umbra
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈʌmbrə/
- Specialized
:
umbra
- It is hard to see stars this faint at the Moon's edge except in the darkest core of the umbra.
- umbra of the Moon
Examples
-
The umbra is surrounded by a penumbra (plural: penumbrae), which is not as dark.
Academic text (1991) -
A sunspot includes a very dark central region called the umbra, from the Latin for "shadow" (plural: umbrae).
Academic text (1991) -
And we might be able to see the exterior parts of the moon's umbra, where the atmosphere is still lit up by the sun.
-
A sunspot showing the dark umbra surrounded by the lighter penumbra.
Academic text (1991) -
The spot's central umbra is surrounded by the filamentary penumbra.
Academic text (1991) -
Almost simultaneously, I glimpsed the Moon's umbra in the cloud cover racing away to the east.
Academic text (2000) -
In any solar eclipse, there is only a narrow ribbon, if any, where the umbra of the Moon's shadow touches the Earth's surface.
Academic text (2000) -
During the next total solar eclipse, on 21 June 2001, the Moon's umbra first touches Earth off the East Coast of South America and then sweeps across the ocean and through Southern Africa.
Academic text (2000) -
During the solar eclipse, we stood in the umbra and saw complete darkness.
-
As the light faded, the umbra of the object became clearly visible against the background.
Synonyms
544
1.0
A dark shape on the ground made when something blocks light
102
1.0
A dark area where sunlight does not reach
A shady place to rest and stay cool
How Dark
4
2.5
- Specialized
1
9.9
102
1.0
- Specialized
3
9.9
9
1.0
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word umbra comes from the Latin umbra, which means 'shadow' or 'shade'. It names the darkest part of a shadow where all direct light is blocked, and a helpful memory is the everyday word umbrella, which gives 'shade' and comes from the same root.