LUNAR ECLIPSE

Lunar eclipse
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For other uses, see Lunar eclipse (disambiguation).

Totality during the lunar eclipse of 27 July 2018. Direct sunlight is being blocked by the Earth, and the only light
reaching it is sunlight refracted by Earth's atmosphere, producing a reddish color.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly behind Earth and into its shadow.[1] This can
occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are exactly or very closely aligned (in syzygy), with Earth
between the other two. A lunar eclipse can occur only on the night of a full moon. The type and
length of a lunar eclipse depend on the Moon's proximity to either node of its orbit.
During a total lunar eclipse, Earth completely blocks direct sunlight from reaching the Moon. The
only light reflected from the lunar surface has been refracted by Earth's atmosphere. This light
appears reddish for the same reason that a sunset or sunrise does: the Rayleigh scattering of bluer
light. Due to this reddish color, a totally eclipsed Moon is sometimes called a blood moon.
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 2 hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only up to a few minutes at any given place, due to
the smaller size of the Moon's shadow. Also unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to view
without any eye protection or special precautions, as they are dimmer than the full Moon.
For the date of the next eclipse, see the section Recent and forthcoming lunar eclipses.

Contents

 1Types of lunar eclipse

o 1.1Selenelion
 2Timing
 3Danjon scale
 4Lunar versus solar eclipse
 o 4.1Lunar eclipse appearance
 5Lunar eclipse in culture
o 5.1Incans
o 5.2Mesopotamians
o 5.3Chinese
 6Blood moon
 7Occurrence
o 7.1Recent and forthcoming lunar eclipses
 8See also
 9References
 10Further reading
 11External links

Types of lunar eclipse

A schematic diagram of the shadowcast by Earth. Within the umbra, the central region, the planet totally
shields direct sunlight. In contrast, within the penumbra, the outer portion, the sunlight is only partially blocked.
(Neither the Sun, Moon, and Earth sizes nor the distances between the bodies are to scale.)

A total penumbral lunar eclipse dims the Moon in direct proportion to the area of the Sun's disk covered by
Earth. This comparison of the Moon (within the southern part of Earth's shadow) during the penumbral lunar
eclipse of January 1999 (left) and the Moon outside the shadow (right) shows this slight darkening.

Earth's shadow can be divided into two distinctive parts: the umbra and penumbra. Earth totally
occludes direct solar radiation within the umbra, the central region of the shadow. However, since
the Sun's diameter appears about one-quarter of Earth's in the lunar sky, the planet only partially
blocks direct sunlight within the penumbra, the outer portion of the shadow.
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through Earth's penumbra. The
penumbra causes a subtle dimming of the lunar surface. A special type of penumbral eclipse is
a total penumbral lunar eclipse, during which the Moon lies exclusively within Earth's penumbra.
Total penumbral eclipses are rare, and when these occur, the portion of the Moon closest to the
umbra may appear slightly darker than the rest of the lunar disk.
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when only a portion of the Moon enters Earth's umbra, while a total
lunar eclipse occurs when the entire Moon enters the planet's umbra. The Moon's average orbital
speed is about 1.03 km/s (2,300 mph), or a little more than its diameter per hour, so totality may last
up to nearly 107 minutes. Nevertheless, the total time between the first and the last contacts of the
Moon's limb with Earth's shadow is much longer and could last up to four hours.[2]
The relative distance of the Moon from Earth at the time of an eclipse can affect the eclipse's
duration. In particular, when the Moon is near apogee, the farthest point from Earth in its orbit,
its orbital speed is the slowest. The diameter of Earth's umbra does not decrease appreciably within
the changes in the Moon's orbital distance. Thus, the concurrence of a totally eclipsed Moon near
apogee will lengthen the duration of totality.
A central lunar eclipse is a total lunar eclipse during which the Moon passes through the centre of
Earth's shadow, contacting the antisolar point. This type of lunar eclipse is relatively rare.
Selenelion

A view of the October 2014 lunar eclipse from Minneapolis, with the setting and partially eclipsed
Moon appearing squashed just above the horizon just after sunrise (seen as sunlight shining on the tree in the
right image)

