We know what a solar eclipse looks like. We also know what a lunar eclipse looks like from the Earth.

But what would a lunar eclipse look like from the moon?

I'm guessing the Earth would look like a black disk with a sunset red ring around it.

I think that would make an incredible image, and I would like to see it.

Maybe the next probe that is sent to the moon could have a telescopic camera to take the image.

I don't know if there would be any important science in this image, but I think it would be interesting to see.
-- talldave, Apr 21 2008

Solar Eclipse on the Moon http://science.nasa...pr_lunareclipse.htm
[ldischler, Apr 21 2008]

Ditto http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070302.html
I'm thinking this is a composite, not a straight photograph. [DrCurry, Apr 21 2008]

Cure for the Ring of Fire Cure_20for_20the_20_22Ring_20of_20Fire_22
Different black disc, different sunset red ring. Yes moon, but please no probe. [bungston, Apr 21 2008]

(?) Non-NASA site http://star-www.st-...k/~awc/eclipse.html
ECLIPSES OF THE SUN SEEN FROM EARTH [CwP, Apr 21 2008]

NASA Web Page on Eclipse http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html
[CwP, Apr 21 2008]

(?) If you're going up there http://img212.image...moonflagcopyjo5.jpg
...can you ask [Treon] if he's coming home? [theleopard, Apr 23 2008]

An off-topic eclipse http://www.sai.msu.su/apod/ap990830.html
A solar eclipse by the Moon; its shadow upon the Earth as seen from orbit. [Vernon, Apr 23 2008]

A solar eclipse from the moon, you mean.
-- ldischler, Apr 21 2008


As ld notes, a lunar eclipse seen from the Moon would be a solar eclipse.

Eclipses usually tell us a lot of things about atmospheres. Since we are already in a position to monitor the Earth's atmosphere directly, we wouldn't be learning a heck of a lot more from watching a solar eclipse by the Earth.
-- DrCurry, Apr 21 2008


We've seen it, it's rubbish.
-- 8th of 7, Apr 21 2008


I respectfully disagree about learning more. Eclipse’s are worth studying for all astronomical bodies, from most all points of view, and for a variety of reasons. NASA publishes a number of pictures of the earth from all the capable satellites including the moon. Viewing the earth, back lit by the sun, from the moon or a satellite gives us an undisturbed view of all parts of the earth atmosphere and excellent data on the Sun too. Data is captured all across the electro magnetic spectrum ranging from magnetic, radio waves, electronic charge, solar wind (high speed charged particles), particle (neutrino, etc), and of course visual. [link]

Since we intend on going back to the moon, they are collecting even more info than ever before. But not just on the earth, moon, and sun. This includes studies of other moons as well. Like the auroras and volcanoes on Io.

Still, I think the picture of earth rise from the moon is the most visually pleasing.
-- CwP, Apr 21 2008


There's a problem with this, in terms of awesomeness.

The spectacularity of a solar eclipse as viewed from earth is that, by a bizarre coincidence, the apparent diameter of the moon as viewed from earth is the same as that of the sun. They look the same size.

From the moon, the earth looks a lot larger than the sun. So, of course you'll get an eclipse, but it will lack that spectacular moment when the occluding disc *exactly* blots out the sun, leaving only a disembodied halo of light.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 21 2008


So, it would look a lot better if The Earth was further away from The Moon than The Moon is from The Earth.
-- Ling, Apr 23 2008


You would need to be 3.58 times further away from the Earth than the Moon is, for the Earth to be the same angular size as the Sun (1,377,000km, give or take).
-- neutrinos_shadow, Apr 23 2008


[MaxwellBuchanan], that "disembodied halo of light" is bright enough to make a fully eclipsed moon appear to be red in color, when seen from Earth. I think that reddish ring around the Earth's shadowed side will be fairly impressive.

One other point. I THINK I recall that one of the later Apollo missions to the moon finished up just a few days before a total lunar eclipse, and there were plans to remotely control a Lunar Rover camera to see the Earth when it had hid the Sun. There was some concern about the batteries in the Rover lasting long enough to accomplish it, and after all these years I don't recall if they succeeded. (Alas, that means this Idea isn't so original...)
-- Vernon, Apr 24 2008



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