Irradiance and color during the total lunar eclipses of 2007 and 2008 are simulated using a ray tracing model that includes refraction, scattering by molecules, and observed or climatological distributions of aerosols, ozone, clouds, and topography around the terminator. Central portions of the umbra appear deep red for almost all eclipses due to preferential removal of short wavelengths in the spectrum of sunlight by scattering in the lower troposphere. The fringe of the umbra appears turquoise or blue due to selective removal of wavelengths around $600\mathrm{nm}$ by the Chappuis absorption bands of ozone in the stratosphere. Asymmetric distributions of clouds and aerosols, particularly for the 2008 eclipse, produce minimum calculated irradiance up to $17\text{\hspace{0.17em} arc min}$ from the umbra center, while high ozone content over the arctic makes the northern edge of the umbra deepest blue.

© 2008 Optical Society of America

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