February's
lunar eclipse is the first of the two
lunar eclipses in 2008, the second on August 16 will be partial. The next total lunar eclipse will not occur until December 21, 2010.
I was hoping to capture a sequence of the eclipse from start to end, but the trees had other ideas.
From start to finish, February's lunar eclipse lasted three hours and twenty-six minutes (not including the penumbral phases which are very difficult to see). The partial eclipse begins as the Moon's eastern edge slowly moves into the Earth's umbral shadow. During the partial phases, it takes just over an hour for the Moon's orbital motion to carry it entirely within the Earth's dark umbra. Dark eclipses are caused by volcanic gas and dust which filters and blocks much of the Sun's light from reaching the Moon.
