Total Lunar Eclipse
Explanation:
The beginning, middle, and
end
of a journey through planet Earth's colorful
umbral shadow
is captured in this timelapse composite image of a
total lunar eclipse.
Taken on
November
8
from Kitt Peak National Observatory
this eclipse's 1 hour and 25 minute long total phase starts on the right and finishes
on the left.
Reddened sunlight, scattered into the central shadow by Earth's
dusty atmosphere produces the
dramatic dark red hues reflected by the lunar disk.
For this eclipse, additional reddening is likely due to scattering
from ash lingering in the atmosphere after a large
volcanic
eruption in the southern Pacific
earlier this year.
Seen at the right and left, the Earth's shadow is still lighter
along its edge though.
That faint bluish fringe
along the lunar limb is colored by
sunlight filtered through Earth's stratospheric
ozone layer.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
