Lunar eclipses happen when Earth positions itself between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow across the lunar surface.
They can only occur during a full moon and are a popular event for skywatchers worldwide as they do not require any specialist equipment to enjoy (unlike solar eclipses).
Two total lunar eclipses will take place in 2022 and will be visible around the world. The first lunar eclipse of the year occurred on May 15-16 and the second will occur on Nov. 8. To find out when, where and how to see this year’s lunar eclipses, check out our lunar eclipse 2022 guide.
Related: Solar eclipse guide 2022: When, where & how to see them
Daisy Dobrijevic
Daisy joined Space.com in February 2022, before then she worked as a staff writer for our sister publication All About Space magazine.
What are lunar eclipses?
A lunar eclipse is caused by Earth blocking sunlight from reaching the moon and creating a shadow across the lunar surface.
The sun-blocking Earth casts two shadows that fall on the moon during a lunar eclipse: The umbra is a full, dark shadow, and the penumbra is a partial outer shadow.
There are three types of lunar eclipses depending on how the sun, Earth and moon are aligned at the time of the event.
- Total lunar eclipse: Earth’s shadow is cast across the entire lunar surface.
- Partial lunar eclipse: During a partial lunar eclipse, only part of the moon enters Earth’s shadow, which may look like it is taking a “bite” out of the lunar surface. Earth’s shadow will appear dark on the side of the moon facing Earth. How much of a “bite” we see depends on how the sun, Earth and moon align, according to NASA (opens in new tab).
- Penumbral lunar eclipse: The faint outer part of Earth’s shadow is cast across the lunar surface. This type of eclipse is not as dramatic as the other two and can be difficult to see.
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What happens during a lunar eclipse?
Why does the moon turn red during an eclipse?
During a total lunar eclipse, the lunar surface turns a rusty red color, earning…
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