AsianScientist (Dec. 10, 2011) – Stargazers from Beijing to Sydney were treated to a total lunar eclipse, the last chance to see a blood-red moon until 2014.
The celestial show lasted for slightly under an hour, the second time this year that the earth cast its shadow over the moon.
As the earth passed between the moon and the sun, indirect sunlight was able to pass through the Earth’s atmosphere and illuminate the moon, giving it a spectacular rusty-red tint.
Total lunar eclipses are more common than total solar eclipses because the moon is one-third smaller than Earth and more easily fits into the Earth’s big umbral shadow.
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Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine; Photo: Tang Yew Chung.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.
