The winter solstice delivered an early Christmas present for stargazers: a full lunar eclipse.
Most of the United States, where skies were clear, got a view of the full moon late Monday and early Tuesday, as it turned from silver to glowing red.
A full lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is directly between the sun and moon. The Earth's shadow prevents the moon from catching any of the sun's rays, and the moon glows red with only indirect sunlight, refracted off the Earth's edges.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhZWIgUUPZ8&feature=player_embedded[/media]
Link: http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/21/winter-solstice-delivers-lunar-eclipse/
Most of the United States, where skies were clear, got a view of the full moon late Monday and early Tuesday, as it turned from silver to glowing red.
A full lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is directly between the sun and moon. The Earth's shadow prevents the moon from catching any of the sun's rays, and the moon glows red with only indirect sunlight, refracted off the Earth's edges.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhZWIgUUPZ8&feature=player_embedded[/media]
Link: http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/21/winter-solstice-delivers-lunar-eclipse/
