A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth’s shadow passes across of the surface of the moon, between the Sun and Moon blocking the Sun’s rays from reaching the Moon. But the Earth does not completely block all light. Because the Earth has an atmosphere some light is refracted and thus reaches the Moon. If you have ever had the chance to watch a Lunar Eclipse, it can a wonderful sight.
And your imagination can put you on the surface of the Moon to watch the event from a new perspective. Imagine you’re standing on the surface of the Moon, no need for a space suit since this is a trip of thought only. You can see the desolate landscape around you. The bright grey surface of the Moon reflecting the Sun’s rays. You can look up and see the stars all around you, appearing to hang much closer and brighter than here on Earth. Because there is no atmosphere on the Moon, the starts do not twinkle, they are instead, steady points of light in the black sky.
You would see the Earth and the Sun. As you watched the Earth would slowly slide in front of the Sun, much like a solar eclipse, except you would no longer be able to see the Sun at all. Unlike on the Earth during a solar eclipse, where you cannot see the line of darkness approaching, you would be able to see the terminator line approaching you on the Lunar surface. As the line reached you things would get very dark, and the temperature would drop dramatically. Slowly as time passed you would begin to notice a dull glow, like a very overcast day. It might appear slightly red in color, and that is the diffused light coming from the sun being reflected and diffused through the Earth’s atmosphere. But just as it got a little light, it would start getting dark, as the Earth and Moon keep moving through space.
Eventually you will be back where you started, the Earth’s shadow having moved on and away from the Moon’s surface, leaving you once again in bright sunlight under that field of stars.
Overall a Lunar eclipse viewed from the moon would look very much like a solar eclipse except for the fact that, you would not be able to see the corona of the Sun and the Earth would appear to have a slightly red hue around the edges where the atmosphere bleeds off into space. You would also have a spectacular view of the man-made lights on the Earth from the moon during the eclipse.
It would truly be a beautiful sight, to see from the surface of the Moon. The Apollo missions cause the famous “Earth Rise” picture, and an eclipse would be just as spectacular to see. And a much rarer occurrence as well. Solar eclipses happen rarely, but Lunar eclipses occur more often (though they still are fairly rare). Just sit back, close your eyes, and let your imagination take you someplace to watch an amazing even unfold.
