We live on a sphere! Over 2 millennia ago, ancient Greek observers were able to determine that the periodic occasion that the full moon darkens is due to it passing into the shadow of Earth. Since every time this event occurred, they saw a similar curved shape they were able to deduce that Earth must be spherical. I have observed and photographed lunar eclipses for over four decades. When sitting under the eclipse darkened sky I often wonder if I would have been able to come to a similar conclusion. My first eclipse photos in 1982 were taken with black and white film and used for a high school science fair project. Measuring images of the moon taken during an eclipse I was able to determine the diameter and distance of the Moon. In 2003 I began using digital cameras to photograph lunar eclipses. After about a decade of collecting digital eclipse photos, I realized that by combining my images, I was starting to reconstruct an image of the Earth’s shadow. With the eclipse on March 14, 2025, I was finally able to complete the full image of our planet’s shadow. Images taken in many locations with a variety of cameras and telescopes over the last 22 years.
Mar 14, 2025, 6:34:21 PM | by Admin