MadSci Network: Astronomy
Query:

Re: when was the last time the earth stood in a planet's shadow?

Date: Thu Nov 22 03:01:48 2001
Posted By: James Steele Foerch, Instructor, Pine Creative Arts Academy
Area of science: Astronomy
ID: 1004275223.As
Message:

Dear Ashley,

You asked a very good question! Average people know that the moon casts its shadow on our Earth during an eclipse. But you know that Mercury and Venus, the two planets closer to the Sun than us, can also cast a shadow. Because those planets are so far away, so small and the sun is so large, from Earth we see "transits" as they cross the sun's disk. The most recent event was the transit of Mercury on 15 Nov 1999. Check out these NASA web sites for images and details.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991210.html
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991119.html

These are Astronomy Pictures of the Day. You can make them your home page and learn astronomy every day!

J. S. Foerch
James C. Veen Observatory
Lowell, Michigan, USA


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