Which lasts longer a lunar eclipse or a solar eclipse?

Answer 1

Interesting! It depends on how you think about it.

If you stand on one spot on the earth then the period of totality for a solar eclipse will be a maximum of about 7 mins. while from the same spot the period of totality for a lunar eclipse will last about 50 mins.

However, during a solar eclipse the shadow of the moon races across the face of the earth from west to east, and while any one spot is only in totality for a few minutes, the shadow is present on the planet for (3 -3.5 hours), much longer than a lunar eclipse lasts.

Answer 2

It isn't; the umbra of the Earth's shadow is always about the same size. But you only notice a shadow when something moves into the shadow; other than the Moon, there isn't anything else out there that's really big that you'd notice moving into shadows.

If you watch the Space Shuttle or ISS (they are very easy to see as they pass over your city, if you know when to look up) you can frequently see the very bright ISS disappear abruptly - as it moves from sunlight to shadow. This is the same thing.

So, the umbra - and the penumbra - of the Earth's shadow are pretty much constant. But we don't often notice it.

Answer 3

It isn't; the umbra of the Earth's shadow is always about the same size. But you only notice a shadow when something moves into the shadow; other than the Moon, there isn't anything else out there that's really big that you'd notice moving into shadows.

If you watch the Why_is_the_umbra_larger_during_a_lunar_eclipseor ISS (they are very easy to see as they pass over your city, if you know when to look up) you can frequently see the very bright ISS disappear abruptly - as it moves from sunlight to shadow. This is the same thing.

So, the umbra - and the penumbra - of the Earth's shadow are pretty much constant. But we don't often notice it.

Answer 4

The umbra of the Earth's shadow during lunar eclipse is larger than the umbra of the Moon's shadow during a solar eclipse because the Earth is much larger than the Moon is; so, the Earth's shadow is bigger than the Moon's shadow.

Answer 5

The umbra is larger during a lunar eclipse.

This is because when a solar eclipse occurs, the Moon is in between the Sun and Earth. Therefore causing the Moon to cast its shadow over Earth, this shadow focuses on one part of Earth and where the shadow is darker is called the umbra. During a lunar eclipse it is the opposite. Earth is in between the Sun and the Moon, and because Earth is so much bigger than the Moon, it casts a much greater shadow over it.

Answer 6

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon gets in between the Sun and the Earth; the Moon's shadow hits the Earth, and in a small area, the Sun isn't visible.

In an lunar eclipse, the Earth is in between the Sun and the Moon, and the Earth's shadow darkens all or most of the Moon.

Since the Earth is much larger than the Moon, the Earth's shadow is larger than the Moon's shadow.

Answer 7

The Earth is much larger than the Moon is, so the shadow of the Earth is larger than the shadow of the Earth. In a lunar eclipse, it's the Earth's shadow dimming the Moon, and that shadow is much larger than the Moon itself; we can see that the entire Moon is often mostly darkened during lunar eclipse.

In a solar eclipse, it's the Moon's shadow hitting the Earth, and the Moon's shadow isn't big enough to cover the whole Earth; in fact, a solar eclipse only covers at most an area about 400 miles in diameter!

Answer 8

Those words refer to regions within a shadow.

The 'umbra' is the region of total shadow, from within which none of the light source is visible.

In the umbra of the moon's shadow, none of the sun is visible, and you're witnessing a 'total'

solar eclipse.

The penumbra is the area of partial shadow, from within which part but not all of the light source

is visible. In the penumbra of the moon's shadow, part but not all of the sun is visible, and you're

witnessing a 'partial' solar eclipse.

Answer 9

The Umbra is larger during a lunar eclipse.

Answer 10

A lunar eclipse typically lasts longer than a solar eclipse. A lunar eclipse can last for several hours, whereas a total solar eclipse usually lasts only a few minutes at a specific location.