Gus Lubin | Business Insider
Last night was there was a rare total lunar eclipse, which occurs around once a year.
This is when the earth blocks the sun from the moon. The result, which can be seen from many places around the world for over an hour, is a darkening moon as the eclipse begins and a red moon when the sun is mostly eclipsed and the reddish reflection of the earth shows on the surface.
This was also the first time a total lunar eclipse occured on the winter solstice since 1638, meaning the moon was especially high in the sky.
Check out photos below:
The moon, on its way to being totally eclipsed, is seen with the Chrysler Building in the foreground in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth casts its shadow on the full moon, blocking the sun’s rays that otherwise reflect off the moon’s surface. Some indirect sunlight still pierces through to give the moon its eerie hue. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The moon is seen during a total lunar eclipse from New York, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth casts its shadow on the full moon, blocking the sun’s rays that otherwise reflect off the moon’s surface. Some indirect sunlight still pierces through to give the moon its red hue. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
For more amazing photos, check out satellite images of China’s empty ghost cities >
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