Up/Down Eclipse
Nov 8, 2003

If we were in our proper orbit, on Nov 8, then the N Pole would be pointing mainly away from the Sun. Then someone in the Northern Hemisphere would find the bulk of the Earth, the fat middle at the Equator, casting a shadow on the Moon with the Sun at the side of the Moon, so the eclipse from their viewpoint, looking down on the Moon, would occur starting on the side. This was what was expected, dark creeping in on the left, then total, then darkness leaving on the right.

By the time the sky has appreciably darkened, the eastern edge of the Moon will begin to noticeably darken as the Moon becomes well immersed in the penumbra.

If we were retarded in our Orbit, for instance in a Sep 10 position, then our N Pole would still be pointing somewhat toward the Sun. Then someone in the Northern Hemisphere would find the bulk of the Earth, the fat middle at the Equator, casting a shadow on the Moon with the Sun at the top of the Moon, so the eclipse from their viewpoint, looking down on the Moon, would occur starting more at the top. This is what was reported:

Quotes from a message board:

Here in NW Florida. Eclipse moved to the side now is coming back from the bottom.

I live in Central Florida the shadow started from the left going to the right. Coming out of the eclipse it started at the bottom and is moving straight up to the top.

In Palatka Florida, the shadow move downward but a little more diagonally to the right, then back up.

Same thing here in north Florida, Jacksonville, shadow left the moon going out at top right.

The moon shadow was moving up the Moon on exit instead of across the Moon. The light stayed at the lower right corner and then spread out across the bottom of the moon and then emerged from the bottom up.

I´m in Toronto, canada, and I noticed the same thing. The moon eclipsed from top to bottom and then reversed.

It seems that earths cast of its shadow now has come from the top down to the bottom, and is reversing bach up to the top? Is that right? The NASA site shows it moving on it´s simulator from upper left to the bottom right. This observation in at lattitude 25.2, Florida

I am telling you on a crystal clear night here in South Florida. The shadow progression was from the top towards staight bottom and now reversing staight up to the top.

Noticed it also from north central Florida. Got dark from left right, went bright again from bottom to top.

It started at the top of the moon, moved straight down, not diagonnaly, then moved straight back up.

From Colorado at 38 degrees. It moved from top left to bottom right, then moved from the bottom back towards the top. Not right, does not sync up with NASA and other sites.

The suns shine came up from almost direct bottom at first then gradually increased from about 7 oclock positionwise to finish out a full moon with the last slice of shadow at about 1 o’clock to 1:30 positionwise.