Comments on: What Is The Difference Between An Eclipse Of The Moon And A New Moon?

By: Tom A

Tom A — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:21:48 +0000

New Moon happens when the moon is on the same side of the Earth as the sun. Because the sunlit side is facing away, it can’t be seen. We don’t see a black circle of the non-sunlit side of the moon because it’s on the other side of the atmosphere that gives us our blue sky.
An eclipse of the moon happens when the moon is on the OPPOSITE side of the Earth from the sun, which is when it’s Full Moon. It doesn’t turn black because the Earth’s atmosphere deflects the sunlight, and absorbs the blue wavelengths of the sunlight.
As you’ll have noticed, the sun doesn’t get blocked every time it’s New Moon, nor does the moon go red every time it’s Full Moon. That’s becasue the moon’s orbit around the Earth is “tilted”, and therefore the moon is rarely in direct line with the sun and Earth.
The phases of the moon are nothing to do with shadows. Next time you see a crescent moon following the setting sun, you’ll notice the moon is on the same side of the sky as the sun (both in the west). So it can’t be the Earth blocking the sunlight that causes most of it to be black.

By: john Galt

john Galt — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:46:58 +0000

lunar eclipse is when the earth is between the sun and moon. which I believe is during the full moon. the new moon is when the moon is on the side of the earth toward the sun, so we don’t see the lit side of the moon.

By: CorruptedSpirit,VT, AM Associate

CorruptedSpirit,VT, AM Associate — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:38:14 +0000

a new moon is when the moon is at the point of its orbit that places it closer to the sun with respect to the earth, since the moon simply reflects sunlight, we cannot see it at such a time, a lunar eclipse is when the moon passes into the earth’s shadow

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:02:26 +0000

During a new moon, the Moon’s lit surface faces away from the Earth. It may look dark to us, but the moon is receivings it’s usual share of sunlight. During an eclipse, the Moon’s illuminated side is shaded by the Earth’s shadow, so both sides of the moon are unlit.

By: Arasan

Arasan — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:57:45 +0000

An eclipse of the moon occurs on a full moon day when the earth is in between the sun and the moon.In this condition, the shadow of the earth falls partially on the moon and a part of the earth’s curvature can be seen on the moon.This is not happening every time the earth is in between the sun and the moon because the plane of orbit of the moon and the plane of orbit of the earth are different.
A new moon occurs when the the moon is in between the sun and the earth in which case we see only the unlit face of the moon.So it is dark.Solar eclipse occurs on a new moon day and why it is not happening every time these are in the above order is due to the same reason explained above.