umbra

IPA/ˈʌmbrə/
KK[ˈʌmbrə]IPA/ˈʌmbrə/

umbra — noun

  • umbrasingular
  • umbrasplural

1. the central zone of total darkness inside a shadow, formed when a light source i

1.名詞C2
釋義

the central zone of total darkness inside a shadow, formed when a light source is completely hidden — a word used in astronomy for the blackest area of the shadow during a solar or lunar eclipse

例句

During the total solar eclipse, people inside the umbra saw the sky turn pitch black.

inside the umbra — prepositional collocation

The science teacher drew the moon's umbra on the board to explain the eclipse.

possessive: the moon's umbra

同義詞
  • shadow

    much broader term — any dark area behind an object blocking light

  • darkness

    general condition of no light, not specific to eclipse geometry

反義詞
  • penumbra

    the outer, lighter part of a shadow where the light source is only partly blocked

文法句型

the umbra of [something]

inside the umbra

the + noun's + umbra

用法筆記

Frequently paired with penumbra (the lighter outer shadow). In astronomy writing, umbra is often used with a possessive noun to identify which object casts the shadow: the moon's umbra, the Earth's umbra.

常見錯誤

❌The umbra is the moon's shadow on Earth.
✅The umbra is the darkest central part of the moon's shadow on Earth.
💡the moon's whole shadow is not the umbra; the umbra is only the black core inside that shadow.