February 2027 lunar eclipse

February 2027 lunar eclipse
Penumbral eclipse
The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left
DateFebruary 20, 2027
Gamma−1.0480
Magnitude−0.0549
Saros cycle143 (19 of 73)
Penumbral240 minutes, 59 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P121:12:20
Greatest23:12:51
P41:13:19

A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, February 20, 2027,[1] with an umbral magnitude of −0.0549. 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 1.5 days after perigee (on February 19, 2027, at 11:45 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter will be larger.[2]

Visibility

The eclipse will be completely visible over Africa, Europe, and west, central, and south Asia, seen rising over North and South America and setting over east Asia and western Australia.[3]

Eclipse details

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

February 20, 2027 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 0.92861
Umbral Magnitude −0.05491
Gamma −1.04803
Sun Right Ascension 22h16m18.3s
Sun Declination -10°43'53.9"
Sun Semi-Diameter 16'10.5"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9"
Moon Right Ascension 10h14m23.7s
Moon Declination +09°47'16.6"
Moon Semi-Diameter 16'26.8"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°00'21.6"
ΔT 72.5 s

Eclipse season

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 February 2027
February 6
Ascending node (new moon)
February 20
Descending node (full moon)
Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 131
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 143

Eclipses in 2027

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 143

Inex

Triad

Lunar eclipses of 2024–2027

This eclipse is a member of a semester series. An eclipse in a semester series of lunar eclipses repeats approximately every 177 days and 4 hours (a semester) at alternating nodes of the Moon's orbit.[5]

The penumbral lunar eclipse on July 18, 2027 occurs in the next lunar year eclipse set.

Lunar eclipse series sets from 2024 to 2027
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma Saros Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma
113
2024 Mar 25
Penumbral
1.0610 118
2024 Sep 18
Partial
−0.9792
123 2025 Mar 14
Total
0.3485 128 2025 Sep 07
Total
−0.2752
133 2026 Mar 03
Total
−0.3765 138 2026 Aug 28
Partial
0.4964
143 2027 Feb 20
Penumbral
−1.0480 148 2027 Aug 17
Penumbral
1.2797

Saros 143

It is part of Saros cycle 143.

Metonic series

This is the last of five Metonic lunar eclipses.

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 in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.

Metonic lunar eclipse sets 1951–2027
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date Type Saros Date Type
103 1951 Feb 21.88 Penumbral 108 1951 Aug 17.13 Penumbral
113 1970 Feb 21.35 Partial 118 1970 Aug 17.14 Partial
123 1989 Feb 20.64 Total 128 1989 Aug 17.13 Total
133 2008 Feb 21.14 Total 138 2008 Aug 16.88 Partial
143 2027 Feb 20.96 Penumbral 148 2027 Aug 17.30 Penumbral

Half-Saros cycle

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[6] This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 150.

February 15, 2018 February 27, 2036

See also

References

  1. ^ "February 20–21, 2027 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 2027 Feb 20" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 2027 Feb 20". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  5. ^ van Gent, R.H. "Solar- and Lunar-Eclipse Predictions from Antiquity to the Present". A Catalogue of Eclipse Cycles. Utrecht University. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  6. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros