Lunar eclipse. Moon during the partially-eclipsed phase of a total eclipse, just a few minutes before all of its surface becomes darkened. Lunar eclip

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Lunar eclipse. Moon during the partially-eclipsed phase of a total eclipse, just a few minutes before all of its surface becomes darkened. Lunar eclipses are caused when the Moon enters the shadow cast by the Earth. Even during a total lunar eclipse the Moon does not generally disappear. It is still visible due to the sunlight refracted onto its surface by the Earth's atmosphere. The Moon appears red/brown because the blue light components of sunlight are scattered by dust particles in the atmosphere. Photographed on the night of 3-4 April 1996.

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Size: 3471px × 2385px
Photo credit: © CHRIS MADELEY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: astronomy, cosmology, eclipse, lunar, moon, partial, planetary, science