A close series of consecutive exposures are combined in this intriguing
composite of the Full Moon slowly crawling,
across the sky .
Beginning on the upper right at 19:42 UT and ending at 22:14 UT on
April 25 ,
the sequence follows the Moon from Germany as it passes
through Earth's shadow in a partial lunar eclipse.
Near the top, the Moon just grazes the southern edge of
Earth's dark central shadow, or umbra.
But the
decreased brightness
in the darker part of the outer shadow region, the penumbra,
is also apparent on the lunar disk.
In fact ,
the relative size and shape of the Earth's
shadow regions
and the Moon are easier to see along the segments of
this lunar caterpillar.
Nearly impossible to follow with the eye though, a penumbral lunar eclipse,
the Full Moon passing only through the pale outer penumbral shadow,
will
begin on May 25 .
