A student asked me: Wouldn't a new moon be mistaken for an eclipse or an eclipse for a new moon?
by 
Anonymous
ANSWERS: 3
-
To me, new moons usually look like there's no moon, although sometimes you can see its shape in the sky. The few lunar eclipses I've seen made the moon look reddish or dark, but still visible. Plus they don't last long. If you've ever watched the moon through a small telescope you know how quickly it moves across the sky.
-
Glenn is right, I got onto a tangent somewhere and confused even myself between new moon and lunar eclipse. A new moon would only be and eclipse if it passed directly between the earth and the sun, which causes partial eclipses 4-7 times a year, total eclipses are more rare. It doesn't always eclipse because the moon's orbit is about 5 degrees off from the direct line between earth and sun.
-
No, a new moon won't be mistaken for an eclipse. An eclipse occurs when on body passes into the shadow of another. The new moon occurs because the side facing us is experiencing night. It is not necessarily casting its shadow on the Earth.
Glenn Blaylock RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC