Skip to main content
BookmarkBookmark

    Different Stages in Lunar Eclipse

    Different Stages in Lunar Eclipse

    There are 7 stages during the occurrence of an eclipse (see Figure 1):

     
    1. "Moon enters penumbra" - the first contact of the Moon and the Earth's penumbra
    2. "Moon enters umbra" - when the Moon enters the Earth's umbra, this is the start of partial lunar eclipse
    3. "Total eclipse begins" - when the Moon touches the umbra internally, at this time, the Moon is totally immersed in the umbra and total eclipse starts
    4. "Middle of eclipse" - occurs when the centre of the Moon is closest to the centre of the Earth's umbra
    5. "Total eclipse ends" - when the Moon touches the umbra internally again, this signifies the end of total eclipse
    6. "Moon leaves umbra" - the time when the Moon touches the umbra externally, this is the end of partial lunar eclipse
    7. "Moon leaves penumbra" - when the Moon leaves the penumbra

     
    During a partial eclipse, the "Total eclipse begins" and "Total eclipse ends" would not occur.  In a penumbral eclipse, there would only be "Moon enters penumbra",  "Middle of eclipse" and "Moon leaves penumbra".

    It shows difference states of eclipse

    Figure 1      The different stages during a lunar eclipse
    QR code
    close