Post by Taxigirl on May 5, 2004 9:59:09 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3684837.stm
The eclipse was visible in the UK from 2052 BST to 2208 BST
Most stargazers will have been left disappointed during Tuesday night's lunar eclipse.
Cloudy skies meant the eclipse, which was already under way as the Moon rose, would only have been seen by a few.
A dim reddish-brown Moon should have been visible climbing slowly above the south-east horizon.
Areas in the east of England had the best chance of spotting the eclipse but cloud covered Scotland, Northern Ireland and south-west England.
The total eclipse began at 2052 BST and ended at 2208 BST.
TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE
Occurs when Moon passes into Earth's shadow
Penumbra: Region where Earth blocks some (but not all) Sun rays
Umbra: Zone where Earth blocks all direct sunlight - total eclipse
Those who were left disappointed have to wait only another five months before the next opportunity - another lunar eclipse takes place in October.
Lunar eclipses occur when the Sun, Earth and Moon are in a near-perfect line in space.
The Moon travels through the long cone-shaped shadow the Earth casts in space.
The only light that can reach the Moon's surface at this point has been refracted through our planet's atmosphere. This light takes on a red tinge - depending on the amount of dust in the Earth's atmosphere.
In November last year, a total lunar eclipse was visible from Europe, Africa, the Americas and much of Asia.
The eclipse was visible in the UK from 2052 BST to 2208 BST
Most stargazers will have been left disappointed during Tuesday night's lunar eclipse.
Cloudy skies meant the eclipse, which was already under way as the Moon rose, would only have been seen by a few.
A dim reddish-brown Moon should have been visible climbing slowly above the south-east horizon.
Areas in the east of England had the best chance of spotting the eclipse but cloud covered Scotland, Northern Ireland and south-west England.
The total eclipse began at 2052 BST and ended at 2208 BST.
TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE
Occurs when Moon passes into Earth's shadow
Penumbra: Region where Earth blocks some (but not all) Sun rays
Umbra: Zone where Earth blocks all direct sunlight - total eclipse
Those who were left disappointed have to wait only another five months before the next opportunity - another lunar eclipse takes place in October.
Lunar eclipses occur when the Sun, Earth and Moon are in a near-perfect line in space.
The Moon travels through the long cone-shaped shadow the Earth casts in space.
The only light that can reach the Moon's surface at this point has been refracted through our planet's atmosphere. This light takes on a red tinge - depending on the amount of dust in the Earth's atmosphere.
In November last year, a total lunar eclipse was visible from Europe, Africa, the Americas and much of Asia.