A selenelion or selenehelion occurs when both the Sun and an eclipsed Moon can be observed at
the same time. This can occur only just before sunset or just after sunrise, when both bodies will
appear just above the horizon at nearly opposite points in the sky. This arrangement has led to the
phenomenon being also called a horizontal eclipse.
Typically, a number of high ridges undergoing sunrise or sunset can view it. Although the Moon is in
Earth's umbra, both the Sun and an eclipsed Moon can be simultaneously seen
because atmospheric refraction causes each body to appear higher in the sky than their true
geometric positions.[3]

Timing
As viewed from Earth, the Earth's shadow can be imagined as two concentric circles. As the diagram
illustrates, the type of lunar eclipse is defined by the path taken by the Moon as it passes through Earth's
shadow. If the Moon passes through the outer circle but does not reach the inner circle, it is a penumbral
eclipse; if only a portion of the moon passes through the inner circle, it is a partial eclipse; and if entire Moon
passes through the inner circle at some point, it is a total eclipse.

Contact points relative to the Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows, here with the Moon near is descending
node

The timing of total lunar eclipses are determined by its contacts:[4]

P1 (First contact): Beginning of the penumbral eclipse. Earth's penumbra touches the Moon's
outer limb.
U1 (Second contact): Beginning of the partial eclipse. Earth's umbra touches the Moon's
outer limb.
U2 (Third contact): Beginning of the total eclipse. The Moon's surface is entirely within
Earth's umbra.
Greatest eclipse: The peak stage of the total eclipse. The Moon is at its closest to the
center of Earth's umbra.
U3 (Fourth contact): End of the total eclipse. The Moon's outer limb exits Earth's umbra.
U4 (Fifth contact): End of the partial eclipse. Earth's umbra leaves the Moon's surface.
P4 (Sixth contact): End of the penumbral eclipse. Earth's penumbra no longer makes contact
with the Moon.

Danjon scale
 The following scale (the Danjon scale) was devised by André
Danjon for rating the overall darkness of lunar eclipses:[5]
L=0: Very dark eclipse. Moon almost invisible, especially at mid-totality.
L=1: Dark eclipse, gray or brownish in coloration. Details distinguishable only with difficulty.
L=2: Deep red or rust-colored eclipse. Very dark central shadow, while outer edge of umbra
is relatively bright.
L=3: Brick-red eclipse. Umbral shadow usually has a bright or yellow rim.
L=4: Very bright copper-red or orange eclipse. Umbral shadow is bluish and has a very
bright rim.

Lunar versus solar eclipse

A solar eclipse occurs in the daytime at new moon,

when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun, while
a lunar eclipse occurs at night at full moon, when
Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon.

The Moon does not completely darken as it passes

through the umbra because Earth's
atmosphere refractssunlight into the shadow cone.

There is often confusion between a solar eclipse

and a lunar eclipse. While both involve interactions
between the Sun, Earth, and the Moon, they are
very different in their interactions.
Lunar eclipse appearance
In a lunar eclipse, the Moon often passes through two
regions of Earth's shadow: an outer penumbra, where
direct sunlight is dimmed, and an inner umbra, where
indirect and much dimmer sunlight refracted by Earth's
atmosphere shines on the Moon, leaving a reddish
color. This can be seen in different exposures of a
partial lunar eclipse, for example here with exposures of
1/80, 2/5, and 2 seconds.

The Moon does not completely darken as it passes

through the umbra because of
the refraction of sunlight by Earth's
atmosphere into the shadow cone; if Earth had no
atmosphere, the Moon would be completely dark
during the eclipse.[6] The reddish coloration arises
because sunlight reaching the Moon must pass
through a long and dense layer of Earth's
atmosphere, where it is scattered.
Shorter wavelengths are more likely to be
scattered by the air molecules and small particles;
thus, the longer wavelengths predominate by the
time the light rays have penetrated the
atmosphere. Human vision perceives this resulting
light as red. This is the same effect that
causes sunsets and sunrises to turn the sky a
reddish color. An alternative way of conceiving this
scenario is to realize that, as viewed from the
Moon, the Sun would appear to be setting (or
rising) behind Earth.
 From the Moon, a lunar eclipse would show a ring of
reddish-orange light surrounding a silhouetted Earth
in the lunar sky.

