ECLIPSES

WHY ECLIPSES NOT EVERY NEW- AND FULL-MOON

Plane of Moon’s orbit 5° tilted from plane of Earth’s orbit around Sun

If the orbit of the Moon was in the same plane as the orbit of the Earth, then how many solar eclipses per lunar month would there be?

1. Daily (~30 times in a month)

2. Four times

3. Twice

4. Once

5. Never

SOLAR ECLIPSE

TYPES OF SOLAR ECLIPSES

TOTAL:

PARTIAL:

ANNULAR:

PATH OF TOTALITY

PATHS OF TOTALITY

I went to the 11 July 1991 total solar eclipse in Hawaii. This was clouded out, but I did see the Moon two days later. What time of day did I see the Moon?

1. Noon

2. Just after sunset

3. Midnight to dawn

4. Just before dawn

5. Just after dawn

LUNAR ECLIPSE

PARTIAL: TOTAL:

WHY IS THE ECLIPSELIGHT REDDISH IN COLOR?

TO SUN

Blue light skimming through our atmosphere is almost all scattered away

Red light skimming through our atmosphere gets through but is bent by refraction

Someone standing on the Moon during a lunar eclipse will see a ring of red light all around the edge of the Earth -- all the world’s sunsets and sunrises

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSEFEBRUARY 20th!

STAR PARTY AT LSU OBSERVATORY

WEDNESDAY: 8:00-10:00 PM Roof of Nicholson Hall

The next eclipse is a lunar eclipse on the evening of Wednesday February 20. With a 50 minute duration of totality (9:01-9:51 PM), the Moon will be fairly high in the eastern sky above Baton Rouge. Will this eclipse be visible from Florida or Australia (if their skies are clear)?

1. Yes, visible from Florida & Australia

2. Visible from Florida but not Australia

3. Not visible from Florida, but visible from Australia

4. Not visible from Florida or Australia

FEAR OF ECLIPSES

COLUMBUS’ TRICK

COLUMBUS’ TRICK REPLAYED