B Why didn't the Moon go fully red for this eclipse?

[swampwiz]

(For reference, I am around coordinates ( +30 , -90 ), and this is the January 2019 lunar eclipse.)

I am typing this at supposedly mid-eclipse, and yet I see a thin crescent of white (ash?) along one side. It seems that the Moon should be well within the umbra at this point.

 

[jedishrfu]

In this link, there’s a paragraph on the blue band that some folks will see due to the ozone layer refracting certain frequencies of light and that might explain what you’re seeing.

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/why-does-moon-look-red-lunar-eclipse.html

 

[DrClaude]

@russ_watters has photographed that effect:

This is going better than I had hoped. I'm fighting a crazy 35mph wind, but still taking photos up to 1 second exposure. Here's the latest first pass processed.

View attachment 237632

Yes, it was taken right about maximum.

I was surprised to see the asymmetry. So what causes it? Is it due to atmospheric refraction bending a bit of sunlight around Earth?

[Edit; hmm, well I guess the red is too...]

 

[russ_watters]

In this link, there’s a paragraph on the blue band that some folks will see due to the ozone layer refracting certain frequencies of light and that might explain what you’re seeing.

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/why-does-moon-look-red-lunar-eclipse.html

They also have an animation which shows just how off center the Moon is in the Umbra;
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2019-january-21

@swampwiz thanks for starting this thread; This effect surprised me and I asked about it in my thread, not noticing you already had.

 

[Nik_2213]

Perhaps the current lack of significant stratospheric volcanic stuff ??

FWIW, I'd rather have a 'pink' Blood Moon than a Pinatubo...

 

[swampwiz]

So basically the blue band is the outer part of the umbra, and to get the full red, there must be a more central eclipse?

 

[davenn]

So basically the blue band is the outer part of the umbra, and to get the full red, there must be a more central eclipse?

yes

 

[jedishrfu]

Here’s one more interesting thing that happened:

The Moon was struck by a meteor during the display. Can you believe it? I mean a meteor photobombed the Moon. Is nothing sacred anymore?

https://gizmodo.com/holy-crap-the-moon-was-struck-by-a-meteorite-during-th-1831950105

 

[Charles Link]

You may also find this thread of interest: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/lunar-eclipse-jan-20-21-2019.964610/page-2#post-6122293