Second Source of Light, Eclipse
Nov 8, 2003

Why would the Moon become more illuminated at the darkest moment of a total eclipse! This is an actual photo series from the Netherlands.

Quotes from a message board:

The orange tint appears to be following the direction of the eclipse. Most strongly colored at the NW portion of the moon and fades toward the edges of the moon-as if another source of light was also shining on the moon. If the source of the light was bending sun rays around the edge of the earth then the exact look and appearance of the moon tonight during this eclipse would not look like as I have described. Further, as the eclipse receded the color faded to grey. If the light was bending around the earth to cause orange or red colored moon, why not also during the receeding period? There is apparently a second light source shining on the moon from the direction of the sun.

Prior eclipses I had seen, the moon had seemed to disappear during totality. This time it did not, as you can see an orange-red glow shining through from the surface of the moon.

Eclipse finished. I do not buy into the "sun bending rays" excuse for the orange moon going into the eclipse because the same did not happen going out of the eclipse. Perhaps there may another light source positioned near the sun or something. I do not know, but something is suspicious for sure.

I have to agree,the moon did not go black. It was like you could see it glowing through the shadow of the earth, like it had its own light.

I also saw an earlier eclipse where the Moon seemed to literally disappear, it was so dark, but the explanation was that there had been recent major volcanic eruptions, so the Earth´s atmosphere was transmitting less light than usual.
[Note: volcanic eruptions are at an all time high, now!]