Printable ScholarLunar Eclipse Diagram
Free printable lunar eclipse diagram — a labeled illustration showing Earth's shadow falling on the Moon, with umbra and penumbra cones, full moon, penumbral eclipse, and total lunar eclipse (blood moon). Download a high-resolution PDF or PNG for Letter paper.
Part of the Moon Phases and Eclipses teaching pack for grades 4 to 6: 29 lesson slides and 13 printables with answer keys. The diagrams are free.
Blank diagram to label
Download blank version + answer key 7 blanks, a word bank, and the answer key on page 2Teaching ideas for Moon Phases and Eclipses
Pick the ideas that suit your class, then follow the plan or use the sheets in any order.
- Turn with a ball. Darken the room and shine one flashlight from the side. Each student holds a ball at arm’s length and turns slowly in place, watching the lit part of the ball change shape.
- Keep a Moon diary. Students look for the Moon each day they can for a few weeks and sketch its shape. Then they name each sketch using the phases of the Moon diagram.
- Cast a shadow. Use a flashlight for the Sun, a large ball for Earth and a small ball for the Moon. Line them up to make a solar eclipse, then a lunar eclipse.
- Line up three students. Three students are the Sun, Earth and Moon. The class tells them where to stand for a solar eclipse and for a lunar eclipse.
A plan for the week
| Day 1 | Open with one of the ideas above. Teach the lesson with the slides while students fill in the guided notes. Then students label the blank diagram and work out the phases on “Read the Moon Phases Diagram”. | Lesson slides (PowerPoint) (in the pack) Moon Phases and Eclipses Guided Notes (in the pack) Phases of the Moon Diagram Blank Phases of the Moon Read the Moon Phases Diagram (in the pack) |
| Day 2 | Teach the solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse from the two labeled diagrams, then students label the two blank ones. | Solar Eclipse Diagram Lunar Eclipse Diagram Blank Solar Eclipse Blank Lunar Eclipse |
| Day 3 | Students work out who sees a total or partial eclipse on “Read the Eclipse Diagram”. Then read “The Changing Moon” and answer the questions. | Read the Eclipse Diagram (in the pack) The Changing Moon (in the pack) |
| Day 4 | Students sort facts into solar eclipse only, lunar eclipse only, or both. | Solar Eclipse or Lunar Eclipse? (in the pack) |
| Day 5 | Review with the crossword, then give the quiz. | Moon and Eclipses Crossword (in the pack) Moon Phases and Eclipses Quiz (in the pack) |
The sheets marked “in the pack” are in the Moon Phases and Eclipses teaching pack below.
NGSS standards
- Supports MS-ESS1-1: Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.
Moon Phases and Eclipses teaching pack
Teaching the phases of the Moon and eclipses? Here is a ready-to-teach lesson. 29 slides and 13 printables that cover the whole topic, from the guided notes to the quiz. Present the slides while students fill in the guided notes, then use the worksheets, crossword and quiz, with every answer key.
Free on this page: 6 of the 13 printables, marked Download below. The whole pack is $7: 24 pages in one print-ready file, the 29 lesson slides, the practice sheets, the crossword, the quiz and every answer key.
OnlineThe pack also comes as an online lesson for Google Classroom: every part on screen for students, plus a self-grading Google Forms quiz.
GameSee the phases move with the free Moon Phases game: students drag the Moon around Earth and watch its shape change in the sky, see why the dark part isn't Earth's shadow, and make lunar and solar eclipses.
