#LunarEclipse #TotalLunarEclipse #PenumbralEclipse #PartialEclipse #RedMoon #EclipseSeasons #Astronomy #CelestialEvents #EarthShadow #MoonObservation #Astrophysics #EclipsePhotography #SpaceEducation #NorthernManhattan #EclipseMechanisms
In this session, I discuss lunar eclipses and how they occur. On October 8, 2014, I captured a total lunar eclipse from northern Manhattan. During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes into Earth’s shadow, which is different from its regular phases. Lunar eclipses come in three types: penumbral (partial dimming), partial (partial umbra), and total (full umbra). A total lunar eclipse happens when the moon fully passes into the Earth’s umbra, resulting in a deep red appearance due to the Earth’s atmosphere scattering blue light and letting red light pass through. These eclipses don’t happen every month because the moon’s orbit is tilted 5 degrees relative to Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Eclipses only occur during eclipse seasons, when the line of nodes (where the moon’s orbit intersects the ecliptic) aligns with the Sun. We can observe three lunar eclipse seasons per year due to the precession of the line of nodes, which takes about 18.6 years to complete a full cycle. I captured various lunar eclipses, including a notable one on September 27, 1996, during a Broadway show intermission, and another on September 27, 2015. During these eclipses, the moon’s distinct red color creates a spectacular view. Understanding the mechanisms behind lunar eclipses, including the moon’s tilt and the alignment of the Earth, Sun, and Moon, helps us appreciate these celestial events.