Optical polarimetry of the May 2022 lunar eclipse

Author:

Steele Iain A1,Wiersema Klaas23ORCID,McCall Callum1,Newsam Andrew1,Shrestha Manisha14

Affiliation:

1. Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University , 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK

2. Physics Department, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YB, UK

3. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester , University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK

4. Steward Observatory, University of Arizona , 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721-0065, USA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The sunlight reflected from the Moon during a total lunar eclipse has been transmitted through the Earth’s atmosphere on the way to the Moon. The combination of multiple scattering and inhomogeneous atmospheric characteristics during that transmission can potentially polarize that light. A similar (although much smaller) effect should also be observable from the atmosphere of a transiting exoplanet. We present the results of polarization observations during the first 15 min of totality of the lunar eclipse of 2022 May 16. We find degrees of polarization of 2.1 ± 0.4 per cent in B, 1.2 ± 0.3 per cent in V, 0.5 ± 0.2 per cent in R, and 0.2 ± 0.2 per cent in I. Our polarization values lie in the middle of the range of those reported for previous eclipses, providing further evidence that the induced polarization can change from event to event. We found no significant polarization difference (<0.02 per cent) between a region of dark Mare and nearby bright uplands or between the lunar limb and regions closer to the disc centre due to the different angle of incidence. This further strengthens the interpretation of the polarization’s origin being due to scattering in the Earth’s atmosphere rather than by the lunar regolith.

Funder

UK Research and Innovation

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Alan Turing Institute

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Space and Planetary Science,Astronomy and Astrophysics

Cited by 1 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

1. A study of Be stars in the time domain – I. Spectral data and polarimetry;Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society;2024-02-29

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