One-time purchase. Instant download. Secure checkout by Stripe. Want to see a whole pack first? The Inside the Earth and Volcanoes pack is free.See all 31 packs in the bundle
- The Microscope
- Photosynthesis
- Parts of a Plant and Flower
- Life Cycle of a Plant
- Life Cycles of a Butterfly and a Frog
- Food Chains and Food Webs
- The Water Cycle
- Human Body Organs
- Skeletal System
- Muscular System
- Digestive System
- Respiratory System
- Heart and Circulation
- Nervous System and Brain
- Eye and Ear
- Parts of a Tooth
- Inside the Earth and Volcanoes
- Rocks and the Rock Cycle
- Layers of the Atmosphere
- Types of Clouds
- Weathering, Erosion and Deposition
- Types of Landforms
- The Solar System
- The Seasons
- Moon Phases and Eclipses (this pack)
- States of Matter
- Electric Circuits
- Forms of Energy
- Scientific Method
- Simple Machines
- Magnets and Magnetic Fields
Teach Moon Phases and Eclipses with 29 ready-made slides
Open the PowerPoint and teach: an opening question, the parts one at a time on the diagram, quick checks and an exit question. Students fill in the guided notes sheet as you go.
Every slide comes with teacher notes: what to say, what to ask, and sample answers.
The slides (PowerPoint and a PDF copy) and the guided notes sheet come with the pack.
What is in the pack, in teaching order
In the pack
1. TeachLesson Slides29 slides to present, with your notes for each one.In the $7 pack
In the pack
1. TeachMoon Phases and Eclipses Guided NotesStudents fill in the blanks as you present. With answer key.In the $7 pack
Free
Free
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Free
In the pack
3. ReasonRead the Moon Phases DiagramRead the phases of the Moon picture: show which way the lit part grows, then work out where the Moon is at each phase and why the dark part is not Earth’s shadow.In the $7 pack
In the pack
3. ReasonRead the Eclipse DiagramRead the solar eclipse picture: trace the blocked sunlight, then work out who sees a total eclipse, who sees a partial one and who sees none.In the $7 pack
In the pack
4. ReadThe Changing MoonA one-page text on why the Moon has phases and how eclipses happen, with eight questions.In the $7 pack
In the pack
5. CompareSolar Eclipse or Lunar Eclipse?Sort 14 facts into solar eclipse only, lunar eclipse only, or both.In the $7 pack
In the pack
6. ReviewMoon and Eclipses CrosswordFifteen Moon and eclipse words with clues and a word bank.In the $7 pack
In the pack
7. CheckMoon Phases and Eclipses QuizName four phases, six multiple choice and two written answers. Scored out of 12.In the $7 pack
Moon Phases and Eclipses worksheets, crossword and quiz
The Moon Phases and Eclipses teaching pack is 29 lesson slides (PowerPoint and PDF) and 13 printables with answer keys for grades 4 to 6, in the order you would teach them: the guided notes for the lesson slides, 6 diagram sheets, then “Read the Moon Phases Diagram” (a worksheet), “Read the Eclipse Diagram” (a worksheet), “The Changing Moon” (a reading passage), “Solar Eclipse or Lunar Eclipse?” (a Venn diagram), a vocabulary crossword and a quiz.
The sheets are in a suggested teaching order: teach the lesson, have students label the blank diagrams, then work through the practice sheets and finish with the quiz. Use them all over a week or pick the ones you need. The answer keys are together at the back.
The diagrams are free to download on this page. The other sheets come with the pack ($7), which is also in the Elementary Science bundle (grades 3 to 6).
