A penumbral lunar eclipse took place Wednesday morning as a full moon passed through the outer edge of Earth’s shadow.

The lunar eclipse was seen from vantages points located on the West Coast, as well as in East Asia, Australia, Hawaii and Alaska, during a period of five hours, starting at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Unlike a total lunar eclipse, which occurs when Earth passes behind the dark center of the moon's shadow, the penumbral lunar eclipse took place when the moon passed through the hazy outer edge of Earth's shadow, called the penumbra, as seen in the photo provided.

During a penumbral eclipse, the moon doesn't black out completely; instead, it appears to darken subtly, but noticeably.

According to SPACE.com, shooting the eclipse required a telescope or telephoto lens with a focal length of 500 millimeters or more. The length ensures that photographers would capture details on the moon's surface such as its dark markings (called the "maria"), as well as the bright, rayed impact craters.

Check out photos from the recent penumbral lunar eclipse and other total lunar eclipses.

Lunar Eclipse 2012
The moon casts a reddish hue over Lake Pend Oreille during a lunar eclipse in Idaho (2011) Reuters
Lunar Eclipse 2012
The earth's shadow falls on the moon during a total lunar eclipse over the Tower of David in Jerusalem's Old City (2011) Reuters
Lunar Eclipse 2012
A total lunar eclipse is seen with a Christmas tree in foreground in Seoul (2011) Reuters
Lunar Eclipse 2012
A crowd gather in the early morning at the Griffith Park Observatory to see the lunar eclipse in Los Angeles (2011) Reuters
Australia Eclipse