What kind of a dull disk does the moon appear as during a lunar eclips?
During totality, the moon's disc is usually red and quite dark.
That's completely wrong , as to a direct detailed question of course :D
During a lunar eclipse, the Moon can appear as a dull, reddish disk. This phenomenon occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon's surface.
To understand why the Moon appears dull and reddish during a lunar eclipse, here's what you need to know:
1. Earth's shadow: The Earth has two distinct shadows - the penumbra, which is a partial shadow, and the umbra, which is a total shadow. During a lunar eclipse, the Moon passes through the Earth's umbra, resulting in a total eclipse.
2. Atmospheric scattering: When sunlight passes through the Earth's atmosphere, it undergoes scattering. The Earth's atmosphere scatters the shorter, blue wavelengths more strongly, allowing the longer, red wavelengths to pass through. This is the same reason why the sky appears blue during the day and red or orange during sunrise or sunset.
3. Red light reaching the Moon: Despite being in Earth's shadow, the Moon receives some sunlight that passes through the Earth's atmosphere. This sunlight is mainly red, which is why the Moon appears reddish during a lunar eclipse.
In summary, the dull, reddish appearance of the Moon during a lunar eclipse is caused by sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere and getting scattered, allowing the red light to reach and illuminate the Moon.