April 26, 2024

Lunar eclipses: What are they & when is the next one?

Even where visible this type of eclipse can be challenging to observe because it is subtle.The 2nd and final lunar eclipse of 2023 will happen on Oct. 28-29 and it will be a partial lunar eclipse. A total lunar eclipse can take place just when the sun, Earth and moon are completely lined up– anything less than perfection develops a partial lunar eclipse or no eclipse at all. The preliminary and last stages– when the moon is in the penumbral shadow– are not so obvious, so the finest part of an eclipse is throughout the middle of the occasion, when the moon is in the umbral shadow.Related: How lunar eclipses work (infographic)Total eclipses are a freak of cosmic happenstance. From the Moon, the Earth totally blocks the Sun during a total lunar eclipse (Image credit: NASA)Types of lunar eclipsesTotal lunar eclipse: Earths complete (umbral) shadow falls on the moon.”What individuals see from Earth throughout a partial lunar eclipse depends on how the sun, Earth and moon are lined up,” according to NASA.Penumbral lunar eclipse: This is the least interesting type of eclipse, because the moon is in Earths faint external (penumbral) shadow.

Even where noticeable this type of eclipse can be challenging to observe since it is subtle.The second and last lunar eclipse of 2023 will happen on Oct. 28-29 and it will be a partial lunar eclipse. A total lunar eclipse can happen just when the sun, Earth and moon are completely lined up– anything less than perfection produces a partial lunar eclipse or no eclipse at all.”What people see from Earth during a partial lunar eclipse depends on how the sun, Earth and moon are lined up,” according to NASA.Penumbral lunar eclipse: This is the least intriguing type of eclipse, because the moon is in Earths faint outer (penumbral) shadow.