Stages of the Eclipse shadow: the penumbra. But the shading is so weak that you won't see anything of the penumbra until the Moon is about halfway across it. During this eclipse, watch for a slight darkening to become apparent on the Moon's celestial northeast side: its left side as seen from North A total lunar eclipse has five stages, with different things to watch for at each. The first penumbral stage begins when the Moon's leading edge enters the pale outer fringe of Earth's ra Mo on s e t s w h i l e e n t e r i n g p e n u m b pse Moon se ts while en te ring umbra Entire eclipse visible Moon sets during total ecli Mid-eclipse at zenith Moon s e t s w h i l e le a v in g p S&T: LEAH TISCIONE br a ra Moon ris es while enteri ng penum Moon ris es while entering umb M oon rises du ri ng total ecl ipse a vin g p en um bra Moon rises while leaving umbr Moon rises while lea TWO ECLIPSES AGO Above: Before dawn on October 8, 2014, Jeff McGrath shot the cirrus-hazed Moon through a 160-mm f/8 refractor at Stansbury Park Observatory Complex in Utah. Morning Mor M Mo o nin ing of of Sept. Sept ep pt. 28 pt 28 enumbra Moon s ets whil e leaving um bra Evening Evvenin Eve in ng of of Sept. Sept pt. 27 27 Daytime D (Moon not up) n WIDE VIEW THIS TIME Left: For your location, check whether the Moon will rise (or set) during some stage of the eclipse. An eclipsed Moon is always full, so the Sun sets (or rises) at almost the same time on the opposite horizon. This means that a lunar-eclipse moonrise or moonset always happens in a very bright sky! Sk yandTelescope.com September 2015 27http://www.SkyandTelescope.com