In a lunar eclipse, which celestial body is obstructed?

In a lunar eclipse, the Moon is the celestial body that is obstructed. This phenomenon occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon. As a result, the Earth casts a shadow on the Moon, preventing sunlight from reflecting off its surface.

During a lunar eclipse, the alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon allows the Earth’s shadow to fall on the Moon, causing it to darken and often take on a reddish hue due to the scattering of sunlight through the Earth's atmosphere—a phenomenon known as Rayleigh scattering. This is why the Moon is the one that gets obstructed in this scenario; it is the object in shadow during the event.

The other celestial bodies listed, such as the Sun, Earth, and stars, do not experience obstruction in a lunar eclipse. The Sun continues to shine, casting its light on the Earth, while stars remain in the background, unaffected by this specific alignment of celestial bodies.