This diagram shows that the Moon enters the very narrow, complete shadow of the Earth (Umbra) during a Total or Partial Eclipse of the Moon, while the Moon enters the much wider, but only partial shadow of the Earth (Penumbra) during a Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon. (Image Source: Wikipedia.org )
By Glenn A. Walsh
Reporting for SpaceWatchtower
Early Monday morning (2024 March 25), a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon will be visible in the sky, weather-permitting. All Lunar Eclipses / Eclipses of the Moon are safe to look at with the naked-eyes (one-power), binoculars, or telescopes, without the need for special eye protection equipment. But, can you notice a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon in the sky ?
Where Will This Eclipse Be Visible ?
The entire Eclipse, or portions of the Eclipse, will be visible throughout the world except Eastern Europe, most of Asia, eastern portion of Africa, and western portion of Australia.
What portions of this Eclipse are visible depends on when the Moon is above the Horizon in your particular location. Hence, to determine when the Moon is visible in the sky in your location, check the Moon-rise and Moon-set times for your locale. Near the end of this blog-post is an Internet link to the U.S. Naval Observatory web-site; plug-in your location to determine the local Moon-rise and Moon-set times.
As with any sky observations, this is of course weather-permitting.
When Will This Eclipse Be Visible ?
Monday Morning, 2024 March 25 ----
(EDT = Eastern Daylight Saving Time; UTC = Coordinated Universal Time)
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Begins: 12:53:09 a.m. EDT / 4:53:09 UTC
Time of Full Moon Primary Phase: 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC
Time of Greatest Eclipse: 3:12:50.9 a.m. EDT / 7:12:50.9 UTC
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Ends: 5:33:01 a.m. EDT / 9:33:01 UTC
Can This Eclipse Be Seen ?
During a Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon, the Earth projects two types of shadows into Outer Space:
Umbral Shadow which is a deep, central region shadow that completely blocks direct sunlight.
Penumbral Shadow which is the outer portion of the shadow that only partially blocks direct sunlight.
During a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon the Moon is completely immersed by the Earth's Umbral Shadow, which blocks all direct sunlight. However, due to the Earth's atmosphere, some sunlight leaks through to the Moon, often causing a blood-red tint to the darkened Moon.
The Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon on March 25 will be a deep Penumbral Eclipse. At the time of Greatest Eclipse, the Moon will be completely within the Earth's Penumbral Shadow, but will not enter the Earth's Umbral Shadow. Hence, since the Moon will only be within the partial Penumbral Shadow, the Moon will not appear anywhere-near as dark as when the Moon enters the Umbral Shadow during a Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon or a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon. In fact, during Greatest Eclipse the Moon will seem to dim just slightly.
Hence, it may be difficult to notice a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon. The event will probably not be visible to most people until about 66 percent of the Moon's disk is immersed in the Earth's Penumbra Shadow.
The best way to observe a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Peunumbral Eclipse of the Moon would be to notice the brightness of the Moon shortly before the Eclipse begins, then notice the brightness again during the time of Greatest Eclipse. If you have a Light Meter, this could help determine the difference in brightness.
Eclipses usually come in pairs, and sometimes in threes. Hence, usually a Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon precedes or follows a Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun by a couple weeks. The March 25 Eclipse, the first Eclipse of 2024, comes just two weeks (on Monday, 2024 April 8) before a grand Total Solar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Sun, which will cross much of the United States from Texas to Maine. Check the blog-post issued on 2024 March 18 regarding the April 8 Eclipse. An Internet link to the March 18 blog-post can be found near the end of this blog-post, in the section labeled “Related Blog-Posts”.
All Lunar Eclipses / Eclipses of the Moon occur at the time of the Primary Moon Phase of Full Moon. However, not all Full Moon Phases include a Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon, since the Moon often travels above or below the Earth's shadow as projected into Outer Space.
The rising outdoor temperatures, as the days approach the Vernal Equinox, the official beginning of Spring on March 19 / 20 this year, leads to the thawing of the ground and the appearance of Earthworms, followed soon by Robins. Hence, the Full Moon of March is known as the Worm Moon.
However, Native Americans also had other names for the March Full Moon. With the increased cawing of crows, northern tribes knew the March Full Moon as the Crow Moon. They also called it the Snow Crust Moon, for the increased crusting of snow, caused by the thawing of snow by day and the freezing of the water by night.
The Abenaki tribe (New England and adjacent areas of Canada) called the March Full Moon “Mozokas” or the Moose Hunter Moon. The Creek nation, located further south, called it the “Tasahcusee” or Little Spring Moon. And, the Dakota Sioux actually called it the “Moon When Eyes Are Sore From Bright Snow.”
Colonial Americans called the March Full Moon the Sap Moon, for the time when maple trees were tapped. They also called it the Lenten Moon, as it was the last Full Moon of Winter usually occurring during the Christian period of Lent.
Full Moon names for March, in the Southern Hemisphere, include Harvest Moon and Corn Moon.
U.S. Naval Observatory Web-Site: Times of Sun / Moon Rise / Set:
Link >>> https://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/RS_OneDay
Internet Links to Additional Information ---
Sun: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
Moon: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon
Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon:
Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse#Penumbral_lunar_eclipse
Related Blog-Posts ---
"U.S. Solar Eclipse April 8: Prepare for Safe Viewing." Mon., 2024 March 18.
"Spring Begins at Vernal Equinox Tue. Night." Mon., 2024 March 18.
"Slight Lunar Eclipse Friday Evening." Thur., 2013 Oct. 17.
Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss
"Can You See a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse ?"
Friday, 2024 March 22.
Artificial Intelligence not used in the writing of this article.
© Copyright 2024 Glenn A. Walsh, All Rights Reserved
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Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
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Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
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Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), America's fifth major planetarium and Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, the fourth of only five libraries where both construction and endowment funded by famous industrialist & philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>> http://www.planetarium.cc Buhl Observatory: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
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