Science Daily 6/10/90:

"Moon Magic: New Tool To Visualize Past, Future Lunar Eclipses"

Lunar eclipses are well-documented throughout human history. The rare and breathtaking phenomena, which occur when the moon passes into the Earth's shadow and seemingly changes shape, color, or disappears from the night sky completely, caught the attention of poets, farmers, leaders, and scientists alike.

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method for using computer graphics to simulate and render an accurate visualization of a lunar eclipse. The model uses celestial geometry of the sun, Earth, and moon, along with data for Earth's atmosphere and the moon's peculiar optical properties to create picture-perfect images of lunar eclipses.

Full article here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090608131158.htm