The parts of a lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, casting Earth's shadow onto the Moon's surface and turning it a deep red-orange colour. Here is what happens at each labeled part of the diagram:
| Part | What it does | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | The source of sunlight whose rays Earth blocks during a lunar eclipse. | During a lunar eclipse the Sun, Earth, and Moon must be precisely aligned — a configuration called syzygy. Because the Moon's orbit is tilted about 5 degrees relative to Earth's orbit around the Sun, this perfect alignment does not happen every month: the Moon usually passes slightly above or below Earth's shadow at full moon. When the alignment is precise enough, Earth's shadow falls across the Moon and a lunar eclipse occurs. |
| Earth | Earth's shadow falls on the Moon — its umbra causes totality, its penumbra causes partial dimming. | Earth casts a shadow with two zones, just like the Moon does during a solar eclipse. The umbra is the dark, cone-shaped central shadow where no direct sunlight reaches. The penumbra is the larger outer zone where some sunlight still gets through. Whether the Moon passes through the penumbra only, clips the edge of the umbra, or passes fully through the umbra determines whether observers see a penumbral, partial, or total lunar eclipse. |
| Penumbral Eclipse | The Moon is inside the penumbra, Earth's lighter outer shadow, and dims only a little on its way to the umbra. | Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is visible simultaneously from everywhere on Earth where the Moon is above the horizon — no narrow path of totality is required. The Moon can take several hours to move fully through Earth's shadow, making it a leisurely spectacle compared to the few minutes of a total solar eclipse. During totality the Moon does not disappear entirely; it turns red because Earth's atmosphere bends some sunlight around the edges of the planet onto the Moon. |
| Umbra | The darkest part of Earth's shadow — the Moon in the umbra turns deep red or orange. | When the Moon enters Earth's umbra, direct sunlight is completely blocked — but the Moon does not go dark. Instead, Earth's atmosphere acts like a lens, bending some sunlight around the edge of the planet and filtering out the blue wavelengths. Only the longer red and orange wavelengths make it through, casting a dim red glow on the Moon. The exact colour depends on how much dust and cloud is in Earth's atmosphere at the time: after major volcanic eruptions, the blood moon can be a deep brick red. |
| Penumbra | The lighter outer shadow — the Moon in the penumbra appears slightly dimmed. | The penumbra is the outer portion of Earth's shadow where some direct sunlight still reaches the Moon. When the Moon is only in the penumbra, the dimming is subtle — often too slight to notice without careful observation. Penumbral eclipses are the most common type but the least dramatic. The penumbra becomes noticeable only when the Moon is near the edge of the umbra, where the boundary between the two shadow zones creates a visible dark curve across the lunar surface. |
| Full Moon | The Moon's phase required for a lunar eclipse — it must be directly opposite the Sun. | A lunar eclipse can only happen during a full moon, because only then is the Moon on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun and in a position to enter Earth's shadow. However, not every full moon produces an eclipse — the Moon's orbit must also be nearly in the same plane as Earth's orbit around the Sun. There are typically two to four lunar eclipses per year (counting penumbral ones), with total lunar eclipses occurring roughly once every year or two. |
| Total Lunar Eclipse | The Moon is fully inside Earth's umbra and appears blood red. | A total lunar eclipse, also called a blood moon, occurs when the Moon passes completely into the darkest part of Earth's shadow. Totality can last up to about 100 minutes — far longer than a total solar eclipse — giving observers plenty of time to appreciate the eerie red Moon. Unlike a solar eclipse, a total lunar eclipse is entirely safe to view with the naked eye: the Moon at totality is simply reflecting the light of all the sunrises and sunsets happening simultaneously on Earth's rim. |
How to print
Choose Download PDF for a ready-to-print file that fits US Letter paper (8.5 × 11") in landscape, or Download PNG for the high-resolution image.
Frequently asked questions
What causes a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting Earth's shadow onto the Moon's surface.
Why does the Moon turn red during a total lunar eclipse?
Earth's atmosphere bends some sunlight around the planet and filters out blue light, so only red and orange wavelengths reach the Moon — the same effect that makes sunsets red on Earth.
What paper size should I print this on?
The diagram is sized for standard US Letter paper (8.5 × 11") in landscape orientation. Use "Download PDF" for a print-ready file that fits the page automatically.
Are there Moon Phases and Eclipses worksheets to go with the diagram?
Yes. The Moon Phases and Eclipses teaching pack, for grades 4 to 6, has 29 lesson slides and 13 printables with answer keys: the guided notes for the lesson slides, 6 diagram sheets, then “Read the Moon Phases Diagram” (a worksheet), “Read the Eclipse Diagram” (a worksheet), “The Changing Moon” (a reading passage), “Solar Eclipse or Lunar Eclipse?” (a Venn diagram), a vocabulary crossword and a quiz. The diagrams are free to download on this page. The other sheets come with the pack ($7), which is also in the Elementary Science bundle (grades 3 to 6).