Lunar eclipse

320px|thumb|A solar eclipse occurs in the daytime at the new moon when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon
A lunar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon. It happens when the moon passes through the shadow of the Earth. Lunar eclipses happen about twice a year, unlike total solar eclipses that are sometimes more than a year apart. They can be seen from a much larger portion of the Earth compared to solar eclipses. Lunar eclipses can last for a few hours, but total solar eclipses last only a few minutes. 

During a lunar eclipse, the Moon looks red brown. It may be thought that the Moon is completely black because of the Earth's shadow, but no. The reddish-brown colour is because some of the Sun's light bends through the Earth's atmosphere and shines on the Moon. Refraction is greater for red light rays than for others, so red is what strikes the Moon.

Like solar eclipses, there are different types of lunar eclipses. There are total eclipses, where the moon passes completely through Earth's shadow and all of the moon appears reddish-brown. A partial eclipse occurs when only part of the moon passes through Earth's shadow and so only part of the moon appears reddish.

Lunar eclipses are safe to view with your naked eyes and also with telescopes.

Although it is safe to see the lunar eclipse with your naked eyes one should never see a solar eclipse with the naked eyes as the rays damage the retina of the eye.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon enters the shadow of the earth, while revolving around it. At this time, it is necessary that the earth is between the sun and the moon, and all three of them are in the same plane. On a full moon day, the moon's path of revolution passes thought the thick shadow of the earth.

If the moon is totally hidden within the shadow, we see a total lunar eclipse and if only a part of the moon is in the shadow, we see a partial lunar eclipse.