A ______ eclipse occurs when Earth casts a shadow on the Moon.

A ______ eclipse occurs when Earth casts a shadow on the Moon.

• A. Solar
• B. Partial
• C. Lunar
• D. Annular

Answer: (C)

During a lunar eclipse, Earth lies between the Sun and the Moon, so Earth's shadow falls on the Moon. The shadow has two parts: the umbra, where the Sun is completely blocked, and the penumbra, where only part of the Sun is blocked. When the Moon moves through the umbra, the eclipse can be total; when only part of the Moon enters the umbra, it's a partial lunar eclipse; if only the penumbra is involved, it's a penumbral lunar eclipse. This is different from a solar eclipse, where the Moon blocks sunlight from reaching Earth, and from an annular eclipse, which is a specific kind of solar eclipse where the Sun remains visible as a ring. So the event described—Earth casting a shadow on the Moon—is a lunar eclipse.

During a lunar eclipse, Earth lies between the Sun and the Moon, so Earth's shadow falls on the Moon. The shadow has two parts: the umbra, where the Sun is completely blocked, and the penumbra, where only part of the Sun is blocked. When the Moon moves through the umbra, the eclipse can be total; when only part of the Moon enters the umbra, it's a partial lunar eclipse; if only the penumbra is involved, it's a penumbral lunar eclipse. This is different from a solar eclipse, where the Moon blocks sunlight from reaching Earth, and from an annular eclipse, which is a specific kind of solar eclipse where the Sun remains visible as a ring. So the event described—Earth casting a shadow on the Moon—is a lunar eclipse.