The amount of refracted light depends on the

amount of dust or clouds in the atmosphere; this
also controls how much light is scattered. In
general, the dustier the atmosphere, the more that
other wavelengths of light will be removed
(compared to red light), leaving the resulting light a
deeper red color. This causes the resulting
coppery-red hue of the Moon to vary from one
eclipse to the next. Volcanoes are notable for
expelling large quantities of dust into the
atmosphere, and a large eruption shortly before an
eclipse can have a large effect on the resulting
color.

Christopher Columbus predicting a lunar eclipse.

Lunar eclipse in culture

Several cultures have myths related to lunar
eclipses or allude to the lunar eclipse as being a
good or bad omen. The Egyptians saw the eclipse
as a sow swallowing the moon for a short time;
other cultures view the eclipse as the Moon being
swallowed by other animals, such as
a jaguar in Mayan tradition, or a three legged
toad in China. Some societies thought it was a
demon swallowing the Moon, and that they could
chase it away by throwing stones and curses at
it.[7] The Greeks were ahead of their time when
they said the Earth was round and used the
shadow from the lunar eclipse as
evidence.[8] Some Hindus believe in the importance
of bathing in the Ganges River following an eclipse
because it will help to achieve salvation.[9]
Incans
Similarly to the Mayans, the Incans believed that
lunar eclipses occurred when a jaguar would eat
the Moon, which is why a blood moon looks red.
The Incans also believed that once the jaguar
finished eating the Moon, it could come down and
devour all the animals on Earth, so they would take
spears and shout at the Moon to keep it away.[10]
Mesopotamians
The ancient Mesopotamians believed that a lunar
eclipse was when the Moon was being attacked by
seven demons. This attack was more than just one
on the Moon, however, for the Mesopotamians
linked what happened in the sky with what
happened on the land, and because the king of
Mesopotamia represented the land, the seven
demons were thought to be also attacking the king.
In order to prevent this attack on the king, the
Mesopotamians made someone pretend to be the
king so they would be attacked instead of the true
king. After the lunar eclipse was over, the
substitute king was made to disappear (possibly by
poisoning).[10]
Chinese
In some Chinese cultures, people would ring bells
to prevent a dragon or other wild animals from
biting the Moon.[11] In the nineteenth century, during
a lunar eclipse, the Chinese navy fired its artillery
because of this belief.[12] During the Zhou Dynasty
in the Book of Songs, the sight of a red Moon
engulfed in darkness was believed to foreshadow
famine or disease.[13]

Blood moon
See also: Blood Moon Prophecy

Change to reddish cast

Certain lunar eclipses have been referred to as

"blood moons" in popular articles but this is not a
scientifically-recognized term.[14] This term has
been given two separate, but overlapping,
meanings.
The first, and simpler, meaning relates to the
reddish color a totally eclipsed Moon takes on to
observers on Earth.[15] As sunlight penetrates
the atmosphere of Earth, the gaseous
layer filters and refracts the rays in such a way that
the green to violet wavelengths on the visible
spectrum scattermore strongly than the red, thus
giving the Moon a reddish cast.[16]
The second meaning of "blood moon" has been
derived from this apparent coloration by
two fundamentalist Christian pastors, Mark Blitz
and John Hagee.[14][17] They claimed that the 2014–
15 "lunar tetrad" of four lunar eclipses coinciding
with the feasts
of Passover and Tabernacles matched the "moon
turning to blood" described in the Book of Joel of
the Hebrew Bible.[17] This tetrad was claimed to
herald the Second Coming of Christand
the Rapture as described in the Book of
Revelation on the date of the first of the eclipses in
this sequence on April 15, 2014.[18]

Occurrence

This multi-exposure sequence shows the August

2017 lunar eclipsevisible from
the ESO headquarters.[19]
 This collage shows the transitional stages of a lunar
eclipse.

See also: Saros (astronomy) and Eclipse cycle

At least two lunar eclipses and as many as five
occur every year, although total lunar eclipses are
significantly less common. If the date and time of
an eclipse is known, the occurrences of upcoming
eclipses are predictable using an eclipse cycle, like
the saros.
Recent and forthcoming lunar eclipses
Main article: List of 21st-century lunar eclipses
Further information: Lists of lunar eclipses
Eclipses occur only during an eclipse season,
when the Sun appears to pass near either node of
the Moon's orbit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2019-january-21

https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/lunar.html

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/moons/earths-moon/lunar-eclipses/

Lunar Eclipses
 OVERVIEW
 IN DEPTH

 BY THE NUMBERS

 EXPLORATION

 GALLERIES

A composite of seven images shows the full moon at perigee, or supermoon, during
a total lunar eclipse on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, in Denver. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

During a lunar eclipse, Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, blocking the
sunlight falling on the Moon.

