Some of you will be fortunate enough to see a lunar eclipse in a few days. But here's what may be either a preview or a consolation prize for you. It's a video of a
total lunar eclipse over Tajikistan in 2011.
The Earth moves between the Moon and the Sun, causing the moon to fade dramatically. The Moon never gets completely dark, though, since the Earth's atmosphere refracts some light. As the featured video begins, the scene may appear to be daytime and sunlit, but actually it is nighttime and lit by the glow of the full Moon. As the Moon becomes eclipsed and fades, background stars can be seen reflected in the foreground lake. The sky surrounding the eclipsed moon suddenly appears to be full of stars and highlighted by the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy. The sequence repeats with a closer view, and the final image shows the placement of the eclipsed Moon near the Eagle, Swan, Trifid, and Lagoon nebulas. Nearly two hours after the eclipse started, the moon emerges from the Earth's shadow and its bright full glare again dominates the sky.
Video Credit & Copyright: Jean-Luc Dauvergne (Ciel et Espace); Music: Valère Leroy & Sophie Huet (Space-Music)
Commentary: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)