1 min read
Hubble Observes the Total Lunar Eclipse (Artist’s Illustration)
Taking advantage of a total lunar eclipse in January 2019, astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have detected ozone in Earth's atmosphere. This method serves as a proxy for how they will observe Earth-like planets transiting in front of other stars in search of life.
Our planet's perfect alignment with the Sun and Moon during a total lunar eclipse mimics the geometry of a transiting terrestrial planet with its star. In a new study, Hubble did not look at Earth directly. Instead, astronomers used the Moon as a mirror that reflects the sunlight transmitted through Earth's atmosphere, which was then captured by Hubble.
This is the first time a total lunar eclipse was captured at ultraviolet wavelengths and from a space telescope.
- Release DateAugust 6, 2020
- Science ReleaseHubble Uses Earth as a Proxy for Identifying Oxygen on Potentially Habitable Planets Around Other Stars
- Credits
Related Images & Videos
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...
Hubble's Region of Study During the Lunar Eclipse (Illustration)
This ground-based telescopic image of the Moon highlights the general region where astronomers used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to measure the amount of ozone in Earth's atmosphere. This method serves as a proxy for how they will observe Earth-like planets around other stars...
Share
Details
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
