Curriculum
Course: Science — First Preparatory
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Curriculum

Science — First Preparatory

Unit 1: Matter

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Unit 2: Forces

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Unit 3: Life

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Unit 4: Earth and Space

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Text lesson

Lunar Eclipse

Science — First Preparatory

Lunar Eclipse

What is a lunar eclipse?

What is a lunar eclipse?

  • A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, roughly in a straight line, so the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow and direct sunlight cannot reach it.
  • A lunar eclipse can happen only at full moon, because at that time the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
Type of eclipse What happens
Total lunar eclipse
  • The whole Moon enters the full shadow (umbra) of the Earth
  • and it looks coppery red
Partial lunar eclipse
  • Only part of the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow
  • and the rest stays bright
Penumbral eclipse
  • The Moon passes through the faint outer shadow (penumbra)
  • and it shows only a slight dimming
  • The Moon looks red during a total eclipse because some sunlight is bent by the Earth’s atmosphere and reaches the Moon.
  • The blue and violet light is scattered away, which is the same reason the Sun looks red at sunset.
  • A lunar eclipse does not happen at every full moon, because the Moon’s orbit is tilted by about 5 degrees relative to the Earth’s orbit.
  • So the Moon usually passes above or below the Earth’s shadow.
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