November 1984 lunar eclipse

November 1984 lunar eclipse
Penumbral eclipse
Date8 November 1984
Gamma−1.08998
Magnitude0.89929
Saros cycle116 (56 of 73)
Penumbral268 minutes, 27.6 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P115:41:03.3
Greatest17:55:14.9
P420:09:30.9

A penumbral lunar eclipse took place on Thursday, November 8, 1984, the last of three lunar eclipses in 1984. This subtle penumbral eclipse may have been visible to a skilled observer at maximum eclipse. 90% of the Moon's disc was partially shaded by the Earth (none of it was in total shadow), which caused a gentle shadow gradient across its disc at maximum; the eclipse as a whole lasted 4 hours and 28 minutes.[1]

Visibility

Eclipses of 1984

Lunar year series

Lunar eclipse series sets from 1984–1987
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma Saros Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma
111 1984 May 15
Penumbral
1.11308 116 1984 Nov 08
Penumbral
−1.08998
121 1985 May 04
Total
0.35197 126 1985 Oct 28
Total
−0.40218
131 1986 Apr 24
Total
−0.36826 136 1986 Oct 17
Total
0.31887
141 1987 Apr 14
Penumbral
−1.13641 146 1987 Oct 07
Penumbral
1.01890
Last set 1984 Jun 13 Last set 1983 Dec 20
Next set 1988 Mar 03 Next set 1988 Aug 27

Metonic series

This eclipse is the first of five Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, November 8–9, 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

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[2] This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 123.

November 3, 1975 November 13, 1993

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Hermit Eclipse: Saros cycle 116
  2. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros