A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Sunday, November 9, 2003,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.0197. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. 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. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Occurring about 1.2 days before apogee (on November 10, 2003, at 7:00 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2]
Total eclipse | |||||||||||||||||
Date | November 9, 2003 | ||||||||||||||||
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Gamma | −0.4319 | ||||||||||||||||
Magnitude | 1.0197 | ||||||||||||||||
Saros cycle | 126 (45 of 72) | ||||||||||||||||
Totality | 21 minutes, 58 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
Partiality | 211 minutes, 25 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
Penumbral | 363 minutes, 9 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
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This lunar eclipse is the second of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on May 16, 2003; May 4, 2004; and October 28, 2004.
This was the last of 14 total lunar eclipses of Lunar Saros 126, which started on June 19, 1769 and ended on November 9, 2003.
Visibility
editThe eclipse was completely visible over eastern North and South America, much of Africa, and Europe, seen rising over western North and South America and the Pacific Ocean and setting over east Africa and west, central, and south Asia.[3]
Hourly motion shown right to left | |
The moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Aries |
Gallery
edit-
Grand Rapids, MI, 0:58 UT
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Minneapolis, MN, 1:00 UT
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Oudenaarde, Belgium, 1:08 UT
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Minneapolis, MN, 1:24 UT
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Grand Rapids, MI, 2:28 UT
Eclipse details
editShown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
Parameter | Value |
---|---|
Penumbral Magnitude | 2.11575 |
Umbral Magnitude | 1.01969 |
Gamma | −0.43193 |
Sun Right Ascension | 14h54m59.9s |
Sun Declination | -16°41'23.6" |
Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'08.7" |
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" |
Moon Right Ascension | 02h55m37.1s |
Moon Declination | +16°19'48.8" |
Moon Semi-Diameter | 14'43.8" |
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°54'03.6" |
ΔT | 64.5 s |
Eclipse season
editThis 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.
November 9 Ascending node (full moon) |
November 23 Descending node (new moon) |
---|---|
Total lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 126 |
Total solar eclipse Solar Saros 152 |
Related eclipses
editEclipses in 2003
edit- A total lunar eclipse on May 16.
- An annular solar eclipse on May 31.
- A total lunar eclipse on November 9.
- A total solar eclipse on November 23.
Metonic
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2000
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 28, 2007
Tzolkinex
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 27, 1996
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 21, 2010
Half-Saros
edit- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of November 3, 1994
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of November 13, 2012
Tritos
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 9, 1992
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 8, 2014
Lunar Saros 126
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 1985
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 19, 2021
Inex
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1974
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 18, 2032
Triad
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 8, 1917
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 8, 2090
Lunar eclipses of 2002–2005
editLunar eclipse series sets from 2002–2005 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Descending node | Ascending node | |||||||
Saros Photo |
Date View |
Type Chart |
Gamma | Saros Photo |
Date View |
Type Chart |
Gamma | |
111 | 2002 May 26 |
penumbral |
1.1759 | 116 | 2002 Nov 20 |
penumbral |
−1.1127 | |
121 |
2003 May 16 |
total |
0.4123 | 126 |
2003 Nov 09 |
total |
−0.4319 | |
131 |
2004 May 04 |
total |
−0.3132 | 136 |
2004 Oct 28 |
total |
0.2846 | |
141 | 2005 Apr 24 |
penumbral |
−1.0885 | 146 |
2005 Oct 17 |
partial |
0.9796 | |
Last set | 2002 Jun 24 | Last set | 2001 Dec 30 | |||||
Next set | 2006 Mar 14 | Next set | 2006 Sep 07 |
Saros 126
editIt is part of saros series 126.
Lunar saros series 126, repeating every 18 years and 11 days, has a total of 70 lunar eclipse events including 14 total lunar eclipses. Solar Saros 133 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series.
First penumbral lunar eclipse: 18 July 1228
First partial lunar eclipse: 24 March 1625
First total lunar eclipse: 19 June 1769
First central lunar eclipse: 11 July 1805
Greatest eclipse of the lunar saros 126: 13 August 1859, lasting 106 minutes.
Last central lunar eclipse: 26 September 1931
Last total lunar eclipse: 9 November 2003
Last partial lunar eclipse: 5 June 2346
Last penumbral lunar eclipse: 19 August 2472
1901-2100
Metonic series
editThis eclipse is the second of five Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, 8–9 November, each separated by 19 years:
The Metonic cycle repeats nearly exactly every 19 years and represents a Saros cycle plus one lunar year. Because it occurs on the same calendar date, the Earth's shadow will be in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.
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Half-Saros cycle
editA 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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 133.
November 3, 1994 | November 13, 2012 |
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "November 8–9, 2003 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2003 Nov 09" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2003 Nov 09". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
External links
edit- Saros cycle 126
- 2003 Nov 09 chart: Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC
- NASA Saros series 126
- Photos: Lunar Eclipse 8 November 2003
- Spaceweather.com: Lunar eclipse gallery Nov 8, 2003