February 2009 lunar eclipse

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Monday, February 9, 2009,[1] with an umbral magnitude of −0.0863. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the Moon's near side passes into the Earth's penumbra. Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. Occurring about 1.9 days after perigee (on February 7, 2009, at 15:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

February 2009 lunar eclipse
Penumbral eclipse
Penumbral eclipse as viewed from Chennai, India, 14:29 UTC
DateFebruary 9, 2009
Gamma−1.0640
Magnitude−0.0863
Saros cycle143 (18 of 73)
Penumbral238 minutes, 49 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P112:38:50
Greatest14:38:16
P416:37:39

This eclipse was the first of four lunar eclipses in 2009, with the others occurring on July 7 (penumbral), August 6 (penumbral), and December 31 (partial).

It also happened on the Lantern Festival, the first since February 20, 1989.

Visibility

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The eclipse was completely visible over east Asia and Australia, seen rising over east Africa, eastern Europe, and west Asia and setting over North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean.[3]

   
Hourly motion shown right to left
 
The Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Leo.
 
Visibility map

Images

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This simulated view shows the Earth and Sun as viewed from the center of the Moon near contact points P1 and P4. The eclipse will be visible from Earth from the locations of the world as seen on the Earth above.
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Eclipse details

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Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]

February 9, 2009 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 0.90132
Umbral Magnitude −0.08632
Gamma −1.06401
Sun Right Ascension 21h33m30.0s
Sun Declination -14°30'07.1"
Sun Semi-Diameter 16'12.6"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9"
Moon Right Ascension 09h31m42.1s
Moon Declination +13°31'37.5"
Moon Semi-Diameter 16'24.8"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°00'14.2"
ΔT 65.8 s

Eclipse season

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This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.

Eclipse season of January–February 2009
January 26
Ascending node (new moon)
February 9
Descending node (full moon)
   
Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 131
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 143
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Eclipses in 2009

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Metonic

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Tzolkinex

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Half-Saros

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Tritos

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Lunar Saros 143

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Inex

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Triad

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Lunar eclipses of 2006–2009

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 2006–2009
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros #
and photo
Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma Saros #
and photo
Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma
113
 
2006 Mar 14
 
penumbral
 
1.0211 118
 
2006 Sep 7
 
partial
 
−0.9262
123
 
2007 Mar 03
 
total
 
0.3175 128
 
2007 Aug 28
 
total
 
−0.2146
133
 
2008 Feb 21
 
total
 
−0.3992 138
 
2008 Aug 16
 
partial
 
0.5646
143
 
2009 Feb 09
 
penumbral
 
−1.0640 148
 
2009 Aug 06
 
penumbral
 
1.3572
Last set 2005 Apr 24 Last set 2005 Oct 17
Next set 2009 Dec 31 Next set 2009 Jul 07


Half-Saros cycle

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A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[5] This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 150.

February 5, 2000 February 15, 2018
   

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "February 9–10, 2009 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Feb 09" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Feb 09". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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