Moon puts on spectacular show in first total lunar eclipse to coincide with Winter Solstice in almost 400 years
By David Derbyshire
Last updated at 12:27 PM on 21st December 2010
Early risers and frustrated passengers waiting for Eurostar services were greeted by a total lunar eclipse this morning.
In eerie scenes, the cloudy sky gradually darkened as the earth's shadow moved across the moon from around 6.32am UK time this morning.
The total eclipse began at 7.40am, with the moon close to the western horizon, and was expected to last for around 73 minutes.
Some of the best images in the UK came from Scotland where viewers were treated to the sight of the moon rising in the morning sky, gradually being eaten away over the course of an hour.
In the US, spectacular images of the moon turning blood red greeted lucky skygazers.
The red moon is viewed with a telescope from Palm Beach Gardens, US, left, while the moon begins to be covered by the Earth's shadow in Edinburgh
A picture taken in New York, left, shows the moon as the total eclipse nears its peak while in Silver Spring, Maryland, right, the moon turns a deep red
During a lunar eclipse the earth, sun and moon are almost exactly in line with each other. As they line up, the earth’s shadow passes across the surface of the full moon.
At first the shadow appears as a tiny bite in one side of the moon, before it engulfs the moon entirely.
Once the moon has moved into the shadow it is lit by sunlight that has passed through the earth’s atmosphere.
The sunlight that hits the craters and plains of the lunar surface has a spooky reddish tinge.
And this is the first time that one has taken place on the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year – since 1638, so the omens could be particularly strong.
The blood-red moon and the monument of The Savior of The World during a total lunar eclipse as seen from San Salvador last night
The lunar eclipse is visible in Scottish Borders as the moon starts to move into the Earth's shadow
Enlarge
The moon in various stages of a total lunar eclipse this morning as seen from Mexico City
Shrouded in darkness: Part of the moon is in darkness as the earth's shadow moves across it during today's lunar eclipse in this image taken from Dallas
Pacman-like: A wedge of the moon is obscured by shadow in this image taken from Great Falls, Virginia
It is impossible to predict the colour of a lunar eclipse in advance. On rare occasions it goes entirely black.
The moon is seen with the Chrysler Building in the foreground in New York
But it can appear copper, brown or blood red depending on how far it goes into shadow and whether the atmosphere is polluted with dust from volcanoes.
Since our ancestors first gazed at the night sky, a total lunar eclipse has been regarded as one of the most auspicious events of the celestial calendar.
From southern parts of the UK, the initial partial phase and the beginning of what is known as 'totality' were visible, but the moon dropped down into the western sky as dawn approached.
From those locations, when totality begins, the moon was low in the west-north-western sky, close to the horizon and in a rapidly brightening sky.
From locations in Scotland and Northern Ireland, totality should have been visible in its entirety, but the moon will have been low after the time of greatest eclipse.
During totality the moon tracks through the northern part of the Earth's dark umbral shadow, so the southern half will appear considerably darker than the northern part.
The Lunar eclipse in Ayrshire, Scotland, left, while the moon is almost fully eclipsed at 0221 a.m. EST in Great Falls, Virginia
A diagram which shows how the light refracting around the Earth's edge can make the moon appear blood red during an eclipse
Explore more:
- Places:
- Glasgow,
- London,
- New York,
- Ayrshire,
- United Kingdom,
- Scotland,
- Northern Ireland
Add your commentsComments (119)
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below, or debate this issue live on our message boards.
The comments below have not been moderated.
looks like its that time again to find a goat and a young virgin.
- Ken Godwin, balloch, Scotland, 20/12/2010 20:4
I am with you mate! You can have the goat! LOL
- Ian of Wanneroo, Wanneroo, Western Australia, 21/12/2010 4:52
thanks Ian,
Apparantly some folk never saw the humour in this post and flag it as abuse. my comment was removed for reviewing. some folk should get a life.
And as for the eclipse, it was too foggy in balloch to see it so i never got a goat or a virgin- Ken Godwin, balloch, Scotland, 21/12/2010 12:39
I saw the lunar eclipse this morning from my bedroom window. at 5.00am there was not a cloud in the sky. At 6.30 you could barely see the moon for the cloud. The moon looked small and when total eclipse, it looked like there was no moon at all. Was disappointed, but it was already quite light outside by this time.
- miss-t, warwickshire, 21/12/2010 12:39
There's another total lunar eclipse next year a week before the summer solstice. I'm full of interesting information.
- Chantelle, Tilbury Docks, Essex, 21/12/2010 12:18
this was very powerfull all night i could feel and sense the waves im now exhausted. amazing
- jamie p, darlington england, 21/12/2010 12:09
I am sure I saw a total lunar eclipse in France in October (ish) 1996....
- Tuckster, Lancs, 21/12/2010 11:10
Yes, a lunar eclipse is actually not that rare. The rarity is in the fact that it falls together with the winter solstice, which only happens one every so many centuries.
Unfortunately the moon disappeared behind the clouds just as it went into full eclipse from where we were watching, so I was a bit disappointed as I didn't get to see the red glow.
- Livia, Yorkshire, 21/12/2010 11:49
I am sure I saw a total lunar eclipse in France in October (ish) 1996....
- Tuckster, Lancs, 21/12/2010 11:10
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Add your comment
And we had clouds in Harlech )-:
