More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Stunning pictures of last night's partial lunar eclipse have been revealed.
The photos of the 'red moon' were taken over various locations in Kent, including Whitstable and Dover.
And in a fitting tribute, the overnight eclipse coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch, which took the first men to the moon.
A lunar eclipse is when the sun, earth and a full moon are almost exactly in line, with the earth in the middle, casting a shadow on the moon's surface.
The moon dims dramatically but usually remains visible.
During a partial eclipse, some - but not all - of the moon passes through the darkest area of the Earth's shadow.
The surface often appears red because the earth blocks direct sunlight from reaching the moon and so the only light reflected off the surface has been refracted by the earth's atmosphere.
Like a sunset or sunrise, this scattering of blue light gives the moon a red appearance.
Depending on weather conditions, the moon can appear rusty red, or dark grey.
The moon travels to a similar position every month at full moon, but the tilt of the lunar orbit means it normally passes above or below the terrestrial shadow and no eclipse takes place.
Unlike a solar eclipse, it's entirely safe to watch a lunar eclipse with the naked eye.
The next partial lunar eclipse will not be until November 2021.
