Explanation:
When
a Full Moon lies near the ecliptic there can be
a lunar eclipse.
That cosmic alignment is well
illustrated in this composite of
eclipse images recorded last
Saturday near Paris, France.
The projection of the
ecliptic plane, the plane of planet Earth's
orbit around the Sun, is traced by the long blue line running
diagonally through the picture.
At a small angle to the ecliptic, along the Moon's orbit,
are a series of images from the eclipse itself
following
the Moon as it moves (down and left) through
Earth's
shadow.
A small blue circle
centered on the ecliptic outlines the extent
of the dark region of the
shadow or umbra.
Above, the principal stars of
Leo are highlighted, while
at the far right lies another celestial wanderer
that stays close to the ecliptic -
Saturn.
