Next live webcast: Total Lunar Eclipse of February 20-21, 2008

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE
NOVEMBER 8-9, 2003

On Saturday night, 8 November 2003, full Moon passed through the Earth's shadow, producing a total lunar eclipse for skywatchers throughout Europe, Africa and North America. In The Netherlands and Belgium Copernicus Public Observatory and Mira Public Observatory in cooperation with the Dutch educational websites Astronet and Kennislink ("Knowledge Link"), brought a live webcast of the event.


PHOTOGRAPHIC RESULTS


  • SpaceWeather.com: Lunar Eclipse Gallery

  • Space.com: Digital Moon: Photos of the Nov. 8 Eclipse
  • Backyard Astronomer: November 8-9, 2003; Lunar eclipse
  • Amateur Astronomer's Notebook: Lunar Eclipse 8 November 2003
  • Mondfinsternis am 9.11.2003
  • Eclipse Lunaire du : 09/11/2003
  • Carsten A. Arnholm: video of the eclipse


    Robert Smallegange
    (Leeuwarden, The Netherlands)

    Rijk-Jan Koppejan (more)
    (Middelburg, The Netherlands)
     

    Marcel Kanon, Riana Jongema
    and Lars de Ruijter
    (Lelystad, The Netherlands)

    Marco Lamers
    (Nijverdal, The Netherlands)
     

    Lauri Kangas
    (Caledon, Ontario, Canada)

    Lauri Kangas
    (Caledon, Ontario, Canada)

    Lauri Kangas
    (Caledon, Ontario, Canada)

    Hans Roos
    (The Netherlands)

    Norbert Schmidt (more)
    (Haarlem, The Netherlands)

    Ben de Vries
    (Den Haag, The Netherlands)

    Jimmy Westlake
    (Steamboat Spring, CO, USA)

    Bill Mulligan
    Batavia, NY, USA

    Bill Mulligan
    Batavia, NY, USA

    Jim Fakatselis
    (Huntington, NY, USA)

    Joan en zoon Adam Jaekel
    (Milford, PA, USA)

    Jay Edwards
    (Maine, NY, USA)

    Guido Tweepenninckx
    (Kortenberg, Belgium)

    David Fraser
    (Alberta, Canada)

    David Fraser
    (Alberta, Canada)

    Monique Schavemade
    (Zoetermeer, The Netherlands)

    Jenny Valk
    (Zoetermeer, The Netherlands)

    Ole Nielsen
    (Rijswijk, The Netherlands)

    Rudy Poppelaars
    (Breda, The Netherlands)

    Robert Kater
    (Zandvoort, The Netherlands)

    F. Naberman
    (Groningen, The Netherlands)

    Jolanda den Outer
    (Schiedam, The Netherlands)

    Mario Egthuijsen
    (Hoogerheide, The Netherlands)

    Mario Egthuijsen
    (Hoogerheide, The Netherlands)

    Michiel Berger
    (Alkmaar, The Netherlands)

    Cees Hillen
    (Zonnemaire, The Netherlands)

    Martijn Gnirrep
    (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

    Henk Bril (more)
    (Nieuwstadt, The Netherlands)

    Darrell Sutton
    (USA)

    Darrell Sutton
    (USA)

    Kate Saunders
    (Ohio, USA)
    Got pictures? Contribute your images:


    WEBCAST



    Live webcast by
    Copernicus Public Observatory
    (The Netherlands)

    Live webcast by
    Mira Public Observatory
    (Belgium)


    THE ECLIPSE


    Copper Moon

    A lunar eclipse occurs when the Full Moon passes through the Earth's shadow.

    The Moon encounters the penumbra, the Earth's outermost shadow zone, at 22:15 Universal Time (UT). About thirty minutes later a slight dusky shading can be noticed on the leading edge of the Moon.


    Animation of the lunar eclipse.
    Courtsey: Francis Reddy. Click for full image.

    At 23:32 UT the Moon begins its entry into the innermost shadow zone, or umbra. For more than an hour a circular shadow creeps across the Moon's face. At 1:06 UT, the Moon will lie completely within Earth's dark shadow. It will then take on an eerie coppery tint that has often been compared with blood.


    During a total eclipse the Moon
    shines with a orange reddish glow.

    Without Earth's atmosphere, the Moon would disappear completely once immersed in the umbra. Longer wavelengths of light penetrate Earth's atmosphere better than shorter wavelengths, which is why the rising or setting sun looks reddish. In essence, the ruddy tint of a totally eclipsed moon comes from the ring of atmosphere around Earth's limb that scatters a sunset-like glow into the umbra.

    The hue actually changes from one eclipse to another, ranging from a bright coppery orange to brownish. The Moon may darken so much that it becomes all but invisible to the unaided eye. These very dark lunar eclipses often occur after exceptional volcanic eruptions.

    Totality will end at 1:31 UT, when the moon's leading edge exits the umbra. The moon will leave the umbra completely at 3:05 UT, and the eclipse will end at 4:22 UT when the moon makes its last contact with the penumbra.


    Path of the Moon through Earth's umbral
    and penumbral shadows during the Total
    Lunar Eclipse of November 8-9, 2003.

    Courtesy: Fred Espenak


    FURTHER INFORMATION


    Other live webcasts:

  • Clouded Out? Watch an Eclipse Webcast
  • Universe Today - Complete list of astrocameras covering this eclipse
  • Canary Islands: Saros 2003 - eclipse total de Luna, 8 - 9 de noviembre del 2003
  • Italy: 8-9 Novembre - La Notte della Luna Rossa
  • Iran: Nojum, the Astronomy Magazine of Iran - November 9th Lunar Eclipse
  • North Carolina, USA - Fayetteville State University Observatory
  • Astronomi.no: Total måneformørkelse 9. November 2003

    November 8-9, 2003 eclipse:


  • Astronomy Picture of the Day: Eclipsed Moon in Infrared
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day: November's Lunar Eclipse
  • Science&NASA: Lunar eclipse
  • SpaceWeather.com: Lunar Eclipse
  • Celestial Delights: Pumpkin Moon
  • Royal Observatory Greenwich: Total lunar eclipse on 8 and 9 November
  • Space.com: Get Ready for Saturday: 10 Cool Lunar Eclipse Facts
  • Sky&Telescope: November's Lunar Eclipse
  • Fred Espenak: Eclipses during 2003 - Total Lunar Eclipse of November 09
  • Fred Espenak: Total Lunar Eclipse of 2003 Nov 9
  • Fred Espenak: Crater Timings During Lunar Eclipses
  • Fred Espenak: Danjon Scale of Lunar Eclipse Brightness
  • Fred Espenak: Lunar Eclipse Photography

    Previous webcasts by Copernicus Public observatory, Mira Public Observatory and Astronet:

  • Annular solar eclipse, May 31, 2003
  • Total lunar eclipse, May 15-16, 2003
  • Mercury transit, May 7, 2003