![]() “Everything – including the Earth and yourself! – has two types of shadow: the dark heart of the shadow called the umbra, and then a lighter outer shadow around it, called the penumbra,” says Baskill.Īnd our expert has a nifty experiment that you can try yourself: What’s the difference between the Earth’s umbra and penumbra?ĭuring a lunar eclipse, two shadows are cast on the Moon: a lighter, outer shadow called the penumbra, and a darker, inner shadow called the umbra. Instead, it will just dim slightly as it passes through the Earth’s lighter outer shadow,” explains Baskill. “So no matter where you are on Earth, the Moon will not go dark red like it does when it passes through the heart of the Earth’s shadow. “Secondly, even if you are in a favourable location on Earth – such as in Asia – it will be difficult to notice any changes, as on this occasion, the Moon is travelling through the Earth’s outer, lighter, ‘penumbral’ shadow, and not the darker, central, “umbral” shadow.” While the very south-eastern tip of England is a theoretical exception, as the Moon rises there 45 minutes earlier than it does over Scotland, it will still be daylight as the Moon rises over Kent, and so impossible to notice the eclipse by eye!” “Firstly, for us in the UK, the eclipse ends just before the Moon rises. “Unfortunately, this will be a disappointing lunar eclipse for two reasons,” says Dr Darren Baskill, astronomy lecturer at the University of Sussex. The Moon may appear slightly darker or perhaps even redd ish, but the effect is much more subtle than during a total lunar eclipse. The Moon will not turn red during the eclipse on, as it does during a total lunar eclipse. The Moon goes through different stages during a lunar eclipse, first passing into the penumbra (the outer part of the Earth’s shadow), then into the umbra at totality, before returning to the penumbra on the other side, and finally leaving the shadow altogether.ĭuring the penumbral eclipse on 5 May, the Moon will not pass into the umbra (it just misses it), remaining only in the penumbra. While the Moon does not disappear entirely, during a full lunar eclipse it will turn a bright, copper-red colour. What causes a lunar eclipse?ĭuring a lunar eclipse, the Sun, Earth, and Moon align perfectly, causing the Earth’s shadow to block sunlight from reflecting off the Moon’s surface. This causes the Moon to appear partially or completely reddish-brown, giving it the nickname ‘Blood moon’. During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon passes completely into the shadow cast by the Earth. In contrast, during a partial lunar eclipse, the Moon passes through the Earth’s umbra, the inner, darker part of the Earth’s shadow. The resulting effect is subtle, and viewers may see the Moon darken, but not disappear. The Moon will not pass through the darker central part of the Earth’s shadow (the umbra). The eclipse on 5 May is not a full lunar eclipse, nor a partial lunar eclipse – it’s a penumbral lunar eclipse.Ī penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s penumbral shadow, which is the lighter, outer part of the Earth’s shadow. The penumbral eclipse will occur when the Moon is in the constellation Libra. Penumbral eclipse ends: 5 May, 7:31pm UTC.Penumbral eclipse begins: 5 May, 3:14pm UTC*.According to Time and Date, this will be the deepest penumbral eclipse until September 2042. The penumbral eclipse will be visible from parts of Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica (times vary with location). Map of where the eclipse of May 2023 will be visible. The Moon will rise at 8:35pm on 5 May and set at 5:31am the next morning. It will occur at 3:14pm UTC (4:14pm BST), however because the Moon will be below the horizon at this time, we will not be able to see the eclipse from the UK. If you’re looking forward to making the most of the warm nights this year, why not plan ahead with our full Moon UK calendarand astronomy for beginnersguide? When will the penumbral lunar eclipse occur? While not as dramatic as a total lunar eclipse, it will be the deepest penumbral eclipse until 2042.īut what time does the lunar eclipse take place? Where in the world will it be visible? And, will the Moon turn red during this lunar eclipse? Answers to these questions, and more, are below. Hot on the heels of the hybrid solar eclipse back in April, a lunar eclipse of the full flower Moon is set to occur the night before the Coronation (although it won’t be visible in the UK). Lunar eclipse today: How to see the May 2023 penumbral eclipse ![]()
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