IS THE EARTH'S SHADOW UPON THE MOON DURING A LUNAR ECLIPSE NOT PROOF THAT THE EARTH IS A GLOBE?

Is the Earth's shadow upon the moon during a lunar eclipse not proof that the Earth is a globe?

Question: Is the Earth's shadow upon the moon during a lunar eclipse not proof that the Earth is a globe?

By: WLC Team

Answer: The suggestion that it is the Earth's shadow that causes a lunar eclipse is nothing more than assumption.  It is not known with certainty what causes lunar eclipses.  There have been testimonies in the past of the sun and moon both being visible in the sky during a lunar eclipse.  This would not be possible if the Earth's shadow was responsible for the eclipse.

The following is an excerpt from Zetetic Astronomy: Earth Not a Globe, by Samuel Birley Rowbotham (p. 101-102):

An Eclipse of the Sun is caused simply by the Moon passing before it, or between it and the observer on the Earth. Of this no question has been raised. But that an Eclipse of the Moon arises from a shadow of the Earth is in every respect unsatisfactory. The Earth has been proved to have no motion, either upon axes or in an orbit round the Sun, and therefore it could never come between the Sun and the Moon. The Earth is proved to be a Plane, always underneath the Sun and Moon, and therefore to speak of its intercepting the light of the Sun and thus casting its own shadow upon the Moon, is to say that which is impossible. Besides this, cases are on record of the Sun and Eclipsed Moon being above the horizon together.

"The full Moon has sometimes been seen above the horizon before the Sun was set. A. remarkable instance of this kind was observed at Paris on the 19th of July, 1750, when the Moon appeared visibly Eclipsed while the Sun was distinctly to be seen above the horizon." ("Astronomy and Astronomical Instruments," p. 105, by Geo. G. Carey)

"On the 20th of April, 1837, the Moon appeared to rise Eclipsed before the Sun had set. The same phenomenon was observed on the 20th of September, 1717." ("McCulloch's Geography," p. 85)

"In the lunar Eclipses of July 17, 1590; Nov. 3, 1648 ; June 16, 1666 ; and May 26, 1668, the Moon rose Eclipsed whilst the Sun was still apparently above the horizon. Those horizontal Eclipses were noticed as early as the time of Pliny." ("Illustrated London Almanack for 1864," the astronomical part in which is by James Glaisher, Esq., of the Greenwich Observatory)

The following is an excerpt from Terra Firma: The Earth Not a Planet, Proved from Scripture, Reason, and Fact, by David Wardlaw Scott (p. 77-80):

The Moon has been a sad trouble to our Modern Astronomers, as she has so often belied their theories; but, being determined to make use of her somehow, they assert that the globularity of the world is proved by the shadow of the Earth passing over her in a round form during a Lunar Eclipse.

Before entering into this subject, it may be as well to say a few words respecting Eclipses. Many people, when they find that an Eclipse takes place at the time predicted, are apt to think what a wonderful science Modem Astronomy must be that can foretell such events so exactly. But the truth is that the recurrence of Eclipses are mere matters of calculation from those which have happened at certain times before, and it is known by experience that such will take place at certain times again. The Chaldeans calculated them thousands of years ago and Aristarchus and Ptolemy could predict them as well as Newton or La Place. Mrs. Somerville in her " Physical Sciences," p. 46, remarks—

"No particular theory is required to calculate Eclipses, and the calculations may be made with equal accuracy, independent of every theory."

I remember a good story respecting a man who had been summoned to give evidence in a certain trial. He did not appear but a friend came in his stead. " Why," asked the Judge, "does Mr. Blank not appear?" "My Lord," replied the man, "I could give your Lordship a dozen reasons why he could not come." "Let us have them, then," said the Judge. "In the first place, my Lord, my friend is dead." "That will do," said his Lordship, "you can keep your eleven other reasons to yourself." So the Earth having been proved by experiment to have no curvature, and is declared by God to be "founded upon the seas and established upon the floods," that fact ought, as a matter of course, to be a sufficient reason why it is not a wandering Planet, and, therefore, that it would be as impossible for its shadow to cause an Eclipse of the Moon, as for that dead man to give evidence in a Court of Law. Still, perhaps, it may be useful and interesting to make a few remarks respecting this alleged proof, as they will show some of the great mistakes which our Modem Astronomers have made.

According to the Newtonian theory, it is necessary in a Lunar Eclipse, for the Sun to be on the opposite side of the supposed globular Earth, so that the Earth's shadow may thus in passing be cast upon the Moon. But, as Lunar Eclipses have occurred when both the Sun and the Moon were above the horizon, it stands to reason that, in such circumstances, it would be absolutely impossible for the shadow of the Earth to have been the cause of the Eclipse of the Moon. During an Eclipse of the Moon its surface has repeatedly been seen during the whole time it lasted, thus clearly proving that its Eclipse could not have been caused by the shadow of the Earth. I quote the following illustration of the fact from what took place at Collumpton, Devonshire, on 19th March, 1848—

"The appearances were as usual till twenty minutes past nine ; at that period, and for the space of the next hour, instead of an Eclipse, or the shadow (umbra) of the Earth being the cause of the total obscurity of the Moon, the whole phase of that body became very quickly and most beautifully illuminated, and assumed the appearance of the glowing heat of fire from the furnace rather than tinged with a deep red. . . . The whole disc of the Moon being as perfect with light as if there had been no Eclipse whatever. , . . The Moon positively gave good light from its disc during the total Eclipse." (Philosophical Magazine," No. 220, for August, 184B.)

Again, the Earth, with a supposed diameter of 8,000 miles, is said to revolve round the Sun, with the velocity of about 1,000 miles per minute; the Moon being reckoned to have a diameter of 2,200 miles, and to go round the Earth at the rate of 180 miles per minute, thus, according to calculation, the Eclipse of the Moon, by the shadow of the Earth passing it, should not take four minutes, whereas the usual time occupied by a Lunar Eclipse is generally about two hours, and it has been known to have been extended to four.

Parallax sums up the matter as follows, and quotes several instances to show that the opinion has lately gained ground among Astronomers of note, that there are non-luminous bodies in the heavens which may cause an Eclipse of the Moon—

". . . As a, Solar Eclipse occurs from the Moon passing before the Sun, so, from the evidence above collected, it is evident that a Lunar Eclipse arises from a similar cause. A body, semi-transparent and well defined, passing before the Moon; or between the Moon's surface and the observer on the surface of the Earth.

"That many such bodies exist in the firmament is almost a matter of certainty, and that one such as that which eclipses the Moon exists at no great distance above the Earth's surface, is a matter admitted by many of the leading Astronomers of the day." ("Zetetic Astronomy," pp. 148, 149.)

It is thus clearly evident that there is not the shadow of a proof that the shadow of the Earth is the cause of a Lunar Eclipse, and therefore no argument can be drawn from this alleged proof that the Earth is a globular Planet.