AST 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Solar Eclipse, Umbral Calculus, Full Moon
Document Summary
Half of the moon is illuminated by the sun and half is dark. We see a changing combo of the bright and dark faces as the moon orbits earth. When either passes through the other"s shadow, we have an eclipse. Extended region (outer, not as dark) penumbra. Earth casts a shadow on the moon. Lunar eclipses can be penumbra, partial, or total. Moon casts a shadow on earth, blocks the sun from view. Solar eclipses can occur only at new moon. Solar eclipses can be partial, total, or annular. Moons umbral shadow does not reach earth, an annual eclipse occurs in small central region. Occurs in the lighter area surrounding the area of totality. Most of the time when there is a new or full moon the shadows of the moon and earth aren"t aligned. The moon"s orbit is tilted 5 degrees to the ecliptic plane.
