May 2023 lunar eclipse

May 2023 lunar eclipse

Penumbral eclipse
From Surabaya, Indonesia at 17:22 UTC
Date	May 5, 2023
Gamma	−1.0349
Magnitude	−0.0438
Saros cycle	141 (24 of 73)
Penumbral	257 minutes, 31 seconds
Contacts (UTC) P1 15:14:10 Greatest 17:22:51 P4 19:31:41

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Friday, May 5, 2023,[1] with an umbral magnitude of −0.0438. 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 5.2 days before perigee (on May 11, 2023, at 1:05 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

This was the deepest penumbral eclipse (with –0.0438 magnitude) since February 2017 and until September 2042.[3]

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over Asia, Australia, and Antarctica, seen rising over Africa and Europe and setting over the central Pacific Ocean.[4]

Visibility map

Gallery

• 
  Perth, Australia, 16:48 UTC
• 
  Astronomical telescope view from Kuching, Malaysia, 17:26 UTC
• 
  Moscow, Russia, 17:49 UTC
• 
  Moonrise and moon track during eclipse in Moscow, 17:56 UTC
• 
  Penumbral eclipse of 5 May 2023 taken from Oria, Italy at 18:17 UTC

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[5]

May 5, 2023 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

Parameter	Value
Penumbral Magnitude	0.96551
Umbral Magnitude	−0.04378
Gamma	−1.03495
Sun Right Ascension	02h49m59.7s
Sun Declination	+16°19'27.9"
Sun Semi-Diameter	15'51.6"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax	08.7"
Moon Right Ascension	14h48m23.5s
Moon Declination	-17°14'31.7"
Moon Semi-Diameter	15'42.8"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax	0°57'40.1"
ΔT	70.9 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 April–May 2023

April 20 Ascending node (new moon)	May 5 Descending node (full moon)
Hybrid solar eclipse Solar Saros 129	Penumbral lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 141

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 2023

• A hybrid solar eclipse on April 20.
• A penumbral lunar eclipse on May 5.
• An annular solar eclipse on October 14.
• A partial lunar eclipse on October 28.

Metonic

• Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 2019
• Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 2027

Tzolkinex

• Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 23, 2016
• Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 2030

Half-Saros

• Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 29, 2014
• Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 2032

Tritos

• Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 2012
• Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 3, 2034

Lunar Saros 141

• Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 2005
• Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 16, 2041

Inex

• Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1994
• Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 14, 2052

Triad

• Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 4, 1936
• Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 6, 2110

Lunar eclipses of 2020–2023

Lunar eclipse series sets from 2020–2023
Descending node					Ascending node
Saros	Date	Type Viewing	Gamma		Saros	Date Viewing	Type Chart	Gamma
111	2020 Jun 05	Penumbral	1.24063		116	2020 Nov 30	Penumbral	−1.13094
121	2021 May 26	Total	0.47741		126	2021 Nov 19	Partial	−0.45525
131	2022 May 16	Total	−0.25324		136	2022 Nov 08	Total	0.25703
141	2023 May 05	Penumbral	−1.03495		146	2023 Oct 28	Partial	0.94716
Last set	2020 Jul 05				Last set	2020 Jan 10
Next set	2024 Mar 25				Next set	2024 Sep 18

Metonic series

This eclipse is the last of four Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, 4–5 May, 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 in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.

Metonic events: May 4 and October 28
Descending node	Ascending node
1966 May 4 - Penumbral (111) 1985 May 4 - Total (121) 2004 May 4 - Total (131) 2023 May 5 - Penumbral (141)	1966 Oct 29 - Penumbral (116) 1985 Oct 28 - Total (126) 2004 Oct 28 - Total (136) 2023 Oct 28 - Partial (146) 2042 Oct 28 - Penumbral (156)

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 annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 148.

April 29, 2014	May 9, 2032

See also

• List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses

References

1. "May 5–6, 2023 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
2. "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
3. "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse on May 5–6, 2023 – Where and when to See".
4. "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 2023 May 05" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
5. "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 2023 May 05". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
6. Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros

External links

• cycle 141
• 2023 May 05 chart: Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC