March 2006 lunar eclipse

March 2006 lunar eclipse
Penumbral eclipse
Penumbral eclipse as viewed from Trondheim, Norway, 23:49 UTC
DateMarch 14, 2006
Gamma1.0210
Magnitude−0.0584
Saros cycle113 (63 of 71)
Penumbral287 minutes, 27 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P121:23:45
Greatest23:47:29
P42:11:12

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Tuesday, March 14, 2006,[1] with an umbral magnitude of −0.0584. It was a relatively rare total penumbral lunar eclipse, with the Moon passing entirely within the penumbral shadow without entering the darker umbral shadow. 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 2.2 days after apogee (on March 12, 2006, at 20:45 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2]

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible much of Africa, eastern South America, Europe, and west Asia, seen rising over North and South America and setting over much of Asia and western Australia.[3]


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

Visibility map

Images

NASA chart of the eclipse

Eclipse details

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

March 14, 2006 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 1.03205
Umbral Magnitude −0.05835
Gamma 1.02106
Sun Right Ascension 23h38m54.0s
Sun Declination -02°16'57.9"
Sun Semi-Diameter 16'05.1"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8"
Moon Right Ascension 11h40m41.4s
Moon Declination +03°05'17.9"
Moon Semi-Diameter 14'45.1"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°54'08.3"
ΔT 65.0 s

Eclipse season

See also: Eclipse cycle

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 March 2006
March 14
Descending node (full moon)
 March 29
Ascending node (new moon)
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 113		 Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 139

Eclipses in 2006

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 113

Inex

Triad

Lunar eclipses of 2006–2009

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


Metonic series

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.

  1. 2006 Mar 14.99 - penumbral (113)
  2. 2025 Mar 14.29 - total (123)
  3. 2044 Mar 13.82 - total (133)
  4. 2063 Mar 14.67- partial (143)
  1. 2006 Sep 07.79 - partial (118)
  2. 2025 Sep 07.76 - total (128)
  3. 2044 Sep 07.47 - partial (138)
  4. 2063 Sep 07.86 - penumbral (148)

Saros 113

The eclipse belongs to Saros series 113, and is the 63rd of 71 lunar eclipses in the series. The first penumbral eclipse of saros cycle 113 began on 29 April 888 AD, first partial eclipse on 14 July 1014, and total first was on 20 March 1429. The last total eclipse occurred on 7 August 1645, last partial on 21 February 1970, and last penumbral eclipse on 10 June 2150.[5]

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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 120.

March 9, 1997 March 20, 2015

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "March 14–15, 2006 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 2006 Mar 14" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 2006 Mar 14". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  5. ^ Hermit Eclipse: Eclipse Search
  6. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros