The moon has long been considered something mystical and endowed with magical powers. Therefore, when the night light suddenly poured blood red or, even worse, disappeared from the sky, our ancestors considered this a bad sign. Over time and the development of science, people have found a more mundane explanation for this phenomenon, which you can learn about in this article. You can also study the lunar eclipse pattern.
What is this phenomenon
The moon is a faithful companion of the Earth. It has a huge impact on our planet. The tides and ebbs, the development of plants and microorganisms, and also the speed of the Earth's rotation obey it.
In addition to important functions, the moon gives its magic light at night. Interestingly, in fact, the satellite does not have its own glow, and the silver glow is the result of reflection of sunlight. But why does it happen that the moon changes its color or even disappears from sight? It's all about the eclipse.
Eclipse is a term in astronomy when one space object closes another. There are certain schemes. The definition of a lunar eclipse is the Earth covering the satellite from the Sun, at this moment plunging it into its shadow.
In addition to the night eclipse, astronomers study, creating many schemes, and the solar eclipse. The reason for its occurrence is the opposite - the moon is between the planet and a hot star, covering it with itself.
Why does the satellite eclipse
The schemes for the occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses are very interesting to study. They show how bodies move, at what point they obscure one object from another. Let's take a closer look at the lunar eclipse pattern.
All bodies in the sky, starting from dust particles and ending with planets, move, at a certain time, appearing on the same axis. When the moon, earth and sun rise on the same axis, the satellite enters the shadow radius of the planet. The shadow diameter of the Earth at a distance of ≈363 thousand km is equal to 2.5 diameters of the Moon, which is why the satellite can hide all, but before that, passes the penumbral region of the planet.
Varieties of lunar eclipse
Thanks to the schemes of the lunar eclipse, it was found that the Moon undergoes several stages of immersion before completely disappearing into the shadow radius. Based on them, the following eclipse phases were distinguished:
- full;
- private;
- partial shade.
The total or central eclipse got its name from the fact that the moon passes in the center of the shadow cone. This phase is the longest and can last up to 108 minutes. Such a duration was encountered only in 1953 and 2000.
As for the partial lunar eclipse, the schemes show that in this phase the satellite is only half immersed in the shadow, while the other part is in the penumbral stage. It is she who continues to reflect sunlight, visible in the sky.
The penumbral eclipse is the last type of phase in the layout of the lunar eclipse. Then the satellite does not enter the cone, but remains in the penumbra field. The reflection of the sun's rays becomes muffled, although with the naked eye it is quite difficult to notice. All that can be seen in clear weather is the darkened lunar edge, which appears in close proximity to the shadow radius.
Dungeon scale
In addition to the schemes of the total lunar eclipse, there is the Danjong scale. It was created by Andre Dungeon to determine the level of shadowing of the moon at a total eclipse. After all, being in any phase of the blackout, the satellite, in fact, does not disappear from the sky, but only changes its color, depending on the depth of being in the shade.
The following scale levels are distinguished:
- 0 is the darkest shade. It is at this level that the moon seems to have disappeared from heaven.
- 1 - the satellite is visible, albeit with great difficulty. Its color becomes dark brown or grayish.
- 2 - bright edges with a very dark core. It is usually filled with a rusty tint.
- 3 - the edges of the moon turn yellow, and inside - a brick color.
- 4 - the famous bloody moon. The satellite turns bright red or deep orange.
The reasons why the Moon in most cases takes on a reddish hue are, in fact, devoid of any mysticism attributed to this phenomenon. The celestial body becomes burgundy due to the fact that, even in the very center of the shadow, the moon continues to be illuminated. The rays of the sun passing along the planet are scattered in its atmosphere, which is why they partially reach the satellite. Since the atmosphere has the least sensitivity to red hues, it is these colors that the moon reflects.
How to see a lunar eclipse
Do not miss the eclipse for beginners and professional astronomers with the help of the lunar eclipse schemes, with which future dates are determined. Having learned the nearest number it is not at all necessary to acquire heavy-duty equipment. To determine the time, it is enough to look at the diagram, and the partial lunar eclipse is visible with the naked eye.
However, if you want to see the moon leaving the planet in full detail, use the telescope by adjusting it in advance, or use a powerful camera with good magnification. Then, in addition to unforgettable impressions, you can take high-quality photos. In addition, observation of the phases of the satellite eclipse using instruments does not require additional protective preparation, as is required for solar dimming, in order to protect the eyes.
When and where to watch the lunar eclipse
In the reflections on the diagrams of how a lunar eclipse occurs, scientists have revealed that it is possible only during the full moon, but not every time. The reason for this is the inclination of the Earth’s satellite orbit to the ecliptic (the Earth’s orbital path around the Sun) by 5 °. The places where the orbits intersect are called lunar nodes, and darkening is possible only if the new moon passes in the immediate vicinity of the node, otherwise the Earth will not be able to cast a shadow.
For this reason, the satellite falls into shadow two or three times during the whole year, when the full moon is near one of its nodes, and three celestial bodies are on the same line. It is in such a period that you can immediately catch two eclipses. The solar and lunar eclipse scheme has been developed for many years.
Although there are also frequent years when the eclipse of the satellite did not occur at all. The reason for this is that the three celestial bodies did not appear in time on the same line, and the Moon passed only in partial shade, without affecting the shadow center.
Nevertheless, in more successful years for astronomers and space lovers, anyone can watch the lunar eclipse from anywhere in the world, being there at night. As for the solar eclipse, it is a rare chance to see it. Observation of the disappearance of the star is possible only in some areas.
The effect of cosmic phenomena on man
As already mentioned, the moon affects our planet not only in outer space. Besides the fact that it acts on natural phenomena, it also affects the inhabitants of the Earth. The night luminary is responsible for the physical condition of a person and his well-being. That is why many people, especially the elderly, are keenly aware of the lunar phases.
But if the Moon itself is responsible for the "shell", then the lunar eclipse has a huge impact on the internal state. The emotional background of a person and his mental health depend on him. People dependent on the moon begin to feel the effect of the coming eclipse in a few weeks, and they continue to feel it a couple of weeks after.
So what is the effect of a lunar eclipse? Symbolically, the departure of the moon into the shadow means the completion of one life stage and the emergence of something new. This may be the fulfillment of a promise made to oneself for a long time or the abandonment of habits and the elimination of excess and unnecessary.
Emotionally, an eclipse can cause a surge of feelings. Therefore, the decision of something important should be postponed until later. Attacks of sudden aggression or, conversely, unexpected tenderness are frequent.
Avoiding unpleasant situations will help ordinary meditation, when you listen to your body and soul. Also, do not plan something grand, for example, a wedding or the conclusion of an important contract. In addition, during this period, do not cling to the old and boldly go forward. And most importantly - try not to enter into conflict situations or try to find out the relationship. It will not lead to anything good.
A bit of history
People from ancient times revered celestial bodies, spiritualizing them and endowing them with incredible power, enveloping many legends and fairy tales. Therefore, myths are not spared, and the lunar phenomenon.
The very common legend told of terrible creatures that seek to eat the moon, which is why it changes its color. To drive away dragons, jaguars and other creatures, people performed whole rituals - they sang and shouted, danced and stomped or simply prayed until the eclipse was completed. It was believed that if you did not save the satellite in time, then the scary monster would descend to earth and destroy all life.
Over time, people began to notice that the moon was filling with terrible red at certain intervals, after which studies began. Already in 1504, our ancestors knew that the disappearance of the satellite is a temporary phenomenon. It was then that this knowledge helped Columbus not to starve to death. Being in Jamaica, the researcher scared the leaders that he would take away the Moon from them if they did not provide food and water. What was the surprise of the leaders when the silver disk actually disappeared from heaven, appearing back after they presented the food.
