The night of Sunday May 15^th and into the morning of Monday May 16^th, a total lunar eclipse will be visible from the UMD neighborhood, and through out much of eastern North America and nearly all of South America.

A total lunar eclipse can only occur during the full moon, when the Earth and Sun line up with the moon at exactly the right orientation and spacing for the Earth’s shadow to completely cover the moon. This is what makes it different from the New Moon we see every month, when from our perspetive the moon is shaded by its own shadow, while the side we can’t see is illuminated – a lunar eclipse occurs on what would then otherwise be the brightly illuminated side of the moon!

 If you’re up late that night (not always recommended during final exams, but sometimes worth it), take a look at the sky and enjoy this stunning astronomical treat.

  

Read More

• Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2022/04/29/skywatch-late-night-lunar-eclipse-is-coming-mid-may/

• EarthSky https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/total-lunar-eclipse-may16-2022/

• NASA https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/

 

And here’s an experiment you can try at home to model how eclipses happen: http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/astronomy-and-space/140-why-do-eclipses-happen-yardstick-eclipse-demonstration.html