Lunar Eclipse 2010 PHOTOS: Images Of December's Rare Full Moon Event From Around The World

Monday night or early Tuesday morning, depending on your location, many around the world were able to witness a phenomenal and rare total lunar eclipse, watching as the Earth passed directly between the sun and the full moon, shrouding it in shadow and transforming the white image into a stunning deep red glow. The event was especially significant as it coincided with the winter solstice, something that hasn't occurred in 372 years, and won't come around again until 2094.

In our live blog coverage, we followed people's reactions around the world and broadcast NASA's lunar eclipse live camera. CLICK HERE to check it out, and watch some amazing videos of the spectacle, and CLICK HERE to view photos of past eclipse events prior to 2010's December occurrence.

Browse through some incredible photos below of the lunar eclipse seen from around the world on December 20 and 21, 2010.

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This combo of pictures taken in Manassas, Virginia shows the moon in different stages of a total lunar eclipse on December, 21, 2010. During the eclipse, the Earth will align between the full moon and the sun, covering the lunar surface in shadow. The eclipse is also falling on the same day as the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere – a rare occurrence that hasn't happened in 372 years. (KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images)

This combo of pictures taken in Manassas, Virginia shows the moon in different stages of a total lunar eclipse on December, 21, 2010. During the eclipse, the Earth will align between the full moon and the sun, covering the lunar surface in shadow. The eclipse is also falling on the same day as the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere – a rare occurrence that hasn't happened in 372 years. (KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images)

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Comments

[Fedil Grogan]

07:56 PM on 02/11/2011

I actually stayed up for this event with a friend of mine. We sat on my roof and took photos. It was actually pretty fun. Here are some of the photos I was able to get: http://fedil.ukneeq.com/2010/12/21/total-eclipse-of-december-2010/

[Name Not In Use]

07:25 AM on 12/24/2010

You know, it seems like there is ALWAYS something going on in the sky that will not happen again for hundreds of years. It's getting a little old.
When I was a kid there was just Haley's comet that would be here when I was an old man - if I lived that long. Which I evidently have. I think.

[jeromeaoustin]

04:43 PM on 12/22/2010

Another one, from Westchester, NY:
http://www.jeromeaoustin.com/2010/12/22/day-503-total-lunar-eclipse-of-2010/
We also witnessed a large halo around the moon right before the eclipse started:
http://www.jeromeaoustin.com/2010/12/22/day-502-halo-around-the-moon/

[Delaware22]

02:38 PM on 12/22/2010

Live on the east coast; watched it from 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. Worth every minute of lost sleep.

[vive uno]

02:25 PM on 12/22/2010

Missed it, but we had a great 4th and 5th day of pouring rain in California.

[american-dolt]

10:57 AM on 12/22/2010

I like the red devil eyes on the Washington Monument. I guess they are there to prevent an air collision, funny, I thought it was a no fly zone?

[CindyM272]

08:16 AM on 12/22/2010

Missed it due to cloud cover - thanks for the pictures!

[Steve Rockett]

01:24 AM on 12/22/2010

Alf and Mork came by but the clouds blocked our view.

[Billy Green]

10:16 PM on 12/21/2010

My own personal eclipse home video from our driveway in San Francisco:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZxB85Q4fKo

Not time lapse, but plain old video sped up two to fifty times.

[politics2010]

08:13 PM on 12/21/2010

I loved being able to view this global event with so many people while following on Twitter and live streaming and going outside. My version of the evening with some pictures http://www.eileenludwig.com/lunar-eclipse-coincides-winter-solstice/

[Dukedraven]

06:32 PM on 12/21/2010

This ranks as one of the best nights for celestial gazing for me. It's up there with Hale Bopp and a few meteor showers.

[PattiLuPwn]

04:55 PM on 12/21/2010

I was looking forward to this yesterday then ended up opening a bottle of tequila last night. :( The pics are pretty though.

[robiform]

04:53 PM on 12/21/2010

Great photos! My favorites are the ones where the various stages of the eclipse are juxtaposed with man-made objects (e.g. the Washington Monument, the Chrysler Building, etc.)

[Salaam Bhatti]

04:44 PM on 12/21/2010

Here is the video I shot of it, with my own commentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJI4bAmHDaE

[rougebaisers]

04:19 PM on 12/21/2010

We were CLOUD COVERED again here in Chicago.....we ALWAYS are for celestial events. Cloudy misses out on everything Chicago.

[robiform]

04:48 PM on 12/21/2010

You have my sympathy--40 years ago, there was a solar eclipse with the path of totality passing very near Gainesville, Florida. I was a student at the University of Florida at the time and very excited about actually getting to see a total solar eclipse. Well, the sky was totally cloudy that day, but at the time of the eclipse, you could tell that something unusual was happening, because it became as dark as night for several minutes.

It was interesting, but what I wouldn't have given to see a total solar eclipse on a sunny day!

[leskataus]

11:22 PM on 12/21/2010

I saw that eclipse. I was living in North Carolina at the time and fortunately for me, the skies were clear. To this date, this is the only total solar eclipse I have ever seen. I've seen others but they were all partial eclipses.