Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2020 January 24

                               Into the Shadow
                 Image Credit & Copyright: Laszlo Francsics

   Explanation: On January 21, 2019 moonwatchers on planet Earth saw a
   total lunar eclipse. In 35 frames this composite image follows the Moon
   that night as it crossed into Earth's dark umbral shadow. Taken 3
   minutes apart, they almost melt together in a continuous screen that
   captures the dark colors within the shadow itself and the northern
   curve of the shadow's edge. Sunlight scattered by the atmosphere into
   the shadow causes the lunar surface to appear reddened during totality
   (left), but close to the umbra's edge, the limb of the eclipsed Moon
   shows a remarkable blue hue. The blue eclipsed moonlight originates as
   rays of sunlight pass through layers high in Earth's upper
   stratosphere, colored by ozone that scatters red light and transmits
   blue. The Moon's next crossing into Earth's umbral shadow, will be on
   May 26, 2021.

                      Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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