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"title": "Lunar Eclipses and the Moon's Orbit",
"description": "The animations on this page illustrate the Moon’s orbit and its role in lunar and solar eclipses. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon’s shadow falls on the Earth, while a lunar eclipse happens when the Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.Eclipses can only happen at New and Full Moon, when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are all in a straight line. But they don’t happen every New and Full Moon, because the Moon’s orbit is tilted by about 5 degrees. As the Earth and Moon travel around the Sun, the tilt of the Moon’s orbit changes direction relative to the Sun.This is analogous to the way the tilt of the Earth causes seasons. Just like winter and summer happen every six months, eclipses tend to occur on a roughly six-month cycle.Unlike most eclipse shadow diagrams, the first three animations here don’t greatly exaggerate the scale of the Earth and Moon. They are only 2x their true scale. The view is exactly perpendicular to the Earth-Sun line. The angle of the Moon’s orbital tilt and the “tapering” of the shadows are both accurate. The orbit happens to be calculated for the months preceding the April 15, 2014 total lunar eclipse. || ",
"release_date": "2014-04-10T00:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:51:00.773818-04:00",
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"description": "The animations on this page illustrate the Moon’s orbit and its role in lunar and solar eclipses. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon’s shadow falls on the Earth, while a lunar eclipse happens when the Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.
Eclipses can only happen at New and Full Moon, when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are all in a straight line. But they don’t happen every New and Full Moon, because the Moon’s orbit is tilted by about 5 degrees. As the Earth and Moon travel around the Sun, the tilt of the Moon’s orbit changes direction relative to the Sun.
This is analogous to the way the tilt of the Earth causes seasons. Just like winter and summer happen every six months, eclipses tend to occur on a roughly six-month cycle.
Unlike most eclipse shadow diagrams, the first three animations here don’t greatly exaggerate the scale of the Earth and Moon. They are only 2x their true scale. The view is exactly perpendicular to the Earth-Sun line. The angle of the Moon’s orbital tilt and the “tapering” of the shadows are both accurate. The orbit happens to be calculated for the months preceding the April 15, 2014 total lunar eclipse.",
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"title": "NASA Interview Opportunity: Watch A Red Moon Dance Across The Sky THIS Friday",
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"release_date": "2025-03-10T06:00:00-04:00",
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"alt_text": "Lunar data visualizer Ernie Wright describes the conditions for a lunar eclipse. Vertical format video.Music: \"Precipice,\" Universal Production Music",
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"title": "‘Super, Blue Blood Moon’ Will Leave Spectators in Awe Live Shots",
"description": "B-roll Find out what scientists will be learning during the Super, Blue, Blood Moon.Beginning at 5:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 31, a live feed of the Moon will be offered on NASA TV and NASA.gov/live. You can also follow at @NASAMoon. Weather permitting, the NASA TV broadcast will feature views from the varying vantage points of telescopes at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California; Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles; and the University of Arizona’s Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter Observatory. For more click HERE || B-roll.00001_print.jpg (1024x576) [96.7 KB] || B-roll.00001_print_print.jpg (1024x576) [97.1 KB] || B-roll.00001_print_searchweb.png (320x180) [59.4 KB] || B-roll.00001_print_thm.png (80x40) [6.4 KB] || B-roll.webm (1280x720) [34.9 MB] || B-roll.mp4 (1280x720) [376.7 MB] || B-roll.mov (1280x720) [4.6 GB] || ",
"release_date": "2018-01-24T14:00:00-05:00",
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"alt_text": "B-roll Find out what scientists will be learning during the Super, Blue, Blood Moon.Beginning at 5:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 31, a live feed of the Moon will be offered on NASA TV and NASA.gov/live. You can also follow at @NASAMoon. Weather permitting, the NASA TV broadcast will feature views from the varying vantage points of telescopes at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California; Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles; and the University of Arizona’s Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter Observatory. For more click HERE",
