Lunar Eclipse

space · the Moon · astronomy · shadows

Earth blocks the Sun. During a lunar eclipse, Earth gets between the Sun and the Moon, casting a giant shadow on the Moon. This only happens when the Sun, Earth, and Moon line up perfectly in space.

The Moon turns blood red. When the Moon enters Earth's shadow, it doesn't disappear completely. Instead, it glows a deep reddish color because some sunlight bends around Earth and lights up the Moon in a spooky, beautiful way. This is why people call it a blood moon.

Eclipse seasons exist. Lunar eclipses only happen during special times called eclipse seasons, when the Moon's orbit lines up just right with Earth and the Sun. Without this perfect alignment, the Moon would miss Earth's shadow.

They last hours. A lunar eclipse can last several hours from start to finish, giving you plenty of time to watch the Moon's color change. The total darkness phase, when the Moon is deepest in the shadow, is the most dramatic part.

Distance makes a difference. How dark the eclipse gets and how long it lasts depends on where the Moon is in its orbit around Earth. When the Moon is closer to Earth, the eclipse looks different than when it is farther away.