Total lunar eclipse in Uruguay. /Courtesy of NASA·Mauricio Salazar

Last week, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shared a time-lapse video shot in Uruguay on the 24th. During the total lunar eclipse, the Earth positions itself between the Moon and the Sun, causing the Moon to dramatically darken. However, the Moon does not become completely dark. The Earth's atmosphere refracts some of the light. In the video, it may appear as if it is daytime, but in reality, it is nighttime, illuminated by the light of a full Moon. As the Moon gradually gets covered and faint, the stars in the background begin to reveal themselves one by one. The most impressive moment is when, as the eclipse progresses, the sky surrounding the Moon becomes filled with stars, and the complex structure of the Milky Way becomes more pronounced. Almost two hours after the eclipse began, the Moon moves out of the Earth's shadow, and the bright light of the full Moon once again dominates the sky.