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"title": "2017 Eclipse and the Moon's Orbit",
"description": "The Moon orbits the Earth in the months prior to the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. Viewed from above, the Moon's shadow appears to cross the Earth every month, but a side view reveals the five-degree tilt of the Moon's orbit. Its shadow only hits the Earth when the line of nodes, the fulcrum of its orbital tilt, is pointed toward the Sun. || orbit.0350_print.jpg (1024x576) [37.8 KB] || orbit.0350_searchweb.png (320x180) [37.6 KB] || orbit.0350_thm.png (80x40) [4.1 KB] || eclipse_orbit_720p30.webm (1280x720) [3.3 MB] || eclipse_orbit_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [3.6 MB] || eclipse_orbit_720p30.mp4 (1280x720) [1.8 MB] || orbit (1920x1080) [0 Item(s)] || eclipse_orbit_1080p30.mov (1920x1080) [391.1 MB] || eclipse_orbit_360p30.mp4 (640x360) [662.1 KB] || 2017-eclipse-moon-orbit.hwshow [287 bytes] || ",
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"alt_text": "The Moon orbits the Earth in the months prior to the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. Viewed from above, the Moon's shadow appears to cross the Earth every month, but a side view reveals the five-degree tilt of the Moon's orbit. Its shadow only hits the Earth when the line of nodes, the fulcrum of its orbital tilt, is pointed toward the Sun.",
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"alt_text": "With the lunar horizon in the foreground, the Earth passes in front of the Sun, revealing the red ring of sunrises and sunsets along the limb of the Earth. The \"No Stars\" frames omit the starry background and include an alpha channel.",
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"title": "Understanding Lunar Eclipses",
"description": "What can cause the full Moon to quickly darken, then glow red? A lunar eclipse: a striking display of orbital mechanics that occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow. To learn more, watch the video below. || ",
"release_date": "2014-04-08T08:00:00-04:00",
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"alt_text": "It's not often that we get a chance to see our planet's shadow, but a lunar eclipse gives us a fleeting glimpse, as the Earth's shadow is projected onto the full Moon over the course of a few hours. Though a lunar eclipse can be seen only at night, it's worth staying up to catch the show.For complete transcript, click here.Watch this video on the NASAexplorer YouTube channel.",
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"title": "Need To Know: Lunar Eclipse and LRO",
"description": "On April 15th, 2014 there will be a total lunar eclipse visible from North America. Noah Petro, LRO Deputy Project Scientist, discusses this unique event and what effect it will have on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). || ",
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"alt_text": "NASA scientist Noah Petro sheds some light on the April 15th lunar eclipse which will leave the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) in darkness for several hours. He explains what a lunar eclipse is, and what this one will look like from Earth. Noah also provides details on the LRO mission, and how the spacecraft will function during this event. For complete transcript, click here.Watch this video on the NASAexplorer YouTube channel.",
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"title": "LRO and the Lunar Eclipse of April 15, 2014: Shadow View",
"description": "In the early morning hours of April 15, 2014, the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow, creating a total lunar eclipse, the first of four that are visible in the Western Hemisphere in the next two years. This animation shows the changing appearance of the Moon as it travels into and out of the Earth’s shadow, along with the times at various stages. Versions of the animation have been created for each of the four time zones of the contiguous United States.All of North and South America will see this eclipse, and you won’t need special equipment to see it. Just stay up late, go outside and look up!The penumbra is the part of the Earth’s shadow where the Sun is only partially covered by the Earth. The umbra is where the Sun is completely hidden.The animation includes the position of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. LRO is powered by sunlight, but during the eclipse, it will have to rely on its battery for almost three hours. || ",
"release_date": "2014-04-07T00:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:51:02.347814-04:00",
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"alt_text": "Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). The Moon moves right to left, passing through the penumbra and umbra, leaving in its wake an eclipse diagram with the times at various stages of the eclipse. Includes LRO's orbit.",
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