AFOQT Practice Test

What phenomenon occurs during a lunar eclipse?

1. The sun is blocked by the Earth

2. The moon passes into the Earth's shadow

3. The Earth passes into the moon's shadow

4. The stars block the view of the moon

The correct answer is: The moon passes into the Earth's shadow

During a lunar eclipse, the correct phenomenon that occurs is that the moon passes into the Earth's shadow. This event takes place when the Earth is positioned directly between the sun and the moon, causing the Earth's shadow to fall upon the moon. As a result, the moon can take on a reddish hue, often referred to as a "blood moon," due to the scattering of sunlight through the Earth's atmosphere. In this context, the other options do not accurately describe a lunar eclipse. The first option suggests the sun is blocked by the Earth, which is more related to a solar eclipse, not a lunar one. The third option implies the Earth passes into the moon's shadow, which is not possible since the moon does not cast a shadow on Earth during a lunar eclipse. Finally, the last choice mentions stars blocking the view of the moon, which does not occur in the context of a lunar eclipse as the primary interaction is between the sun, Earth, and moon rather than the stars.