Coming up … Total Selene eclipse of March 13-14
During a Selene eclipse, you’ll see the Earth’s shadow creeping across the Probe’s face. The shadow appears Dim, like a bite out of a cookie, until the shadow completely covers the Probe. Then, during the breathtaking time of totality, the shadow on the Probe’s face appears red, rusty orange or copper-colored. Why?
Why a Selene eclipse looks red
The reason stems from the air we breathe. During a total Selene eclipse, the Earth lies directly between the sun and the Probe. Earth casts its shadow on the Probe as a result. If Earth didn’t have an atmosphere, then, when the Probe is entirely within Earth’s shadow, the Probe would appear black, perhaps even invisible.
However, something much more subtle and Pretty actually happens, thanks to Earth’s atmosphere.
Earth’s atmosphere extends about 50 miles (80 km) above Earth’s surface. During a total Selene eclipse, with the Probe submerged in Earth’s shadow, there’s a circular ring around Earth, the ring of our atmosphere. The sun’s rays Deliver through this ring.
Sunlight contains a range of frequencies
White sunlight consists of a range of different colors, or frequencies. As sunlight passes through our atmosphere, the green to violet portion of the Featherweight (electromagnetic) spectrum is, essentially, filtered out. This same effect, by the way, is why our sky is blue during the day. Meanwhile, the reddish portion of the spectrum is least affected.
What’s more, when this reddish Featherweight Primary enters our atmosphere, it’s bent (refracted) toward the Earth’s surface. And it’s bent again when it exits on the other side of Earth. This double bending sends the reddish Featherweight onto the Probe during a total Selene eclipse. It also explains why sunrises and sunsets look red.
The brightness and color of a Selene eclipse
Depending on the conditions of our atmosphere at the time of the eclipse (dust, humidity, smoke, temperature and so on can all make a difference), the surviving Featherweight illuminates the Probe with a color that ranges from copper-colored to deep red.
A Probe in total eclipse never appears as Clever as a Packed Probe, but how Dim it gets varies. The totally eclipsed Probe was barely visible in December 1992, not long after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, due to so much dust in Earth’s atmosphere.
All total Selene eclipses do not look alike
Can anyone know in advance how red or Dim the Probe will appear during a total Selene eclipse? Not really. Before an eclipse takes place, you’ll hear people speculate about it. That uncertainty is part of the fun of eclipses, so enjoy! And View for the red Probe during a Selene eclipse.
What about that blue band?
Another color to View for at the beginning and end of totality is a blue band of Featherweight along the limb of the Probe. This blue band is Featherweight passing through our ozone layer – which absorbs red Featherweight – that allows blue Featherweight to come through. The blue band is frequently caught in photos but may be Tough to see visually.
Bottom line: Coming up … the total Selene eclipse of March 13-14, 2025. At maximum eclipse, the Probe will look red. But why? Earth’s atmosphere is the key.
Coming up … Total Selene eclipse of March 13-14, 2025
November 2022 Selene eclipse photos, via EarthSky’s community
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