Lunar Eclipses, the lesser known of the eclipses, is when the Earth moves between the Sun and our Moon.
The shadow of the Earth can be split into 2 defined sections: the Umbra and the Penumbra. Within the Umbra, directly behind the Earth in line with the Sun, there is no direct solar radiation (there is no sunlight). There are 8 main phases of the Moon, and Lunar eclipses only occur during full moon.
Upon the event of a lunar eclipse, astronomers classify the specific eclipse according to a scale, the Danjon scale. Level 0 of the Danjon scale is a very dark eclipse, with the moon almost invisible. Level 1 is dark eclipse grey or brownish in colour and details are made out with great difficulty. Level 2: Deep red or rust-coloured, level 3: Bright red eclipse and level 4: very bright copper red or orange. It is a beautiful site to behold, and many astronomers or even the average man in the street eagerly await the next eclipse. The last eclipse that we observed was on the 25th of May 2013, and the next is on Friday the 18th of October 2013. It shall reach full eclipse at 23:51 UTC (same as GMT). Totality can last from half an hour to an hour.
