The umbra, penumbra and antumbra are three distinct parts of a shadow, created by any light source after impinging on an opaque object. For a point source only the umbra is cast. These names are most often used for the shadows cast by celestial bodies, though they are sometimes used to describe levels of darkness, such as in sunspots. Contents [show] Umbra[edit] Umbra, penumbra and antumbra formed through windows and shutters The umbra (Latin for shadow) is the innermost and darkest part of a shadow, where the light source is completely blocked by the occluding body. An observer in the umbra experiences a total eclipse. The umbra of a round body occluding a round light source forms a right circular cone; to a viewer at the cones apex, the two bodies are equal in apparent size. The distance from the Moon to the apex of its umbra is roughly equal to that between the Moon and Earth. Because the Earth is 3.7 times wider than the Moon, its umbra extends correspondingly farther, roughly 1.4 million kilometers.[1] Penumbra[edit] The penumbra (from the Latin paene almost, nearly and umbra shadow) is the region in which only a portion of the light source is obscured by the occluding body. An observer in the penumbra experiences a partial eclipse. An alternative definition is that the penumbra is the region where some or all of the light source is obscured (i.e., the umbra is a subset of the penumbra). For example, NASAs Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility defines that a body in the umbra is also within the penumbra.[2] In radiation oncology, the penumbra is the space in the periphery of the main target of radiation therapy, and has been defined as the volume receiving between 80% and 20% of isodose.[3]
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 01:53:16 +0000
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