Lunar Eclipse

A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes behind the earth so that the sun's rays are blocked from reflecting off of the Moon. The earth casts a shadow on the moon during a lunar eclipse and the edge of the moon appears to glow brightly.http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/19/what-does-a-lunar-eclipse-look-like-from-the-moon/

The second lunar eclipse of 2010 took place December 21.http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/17dec_solsticeeclipse/ It was seen best from the Americas, parts of Europe, and some parts of Africa.http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html#LE2010Dec21T<ref> The eclipse began 1:33 a.m. EST and lasted for 72 minutes.<ref>http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/17dec_solsticeeclipse/ The moon was completely covered beginning at 2:41 a.m. EST.http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/17dec_solsticeeclipse/ This eclipse fell on the winter solstice, an event that has only occurred once before, on December 21, 1638.http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/17dec_solsticeeclipse/ The next occurrence of a lunar eclipse on the winter solstice will be in 2094.http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/17dec_solsticeeclipse/ The areas in the United States with the best views were New York, Texas , Florida, and the Atlantic Coast.http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/1220/Lunar-eclipse-tonight-will-likely-be-totally-eclipsed-by-clouds Many other areas of the U.S. had cloud cover and storms.http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/1220/Lunar-eclipse-tonight-will-likely-be-totally-eclipsed-by-clouds

Lunar eclipses generally occur about every six months due to the moon's orbit being inclined about 5° from that of earth's.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/moon/Lunareclipse.shtml A total eclipse is when the moon is totally within the earth's shadow, or umbra, for about an hour.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/moon/Lunareclipse.shtml A partial eclipse of the moon is when the only a portion of the moon is in the earth's shadow.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/moon/Lunarer umbclipse.shtml Partial eclipses usually happen more frequently than total eclipses. According to NASA there will be four partial eclipses in 2011 and two total eclipses.http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html#LE2010Dec21T