How does a lunar eclipse work?
An eclipse occurs at those times when the Moon moves into a position of direct alignment with the sun and the earth. There are two types of eclipses, namely lunar and solar.
The lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow and can only take place when the moon is full and when the sun, Earth and the moon are aligned.
Distances
The distance between Munich (Germany) and Cape Town (South Africa) is  = 9159 kilometers.
- The distance between the Earth and the Moon is 41.97 times
- The distance between the Sun and the Earth is 16333.7 times
The image below is not to scale. If the Earth were 1 cm in diameter (in the image below it is roughly 1.2 cm across), the Sun would have to be at the end of a chain of about 100 people holding hands to the left of your computer and it would have be a metre across! The moon would be the size of a sesame seed and would lie 30cm out on your right, just on the other side of your mouse if you are right-handed.
Click on the image to see a bigger version.
The images of the Earth and Moon were generated with the space simulation software Celestia. The image of the Sun was taken by the SOHO satellite (sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov). The spin of the Sun, Earth and Moon are as they will be at the time of the eclipse.
Celestia lets you explore the universe in three dimensions. Download it and use it to look at this extraordinary alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon from any point of view in the Solar System and beyond. Celestia is free. See the download sections below to get hold of it.
Times for this eclipse
South Africa
1) Moon enters penumbra Sat 3rd 22:16:29
2) Moon enters umbra 23:30:04
3) Moon enters totality Sun 4th 00:43:49
4) Middle of eclipse 01:20:56
5) Moon leaves totality 01:58:01
6) Moon leaves unbra 03:11:46
7) Moon leaves Penumbra 04:25:27
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Germany
1) Moon enters penumbra Sat 3rd 21:16:29
2) Moon enters umbra 22:30:04
3) Moon enters totality Sun 4th 23:43:49
4) Middle of eclipse 00:20:56
5) Moon leaves totality 00:58:01
6) Moon leaves unbra 02:11:46
7) Moon leaves Penumbra 03:25:27
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Download
Download a slide show explaining the eclipse (PDF format, 3.84 Mb): Click here
Credit: Dr Nicola Loaring, SALT Astronomer at the SAAO.
Click here to download Celestia for free!
Future eclipses
Click on each eclipse to see an image decribing these future eclipses: where they will be visible from, at what times they will occurs, and much more...
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