November 2003 lunar eclipse

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]

November 2003 lunar eclipse
Total eclipse
Totality as viewed from Minneapolis, MN, 1:16 UTC
DateNovember 9, 2003
Gamma−0.4319
Magnitude1.0197
Saros cycle126 (45 of 72)
Totality21 minutes, 58 seconds
Partiality211 minutes, 25 seconds
Penumbral363 minutes, 9 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P122:16:59
U123:32:50
U21:07:34
Greatest1:18:34
U31:29:32
U43:04:15
P44:20:08

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

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The 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
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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]

November 9, 2003 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
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

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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 November 2003
November 9
Ascending node (full moon)
November 23
Descending node (new moon)
   
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 126
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 152
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Eclipses in 2003

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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 126

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Inex

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Triad

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Lunar eclipses of 2002–2005

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Lunar 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

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It 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

15 September 1913

26 September 1931

7 October 1949

18 October 1967

28 October 1985

9 November 2003

19 November 2021

30 November 2039

11 December 2057

22 December 2075

1 January 2094


Metonic series

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This 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.

  1. 1984 May 15.19 - penumbral (111)
  2. 2003 May 16.15 - total (121)
  3. 2022 May 16.17 - total (131)
  4. 2041 May 16.03 - penumbral (141)
  1. 1984 Nov 08.75 - penumbral (116)
  2. 2003 Nov 09.05 - total (126)
  3. 2022 Nov 08.46 - total (136)
  4. 2041 Nov 08.19 - partial (146)
  5. 2060 Nov 08.17 - penumbral (156)
   

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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 133.

November 3, 1994 November 13, 2012
   

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "November 8–9, 2003 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2003 Nov 09" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2003 Nov 09". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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