On January 20 night/early January 21, depending on location the moon, Earth and sun lined up for the only total lunar eclipse this year and next. At the same time, Earth also witnessed a supermoon as the Moon will be closer to the planet and will appear slightly bigger and brighter than usual. During totality, the moon looks red, also known as a blood moon, because of sunlight scattering off Earth's atmosphere.
About:
An eclipse of the Moon (or lunar eclipse) can only occur at Full Moon – when Earth is located directly between the Sun and the Moon –, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of Earth's shadow.
That shadow is composed of two cone-shaped components -
The outer or penumbral shadow is a zone where the Earth blocks part but not all of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon.
The inner or umbral shadow is a region where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.
Types: Astronomers recognize three basic types of lunar eclipses –
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: The Moon passes through Earth's penumbral shadow. These events are of only academic interest because they are subtle and hard to observe.
Partial Lunar Eclipse: A portion of the Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow. These events are easy to see, even with the unaided eye.
Total Lunar Eclipse: The entire Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow. These events are quite striking due to the Moon's vibrant red colour during the total phase (totality).
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