There was a total lunar eclipse that started yesterday and ended today. In honor of this eclipse, here are a few fun facts about lunar eclipses.
- Some lunar eclipse can last up to 3 hour and 45 minutes.
- Lunar eclipses can never happen more than three times a year.
- There are typically more solar eclipses than lunar eclipses per year.
- There are three types of lunar eclipse: partial, full, and prenumbral.
- A full lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly in front of a full moon.
- In ancient times, a total lunar eclipse or disappearance of the Moon meant that the gods were angry with the people.
- The word eclipse comes from the Greek word meaning downfall.
- It is not dangerous to look directly at the Moon during a lunar eclipse because the Moon is not giving off its own light – this is not the case for a solar eclipse.
- A lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of the Earth.
- Full moons are the only time lunar eclipses occur.
- Lunar eclipses are visible over an entire hemisphere.
The next eclipse that will be visible in Birmingham will be on March 23, 2016. This will be a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, which is more subtle, and more difficult to observe. This eclipse occurs when the moon moves through the outer part of the Earth’s shadow.