Is it possible to be anywhere on the planet, witness a lunar eclipse, and experience daylight at the same time?
2007-08-28 06:24:48 · 7 answers · asked by wilbur 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
No. The Sun, Earth, and Moon must be aligned in order for their to be an eclipse because the moon goes through the Earth's shadow.
That's why lunar eclipses always happen during full moons, and solar eclipses during new moons.
Turn a lamp on and stand in front of it. The shadow you cast is similar to the shadow the Earth casts. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves through that shadow. If someone were to walk behind you while you're standing in front of the lamp, they will be cast in your own shadow, just as the moon would be if you were the Earth.
2007-08-28 06:38:08 · answer #1 · answered by justin schwan 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. For there to be an eclipse the Earth's shadow has to fall on the Moon. That means the Earth has to be directly between the Sun and Moon and that means the Sun and Moon would be 180 degrees apart in the sky during an eclipse. The best you could do is see the eclipsed Moon on the horizon at the same time the Sun is on the opposite horizon. But the Moon would be setting as the Sun was rising, or the Moon would be rising as the Sun was setting, so that condition would only last a couple minutes. Other than that you could not see both the Sun and Moon at the same time.
2007-08-28 06:43:59 · answer #2 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, because the lunar eclipse happens during the phase of Full Moon, when the Moon is opposite to the position of the Sun. The darkening is caused by the passage of the Moon into the shadow of the Earth, which is, as each planet's shadow, directed opposite to the position of the Sun. Instead, the solar eclipse can be seen only in the daytime.
2007-08-28 06:37:32 · answer #3 · answered by dottorinoUCSC82 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Think about it for a minute. In order for the earth to cast a shadow on the moon, it has to be between the sun and the moon. If the sun is on the opposite side of the earth from the moon, it's going to be night wherever the moon can be seen!
I saw the total eclipse last night. Very cool!
2007-08-28 06:33:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe the answer is yes, but just barely. The earth's atmosphere bends light so it's sometimes possible, but only for a moment, to see the full moon when it's twilight and daylight is not fully gone. Thus it would not be out of the realm of impossible to see a lunar eclipse in daylight. You'd have to be in just the right spot and under just the right conditions for it to happen.
No proof to back it up, unfortunately.
2007-08-28 07:27:50 · answer #5 · answered by Ryan H 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If someone shines a flashlight into your face you can not see the shadow your head casts on the wall behind you. Only a bug on the dark side of your head could see your shadow. If you can see the sun you cannot see its shadow.
2007-08-28 07:23:15 · answer #6 · answered by Kes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not really, strictly a twlight or night time event.
2007-08-28 06:40:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