Eclipse from Mercury
Captured by MESSENGER’s narrow-angle camera,The Oct. 8 “Hunter’s Moon” eclipse was the second and last total lunar eclipse of 2014. From Mercury the Earth and Moon are visible just before Wednesday’s Eclipse, but the Moon then disappears. Earth is one thing but looking back and seeing it from mercury’s orbit is awesome!
Eclipses are impossible on Mercury and Venus, which have no moons. As seen from Earth, only transits of the inner planets Mercury and Venus are possible. Planetary transits are far more rare than eclipses of the Sun by the Moon.
As the month of August comes to a close, we see both Mercury and Venus axis will align with the next full Moon on October 8, causing a full lunar eclipse.
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