Eclipses of the Moon
A lunar eclipse occurs during a full moon when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow.
- Date
- Type
- Where Visible
- May 15-16
- total
- SW Europe, SW Asia, N/S America, Antartica
- Nov 7-8
- total
- NE Europe, Asia, Australia, N/S America, Antarctica
The Earth's shadow has two parts:
Umbra - dark inner shadow. Total lunar eclipses occur when the entire Moon passes through the umbral shadow. Partial lunar eclipses occur when only a portion of the Moon passes through the umbral shadow.
Penumbra - faint outer shadow. Penumbral lunar eclipses occur when the Moon passes through the penumbral shadow but are very difficult to observer so are of internest mainly to astonomers.