This month’s total eclipse of the Moon occurs in the early hours of 28 September 2015 for those of us observing the event from the United Kingdom. The penumbral phase starts at 01:10 BST. The change in the apparent brightness of the Moon may be difficult to spot as the Moon moves through the indistinct penumbral shadow of the Earth. The umbral shadow will start to appear at 02:07 BST when the much more distinct shadow of the Earth starts to engulf the Moon’s disk. Totality begins at 03:11 BST when the coppery-red tint to the Moon may start to appear. Mid-eclipse takes place at 03:47 BST when this coppery-red tint should be at its most noticeable. Totality comes to an end at 04:24 BST. The umbral shadow can now be seen receding across the Moon’s disk, finally disappearing at 05:27 BST. The penumbral shadow disappears at 06:24 BST shortly before local moonset. Further details of the eclipse can be found on HMNAO’s Eclipses Online web pages
A composite image showing the umbral shadow of the Earth and the coppery-red tint of the light refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere is shown in this image taken during the total eclipse of the Moon on 15 December 2011. The penumbral shadow is too faint to be discerned in this image. Let’s hope for clear weather!