bɪknˈɛl spˈɛkjʊlˌeɪts ðæt ɪnðə fˈɜːst ænd sˈɛkənd sˈɛntʃɚɹiz bˌiːsˈiː ðɛɹwˌʌz ɐ pˈiəɹɪəd ɪnwˌɪtʃ ðə mˈuːn ɐpˈɪɹd sɪɡnˈɪfɪkəntli lˈɛs bɹˈaɪt dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə lˈuːnɚɹ ɪklˈɪps dˈuː tə vˌɛɹɪˈeɪʃənz ɪn sˈoʊlɚɹ æktˈɪvᵻɾi, ænd ðɪs mˌaɪt ɛksplˈeɪn ðɪs ɐpˈæɹənt ɪŋkənsˈɪstənsi.
Bicknell speculates that in the first and second centuries BC there was a period in which the moon appeared significantly less bright during the lunar eclipse due to variations in solar activity, and this might explain this apparent inconsistency.