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Geometry of a Lunar Eclipse (Artist’s Illustration)
This diagram explains the geometry of the lunar eclipse.
When the Moon is entirely in the Earth's umbra (known as a total lunar eclipse or umbral eclipse), all sunlight reaching the lunar surface has been refracted or scattered through Earth's atmosphere. When the Moon is in Earth's penumbra (known as a penumbral eclipse), illumination comes from both direct sunlight and sunlight refracted and scattered through the planet's atmosphere. This process is similar to an exoplanet transit observation.
- Release DateAugust 6, 2020
- Science ReleaseHubble Uses Earth as a Proxy for Identifying Oxygen on Potentially Habitable Planets Around Other Stars
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Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
