ECLIPSE OF MOON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23338, 5 May 1939, Page 10

ECLIPSE OF MOON

VISIBILITY IN AUCKLAND SHADOW'S VARIED COLOURS EARLY MORNING PHENOMENON The total eclipse of the moon which occurred yesterday morning was seen well in Auckland, although at some stages of the phenomenon there was considerable interference by clouds. The penumb'ral stages of the eclipse, resulting in only a slight diminution of the moon's brilliance, were barely detectable, and the earth's * true shadow made its first appearance on the lunar disc a. few minutes before one o'clock in the morning. During the first half hour the shadow was a light greenish grey in colour, but as the eclipse progressed it assumed a light, coppery hue which blended strikingly with the greenish rim of the shadow and the silvery light of the uneclipsed portion of the moon. Clouds, which had been growing steadily denser, hid the total phase almost completely, although an occasional glimpse was obtained of the coppery globe with its crescent-like greenish rim. Just before totality ended the clouds cleared away, affording an uninterrupted view of the remainder of the phenomenon, which ended at 4.25 a.m., when the earth's umbral shadow finally passed off the lunar disc. A party of amateur astronomers conducted observations of the eclipse at the observatory of the Auckland Astronomical Society in SymondsJStreet and, although the general cloudiness interfered with some portions of the programme planned, the remainder of the observations were successfully accomplished, and several occultations of stars by the moon were recorded.