What is an lunar eclipse?

Answer 1

It is when the moon pases directly behind earth and into its shadow.

Answer 2

The lunar cycle is the appearance of phases of the Moon as viewed from Earth, as the Moon orbits the Earth about once every 27 days. Because the Earth is moving around the Sun, the Moon requires about 29.5 days to complete the synodic movement and all phases. This period is also known as a lunar month.

Lunar phase (or Moon phase) refers to the appearance of the illuminated portion of the Moon as seen by an observer, usually on Earth. The lunar phases vary cyclically as the Moon orbits the Earth, according to the changing relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. One half of the lunar surface is always illuminated by the Sun (except during lunar eclipses), and is hence bright, but the portion of the illuminated hemisphere that is visible to an observer can vary from 100% (full moon) to 0% (new moon). The boundary between the illuminated and unilluminated hemispheres is called the terminator.
That refers to a full cycle from new moon, via full moon, back to new moon. Or from full moon to full moon - it doesn't really matter at what part of the cycle you start. The complete cycle takes about 29 1/2 days, on average.

Answer 3

A lunar eclipse occurs whenever the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, there is always a full moon the night of a lunar eclipse. The type and length of an eclipse depend upon the Moon's location relative to its orbital nodes. The next total lunar eclipse occurs on December 21, 2010. The next eclipse of the Moon is a penumbral eclipse on February 9, 2009.

Answer 4

There is very little cycling of rocks on the moon. This is because the core is now cold (there is no convection) and there is not atmosphere/hydrosphere - little erosion/sedimentation.

However there are micro meteorite impact's and solar wind considerations that caused a build up of lunar dust.

Answer 5

On average it is 29 days, 12 hours, 30 min, but it varies each cycle.

Answer 6

Because no matter what phase you see right now, you'll see exactly the same one

in another 29.53 days, and again in another 29.53 days after that, etc.

Answer 7

Lunar orbit can mean one of two things. In astronomy lunar orbit refers to the orbit around the moon. In the space program it refers to the moons orbit around Earth.