According to NASA, lunar eclipses are considered total when the moon passes completely into Earth’s umbral shadow. This phenomenon happens when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are arranged in a line with the Earth in the middle. It was reported in May 2003 that the moon passed close to the middle of the umbra. The eclipse was long (52 minutes of totality) and dark. Another lunar eclipse was reported in November 2003 that produced lunar eclipse that was shorter (25 minutes of totality) and brighter.

This photo was shot in the early morning of February 21, 2008 in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. It shows the phase of the total lunar eclipse that was believed as the last total lunar eclipse ever emerged before the year of 2010 in the Western Hemisphere.

This is an enhanced photo that shows a whole phase of the total lunar eclipse captured in the early morning in Buenos Aires.

This image of the lunar eclipse was photographed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at its local time on February 21, 2008.

This is a photo of the total lunar eclipse captured in Mexico on February 21, 2008.

The observation of the total lunar eclipse was held as long as 30 seconds by the astronomers, astronomy enthusiasts who used their telescopes and cameras aiming at the sky. They paid great interests looking at the space, while enjoying the splendid scene of the universe. This picture was taken at the University of Tennessee of the United States. The lower right of the photo shows a group of teachers and students who were attracted by the splendor look of the total lunar eclipse.

This photo shows the total lunar eclipse gradually climbing up the roof top of Miami Science Museum in the United States.

This total lunar eclipse was observed in the Western Port City of Washington, Tacoma. The eclipse seemed to erode itself into orange color.

The people in the capital of Uruguay (Montevideo) observed this lunar eclipse at their local time on February 21, 2008.

This photo was captured near the monument of astronomer in Los Angeles of United States.

This similar view of the total lunar eclipse was captured in Toronto, Canada.

The total lunar eclipse appeared over the sky of Seattle, United States.

A reddish-looking lunar eclipse climbed up the top of the Empire State Building in New York, United States.