A 

lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow.[1] This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and
Moon are exactly or very closely aligned (in syzygy) with Earth between the other two, which can happen only on the night of
a full moon when the Moon is near either lunar node. The type and length of a lunar eclipse depend on the Moon's proximity
to the lunar node.[citation needed]
The reddish color of a totally eclipsed Moon is caused by Earth completely blocking direct sunlight from reaching the Moon,
with the only light reflected from the lunar surface has been refracted by Earth's atmosphere. This light appears reddish for
the same reason that a sunset or sunrise does: the Rayleigh scattering of blue light.
Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed
from anywhere on the night side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly 2 hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts
only up to a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Also unlike solar eclipses, lunar
eclipses are safe to view without any eye protection or special precautions, as they are dimmer than a normal full Moon.

The symbol for a lunar eclipse (or indeed any body in the shadow of another) is   (U+1F776 🝶).
For the date of the next eclipse, see § Recent and forthcoming lunar eclipses.

Contents

 1Types of lunar eclipse

o 1.1Penumbral lunar eclipse
o 1.2Partial lunar eclipse
o 1.3Total lunar eclipse
o 1.4Central lunar eclipse
o 1.5Selenelion
 2Timing
 3Danjon scale
 4Lunar versus solar eclipse
 5Lunar eclipse in culture
o 5.1Inca
o 5.2Mesopotamians
o 5.3Chinese
 6Blood moon
 7Occurrence
o 7.1Recent and forthcoming lunar eclipses
 8See also
 9References
 10Further reading
 11External links

Types of lunar eclipse

A schematic diagram of the shadow cast by Earth. Within the umbra, the central region, the planet totally shields direct sunlight. In contrast,

within the penumbra, the outer portion, the sunlight is only partially blocked. (Neither the Sun, Moon, and Earth sizes nor the distances

between the bodies are to scale.)

Earth's shadow can be divided into two distinctive parts: the umbra and penumbra. Earth totally occludes direct solar
radiation within the umbra, the central region of the shadow. However, since the Sun's diameter appears about one-quarter
of Earth's in the lunar sky, the planet only partially blocks direct sunlight within the penumbra, the outer portion of the
shadow.

Penumbral lunar eclipse

This occurs when the Moon passes through Earth's penumbra. The penumbra causes a subtle dimming of the lunar surface,
which is only visible to the naked eye when about 70% of the Moon's diameter has immersed into Earth's penumbra.[2] A
special type of penumbral eclipse is a total penumbral lunar eclipse, during which the Moon lies exclusively within Earth's
penumbra. Total penumbral eclipses are rare, and when these occur, the portion of the Moon closest to the umbra may
appear slightly darker than the rest of the lunar disk.

Partial lunar eclipse

Timelapse of a partial lunar eclipse

This occurs when only a portion of the Moon enters Earth's umbra, while a total lunar eclipse occurs when the entire Moon
enters the planet's umbra. The Moon's average orbital speed is about 1.03 km/s (2,300 mph), or a little more than its
diameter per hour, so totality may last up to nearly 107 minutes. Nevertheless, the total time between the first and the last
contacts of the Moon's limb with Earth's shadow is much longer and could last up to 236 minutes.[3]

Total lunar eclipse

This occurs when the Moon falls entirely within the Earth's umbra. Just prior to complete entry, the brightness of the lunar
limb-- the curved edge of the Moon still being hit by direct sunlight-- will cause the rest of the Moon to appear comparatively
dim. The moment the Moon enters a complete eclipse, the entire surface will become more or less uniformly bright. Later, as
the Moon's opposite limb is struck by sunlight, the overall disk will again become obscured. This is because as viewed from
the Earth, the brightness of a lunar limb is generally greater than that of the rest of the surface due to reflections from the
many surface irregularities within the limb: sunlight striking these irregularities is always reflected back in greater quantities
than that striking more central parts, and is why the edges of full moons generally appear brighter than the rest of the lunar
surface. This is similar to the effect of velvet fabric over a convex curved surface which to an observer will appear darkest at
the center of the curve. It will be true of any planetary body with little or no atmosphere and an irregular cratered surface
(e.g., Mercury) when viewed opposite the Sun.[4]

Central lunar eclipse

This is a total lunar eclipse during which the Moon passes through the centre of Earth's shadow, contacting the antisolar
point. This type of lunar eclipse is relatively rare.
The relative distance of the Moon from Earth at the time of an eclipse can affect the eclipse's duration. In particular, when
the Moon is near apogee, the farthest point from Earth in its orbit, its orbital speed is the slowest. The diameter of Earth's
umbra does not decrease appreciably within the changes in the Moon's orbital distance. Thus, the concurrence of a totally
eclipsed Moon near apogee will lengthen the duration of totality.

Selenelion
A selenelion or selenehelion, also called a horizontal eclipse, occurs where and when both the Sun and an eclipsed Moon
can be observed at the same time. The event can only be observed just before sunset or just after sunrise, when both
bodies will appear just above opposite horizons at nearly opposite points in the sky. A selenelion occurs during every total
lunar eclipse-- it is an experience of the observer, not a planetary event separate from the lunar eclipse itself. Typically,
observers on Earth located on high mountain ridges undergoing false sunrise or false sunset at the same moment of a total
lunar eclipse will be able to experience it. Although during selenelion the Moon is completely within the Earth's umbra, both it
and the Sun can be observed in the sky because atmospheric refraction causes each body to appear higher (i.e., more
central) in the sky than its true geometric planetary position.[5]

Timing

Contact points relative to the Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows, here with the Moon near is descending node

The timing of total lunar eclipses is determined by what are known as its "contacts" (moments of contact with Earth's
shadow):[6]

 P1 (First contact): Beginning of the penumbral eclipse. Earth's penumbra touches the Moon's outer limb.
 U1 (Second contact): Beginning of the partial eclipse. Earth's umbra touches the Moon's outer limb.
 U2 (Third contact): Beginning of the total eclipse. The Moon's surface is entirely within Earth's umbra.
 Greatest eclipse: The peak stage of the total eclipse. The Moon is at its closest to the center of Earth's umbra.
 U3 (Fourth contact): End of the total eclipse. The Moon's outer limb exits Earth's umbra.
 U4 (Fifth contact): End of the partial eclipse. Earth's umbra leaves the Moon's surface.
 P4 (Sixth contact): End of the penumbral eclipse. Earth's penumbra no longer makes contact with the Moon.