What's the Difference between a ''Total Lunar Eclipse'' (Blood Moon) and the ''New Moon'' Moon-Phase?
@mythociate (21432)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
May 15, 2022 5:43am CST
Microsoft Rewards tells me that the Total Lunar Eclipse (which is the Blood Moon) is tonight (May 15, 2022) starting a little before 10:30 E.T. https://www.bing.com/search?q=Total+lunar+eclipse
Then they quote Wikipedia to tell me what 'the Total Lunar Eclipse' is---"when the moon moves into the Earth's shadow."
But then, what's the New Moon? It's "when the Moon & Sun have the same 'ecliptic longitude.'"
What's the difference? I'm not sure, but I think the picture (and the report at the URL in its caption) start to explain---I mean, it probably TOTALLY explains if you understand the astronomy-terminology they use; but either I don't, or it's a bit early in the morning for me.
Basically, the moon is 'a Blood Moon' because--when Earth & Moon line up at the "ecliptic"--we can see Earth's corona-shine on Moon (where--if we were on Moon--we'd see a ring around Earth like we see around Moon during a Solar Eclipse.)
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1 response
@GoAskAlice (5833)
•
15 May 22
The difference is you cannot see the 'new' moon. They are not caused by the same phenomenon.
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@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
15 May 22
I'm a little bit more awake now, so I'm "seeing" what I wasn't seeing before 
the blood moon is actually a 'full' moon with the Earth lined up in between (rather than 'slightly above or -below' which is the way it normally goes)
the blood moon is actually a 'full' moon with the Earth lined up in between (rather than 'slightly above or -below' which is the way it normally goes)1 person likes this
