The moon is a red balloon
UNSW space scientists joined millions of people across the nation who enjoyed perfect conditions for viewing the first total lunar eclipse since 2000.
Published on the 30 Aug 2007
UNSW space scientists joined millions of people across the nation who enjoyed perfect conditions for viewing the first total lunar eclipse since 2000.
On a mild Winter evening, star gazers looking to the heavens this week saw the earth's shadow crossing the moon at 6:51pm (AEST) and completely cover the moon by 8:40pm, turning it red.
Despite fears that cloud cover might obscure this uncommon celestial sight, the eclipse was a spectacular sight clearly visible without a telescope.
"A lunar eclipse is one of those rare events when the earth passes directly between the moon and the sun," says UNSW space scientist Michael Burton, who witnessed the event from his backyard in Sydney's eastern suburbs.
According to Dr Burton, an eclipse happens when "the moon falls into the earth's shadow and disappears from view for a couple of hours as it passes through that shadow."
"Despite being in shadow the moon is illuminated by a small amount of light from the sun being bent around the earth's atmosphere."
"This is the result of refraction, the same phenomenon that causes a stick in water to appear bent", Dr Burton says.
"The refracted light bounces back off the Moon's surface, passing through the Earth's atmosphere a second time.
This is what makes the Moon's surface appear a ghostly reddish colour, as all the shorter wavelength blue light has been scattered away by its long passage through our atmosphere, leaving just the longer wavelength red light."
Michael Gal witnessed the eclipse from Engadine home in Sydney's south.
Describing the eclipse as "amazing" and "beautiful". Dr Gal, a UNSW physicist, photographed several images of the lunar event (shown in our video).
"I set up my camera in the garden and took a photo every 15 minutes or so. I live near the Royal National Park where there is very little light pollution. With such perfect viewing conditions the moon appeared in the sky like a big red ping-pong ball."
Click on either the ASX format or WMV format for Michael Burton's explanation of the red moon phenomena.