are very difficult to detect. Another 30% are partial eclipse which are easy to see. The final 35% are total eclipse and are extraordinary events. During a total lunar eclipse the earth blocks the sunlight from reaching the moon.
Total eclipse tend to be very dark after major volcanic eruptions since the events dump large amounts of volcanic ash into the earths atmosphere. During the total lunar eclipse of
December 1992, dust from mount Pinatubo rendered the moon nearly invisible.
Unlike solar eclipses, the lunar eclipse completely is safe to watch. During the five thousand year period from 2000 BCE through 3000 CE, there are 7,718 eclipses of the moon.
This averages about one and a half eclipse each year. The last time that three total lunar eclipses occurred in one calendar year was in 1982.