![]() Enough of this light reaches the Moon to give it a faint coppery glow-even when it is totally eclipsed.ĭepending on the state of our atmosphere during totality, the Moon might resemble a shiny new penny or glow softly with hues of brick red, or chocolate brown. Near the horizon, at sunrise and sunset we see red and orange colorations. Because some of the sunlight striking our Earth is diffused and scattered by our atmosphere, the Earth’s shadow is not totally dark. You might expect the Moon to completely disappear from view when it becomes immersed in the Earth’s shadow, but it doesn’t. Instead, during this darkest phase of the eclipse, the Moon glows with an eerie ruddy coloration. For the next 61 minutes the Moon will move steadily into the shadow until its last remaining sliver becomes tucked inside the shadow’s outer rim. That will be the start of the “total phase” of the eclipse. When the full Moon enters the Earth’s dark central shadow (umbra), its left edge will appear to crumble away. The Moon will be totally eclipsed for 85 minutes-about the length of a feature film. ![]() But the upcoming eclipse will be unusually long. Typically, the amount of time that the Moon spends completely immersed in the Earth’s darkest shadow lasts about 50 minutes or less. But on special occasions-when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are properly aligned-the Moon’s path will take it directly into the Earth’s shadow, which causes a lunar eclipse! Learn more about eclipses: dates, myths, and superstitions. This lunar “show” may be watched most anywhere in North and South America, and it may be observed to full advantage without binoculars or telescopic equipment of any kind. And unlike an eclipse of the Sun, an eclipse of the Moon presents no hazards to viewers no precautions to protect the eyes are needed.īelow is a timetable for all of the main events of the next lunar eclipse (times listed in italics fall on May 16, 2022):Įarth casts a long, cone-shaped shadow that stretches into space for about 863,000 miles. More often than not, the full Moon passes either above or below this shadow. When a lunar eclipse occurs, the moon will typically take on a reddish-hue, giving it the nickname the “blood moon.”ĭuring a total lunar eclipse, the sun, Earth and moon perfectly line up, with the Earth blocking most of the sun’s rays from hitting the moon.Īccording to Live Science, the sun’s light rays are able to get around the Earth during an eclipse, but as they do so, they first go through the planet’s atmosphere, scattering shorter-wavelength blue light from reaching the moon’s surface.Īs a result, the moon appears red during a lunar eclipse.If you would like to attend one of nature’s most interesting celestial performances, mark a date on your calendar for Sunday evening, May 15, 2022, to see a total eclipse of the Moon! Next month’s moon is traditionally called the “Strawberry Moon,” according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. FlowerĮach month’s full moon has its own unique name, and in the month of May, the “flower moon” takes to the skies over Earth. The closest full moon to Earth in 2022 will occur on July 13, when the moon will be just over 222,000 miles from here. During the so-called “super moon,” the moon appears larger and brighter in the sky than it does at other times. Sunday’s full moon will be the first “super moon” of 2022, with three more set to occur this year. Illinois Coronavirus Updates: COVID Alert Levels, Tripledemic Fears
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