.br

Earth/Moon/Sun Positions and the Moon's Phase

Sorry, you need Java to view this simulation"

Notes:

1) Use checkboxes (Seconds, Minutes, etc) to choose time interval. "Hours" and "Days" work best for animation. Use slidebar at right to control simulation speed. There are 7 speeds, 3 forward (right), 3 reverse (left) and one neutral (center). The bar is initially set at the slowest forward speed. Use "Reset Time" to return to present.

2) In top panel, Moon (dark or light gray, depending on phase) and Sun (yellow) are shown 4x too large. As a result, no information regarding partial eclipses should be inferred, but full eclipses ARE shown (yellow star for total solar, yellow ring for annular solar, pink moon for total lunar).

3) Eclipse times are estimates only (good to within a few minutes). For more accuracy and detailed maps see the Eclipse Home Page.

4) Distances and sizes are not to scale

5) There is still a problem with the local time - it does not take into account the shift to/from Daylight Savings Time, and so may be off by an hour. Universal Time will always be correct.

Planetarium Homepage | Planetarium Glossary | Paul Stoddard Homepage | Geology Homepage

pstoddard@niu.edu

October, 2012