2020 might end on a decent note after all. The year’s fourth and final penumbral lunar eclipse is happening next week. Early on Monday, November 30, the full Frosty Moon will be eclipsed by the Earth’s outer shadow.
When the sun, Earth, and moon line up it’s called a syzygy by astronomers. A penumbral lunar eclipse is when the syzygy is so perfect that the moon moves into the Earth’s shadow. The Earth’s outer shadow is called its penumbra, and the visual effect is that of a gradual darkening. On November 30, 2020, 83 percent of the full moon will be eclipsed by our planet’s shadow.
