When Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, there is a resulting shadow that passes over the Moon. This shadow creates a lunar eclipse.
While many people think that every lunar eclipse is the same, there are actually three different types.
The first type is the Total Eclipse, which occurs when the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow, known as the umbral shadow, covers the Moon entirely. This causes it to appear as if the Moon has disappeared.
The second type is the Partial Eclipse. It occurs when only a part of the moon is covered by the Earth’s umbral shadow. This causes the shadow to be projected onto only part of the moon. Most often, a Partial Eclipse is easy to see.
The third and final type is the Penumbral Eclipse. This type of Lunar Eclipse cannot be easily seen and is thus more interesting in terms of research. In a Penumbral Eclipse, the Moon passes only through the Earth’s outer shadow, and there is no significant darkening of the Moon itself.
The Earth’s shadow contains two parts, composed of inner and outer conical shapes. The outer shadow is known as the Penumbral shadow and is used to block most Sunlight from reaching the moon. The inner shadow is known as the Umbral shadow and blocks Sunlight completely. A Lunar Eclipse occurs when the Moon is full and passes through either the Inner or Outer shadow of the Earth.
Date | Time | Type | Duration | Region |
---|---|---|---|---|
2012 Nov 28 | 14:34:07 | Penumbral | ' | Europe, e Africa, Asia, Aus., Pacific, N.A. |
2013 Apr 25 | 20:08:38 | Partial | 00h27m | Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus. |
2013 May 25 | 04:11:06 | Penumbral | ' | Americas, Africa |
2013 Oct 18 | 23:51:25 | Penumbral | ' | Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia |
2014 Apr 15 | 07:46:48 | Total | 03h35m 01h18m |
Aus., Pacific, Americas |
2014 Oct 08 | 10:55:44 | Total | 03h20m 00h59m |
Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas |
2015 Apr 04 | 12:01:24 | Total | 03h29m 00h05m |
Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas |
2015 Sep 28 | 02:48:17 | Total | 03h20m 01h12m |
e Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa, w Asia |
2016 Mar 23 | 11:48:21 | Penumbral | ' | Asia, Aus., Pacific, w Americas |
2016 Sep 16 | 18:55:27 | Penumbral | ' | Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus., w Pacific |
2017 Feb 11 | 00:45:03 | Penumbral | ' | Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia |
2017 Aug 07 | 18:21:38 | Partial | 01h55m | Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus. |
2018 Jan 31 | 13:31:00 | Total | 03h23m 01h16m |
Asia, Aus., Pacific, w N.America |
2018 Jul 27 | 20:22:54 | Total | 03h55m 01h43m |
S.America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus. |
2019 Jan 21 | 05:13:27 | Total | 03h17m 01h02m |
c Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa |
2019 Jul 16 | 21:31:55 | Partial | 02h58m | S.America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus. |
2020 Jan 10 | 19:11:11 | Penumbral | ' | Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus. |
2020 Jun 05 | 19:26:14 | Penumbral | ' | Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus. |
2020 Jul 05 | 04:31:12 | Penumbral | ' | Americas, sw Europe, Africa |
2020 Nov 30 | 09:44:01 | Penumbral | ' | Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas |