15 Interesting Facts And Info About Lunar Eclipse For Kids
Quench your child's curiosity about a lunar eclipse with these intriguing facts.
Reviewed by Beth Sullivan, M.EdBeth SullivanM.EdSpecialty: Education ConsultantExperience: 10 years
Beth Sullivan is an education consultant and president of Deep Roots Learning Solutions, Inc. She specializes in literacy instruction and works primarily with students learning challenges, including dyslexia, ADHD and autism. After working in schools as a special educator for ten years, Beth has shifted her focus to supporting individual students and their families through online tutoring.
The phenomenon where one celestial body moves into the shadow of another celestial body is known as an eclipse. Our post brings you a collection of fascinating facts about the lunar eclipse for kids to make learning interesting for them. Primarily, two eclipses occur periodically and are often visible from different parts of the Earth—solar eclipse and lunar eclipse—involving the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon. The eclipses are also associated with several mysteries that are intriguing to know. Keep reading as we tell you what causes a lunar eclipse and other interesting facts that your children will like to know and share further with their friends.
How Do Lunar Eclipses Occur?
Image: Shutterstock
Before we understand lunar eclipse, we must understand the lunar phases. The Moon revolves around the Earth, rotates on its axis, and reflects sunlight from the Sun. The constant revolution and rotation combined with the reflection of sunlight leads to the lunar phases that occur over the course of 29.5 days, referred to as the synodic month.
Lunar phases are visible as the waxing and waning of the Moon, that is, changes in the shape of the illuminated Moon as seen from Earth. During the full moon day, the Sun illuminates the near side of the Moon, which is visible from the Earth. Contrarily, on the new moon day, the Sun illuminates the far side of the Moon, which is not visible from the Earth.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, restricting the sunlight from reaching the Moon. According to NASA (1):
“Throughout the year, the Moon’s orbital tilt remains fixed with respect to the stars, meaning that it changes with respect to the Sun. About twice a year, this puts the Moon in just the right position to pass through the Earth’s shadow, causing a lunar eclipse.”
Lunar eclipses do not happen on every full moon and new moon day due to the five-degree tilt of the Moon’s orbit (2). However, since Earth revolves around the Sun and the Moon around the Earth, there comes a stage, at least twice a year, when the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon are aligned in a straight line, leading to a lunar eclipse.
Types Of Lunar Eclipses
Image: ShutterstockThe type of lunar eclipse is based on the intensity of Earth’s shadow falling on the Moon. There are two types of shadows during a lunar eclipse.
Umbra: The umbra is the core or inner region of the Earth’s shadow where the sunlight is entirely blocked.
Penumbra: The penumbra is the outer region of the Earth’s shadow where only a partial amount of sunlight is obscured.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun and the Moon are exactly opposite to the Earth on either side, causing the three objects to be in a straight line. It causes the Moon to fall under the umbra region of the Earth’s shadow.
Although the Earth obstructs the sunlight from reaching the Moon, the Earth’s atmosphere filters out the blue light and leaks the sunlight. It causes the Moon to appear red or orange during a lunar eclipse when viewed from Earth. The red moon is called a blood moon. A total lunar eclipse is a rare phenomenon.
2. Partial lunar eclipse
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon are not in a straight line, causing the Moon to partially enter the umbra region of the Earth’s shadow. Partial lunar eclipses tend to be common.
3. Penumbral lunar eclipse
The Moon falls under the penumbra region of the Earth’s shadow during a penumbral lunar eclipse. The shadow is dull and dims the Moon faintly. The subtle changes in the Moon may not be discernible to the human eye.
How Many Times Can A Lunar Eclipse Occur?
There can be at least two to five lunar eclipses in a calendar year. Two lunar eclipses a year are common, while anything more than three is a rare occurrence. Total lunar eclipses are rarer than other forms of lunar eclipse (4).
How To Watch A Lunar Eclipse?
Most lunar eclipses are visible from the dark or night side of Earth, unlike solar eclipses, which are usually visible from a small region within the Earth’s illuminated part. Also, unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse can be seen with a naked eye (5). You may use binoculars, telescopes, or camera zoom lenses without any specialized filters to view a lunar eclipse.
Many lunar eclipses occur late at night or early in the morning. Therefore, you may have to plan your sleep and the day after accordingly.
Interesting Facts About Lunar Eclipse
Eclipse comes from the Greek word “ékleipsis,” which means “the abandonment,” “the downfall,” or “the darkening of a heavenly body.”
During a partial or penumbral lunar eclipse, the sunlight may illuminate half of the Earth and the Moon simultaneously.
A lunar eclipse can occur only on a full moon day.
The moonlight is just the sunlight reflected by the Moon’s surface.
A lunar eclipse is much longer (around two hours) than a solar eclipse (approximately ten minutes).
Danjon Scale, named after André-Louis Danjon, is used to measure the Moon’s luminosity on a lunar eclipse.
Syzygy is the name given to a straight-line formation of three or more celestial bodies during an eclipse.
On a new moon day and a full moon day, the Sun and the Moon will be in a syzygy. This phenomenon impacts tides.
The time interval between any two successive lunar eclipses can be either one, five, or six synodic months. A synodic month consists of 29.5 days.
The saros cycle, a period of 6585.3 days, governs the eclipse’s recurrence and periodicity (lunar and solar eclipses). One saros cycle consists of 223 synodic months.
Any two eclipses (both lunar and solar) separated by a saros cycle exhibit similar geometries — the same distance from the Earth and the same time of the year.
During a total lunar eclipse, the temperatures fall drastically on the Moon.
You can experience a lunar eclipse on the Moon. However, instead of the Moon, the Earth appears darker.
Only 30% of lunar eclipses are total lunar eclipses.
In mythology and history, the lunar eclipse was thought of as a bad omen, such as demons eating up the Moon or a dragon swallowing the Moon. However, it is believed that ancient Greeks, Babylonians, and Indians had discovered the real cause behind the event.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the other name for a lunar eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse is also known as the blood moon due to its deep red appearance. The total lunar eclipse occurs when the earth’s shadow completely covers the moon. During the total eclipse, some sunlight from the earth’s sunrise falls on the moon’s surface causing it to appear red.
2. How long is the lunar eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse can last for up to two hours. In November 2021, the longest partial lunar eclipse was seen. It lasted 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 23 seconds (6).
3. Is a lunar eclipse harmful to the eyes?
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, “in a lunar eclipse, the earth passes between the sun and the moon; making the moon invisible to an observer on earth because there are no light rays reflected off the moon. Even when looking at the moon immediately before or after the eclipse, the reflected light off the moon does not have the same potential for damage as during a solar eclipse (7).”
A lunar eclipse is a rare yet stunning phenomenon to witness. Knowing some interesting facts about lunar eclipses for kids could increase their interest in watching this event. Though they can be visible to the naked eye, binoculars can help you watch a lunar eclipse in greater detail. Further, it is best viewed from a hill or countryside. Lunar eclipses are predicted several times a year and are visible at different times in different parts of the globe. Refer to trusted web sources and your local observatory to know more about this spectacular phenomenon.
Key Pointers
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes the earth’s shadow and, as a result, appears dark.
The duration of a lunar eclipse is longer than that of a solar eclipse.
It is advised not to look at an eclipse with a naked eye due to exposure to harmful UV rays.
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Beth Sullivan is an education consultant and president of Deep Roots Learning Solutions, Inc. She specializes in literacy instruction and works primarily with students learning challenges, including dyslexia, ADHD and autism.
Specialty: Education ConsultantExperience: 10 years