There are two kinds of lunar eclipses:

 A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of
Earth.
 A partial lunar eclipse happens when only part of Earth's shadow covers the
Moon.

During some stages of a lunar eclipse, the Moon can appear reddish. This is
because the only remaining sunlight reaching the Moon at that point is from around
the edges of the Earth, as seen from the Moon's surface. From there, an observer
during an eclipse would see all Earth's sunrises and sunsets at once.

It's not often that we get a chance to see our planet's shadow, but a lunar eclipse
gives us a fleeting glimpse. During these rare events, the full Moon rapidly darkens
and then glows red as it enters the Earth's shadow. More details and download
options ›

Understanding Lunar Eclipses

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow, just as a
solar eclipse occurs when part of the Earth passes through the Moon's shadow.
So why don't eclipses happen twice a month?
The reason is that the Moon's orbit around the Earth is tilted relative to the Earth's
orbit around the Sun.

But if that's the case, why do eclipses happen at all?

Throughout the year, the Moon's orbital tilt remains fixed with respect to the stars,
meaning that it changes with respect to the Sun. About twice a year, this puts the
Moon in just the right position to pass through the Earth's shadow, causing a lunar
eclipse.

As the Moon passes into the central part of the Earth's shadow, called the umbra, it
darkens dramatically. Once it's entirely within the umbra, the Moon appears a dim
red due to sunlight scattered through the Earth's atmosphere.

In fact, if you watched the eclipse from the surface of the Moon, you'd see the Sun
set behind the entire Earth, bathing you in a warm red glow. Back home, you'll have
to stay up late to watch a lunar eclipse, but if you do you'll see the Moon in rare
form, and you'll catch a brief glimpse of our own planet's long shadow.

Photograph the Moon

Capturing the Moon with a camera is one of the most satisfying—and challenging—
projects available to an outdoor photographer. Here are 10 suggestions for making
the most of a moonlit night with your camera.

Lunar Eclipses and Spacecraft

Lunar eclipses can be a science boon and engineering challenge for orbiting
spacecraft, such as NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The solar-powered
orbiter also falls in Earth's shadow, cutting it off from the source of its power. Mission
controllers shut down most instruments to conserve energy.

The team leaves on one instrument—called Diviner—that can watch how the lunar
surface responds to the rapid change in temperature caused by a lunar eclipse. The
data helps scientists better understand the composition and properties of the
surface.

Eclipse Videos
 What's the difference between a solar and lunar eclipse?
 Understanding Lunar Eclipses
 What would Earth look like from the Moon during a lunar eclipse?
 Lunar Eclipses and the Moon's orbit

Eclipse Activities
 How to watch an eclipse and get students observing the Moon
 Evaluating a Lunar Eclipse (Grades 3-12) - Students use the Danjon Scale of
Lunar Eclipse Brightness to illustrate the range of colors and brightness the
Moon can take on during a total lunar eclipse.
 Observing the Moon (Grades K-6) - Students identify the Moon’s location in the
sky and record their observations in a journal over the course of the moon-phase
cycle.
 Moon Phases (Grades 1-6) - Students learn about the phases of the Moon by
acting them out. In 30 minutes, they will act out one complete, 30-day, Moon
cycle.
 Measuring the Supermoon (Grades 5-12) - Students take measurements of the
Moon during its full phase over multiple Moon cycles to compare and contrast
results.
 Modeling the Earth-Moon System (Grades 6-8) – Students learn about scale
models and distance by creating a classroom-size Earth-Moon system.
 Make a Moon Phases Calendar and Calculator – Like a decoder wheel for the
Moon, this calendar will show you where and when to see the Moon and every
moon phase

Lunar Eclipses for Beginners

©2009 by Fred Espenak
Introduction

What is an eclipse of the Moon? What causes eclipses and why? How often
do eclipses happen and when is the next eclipse of the Moon? You'll learn
the answers to these questions and more in MrEclipse's primer on lunar
eclipses.

The Moon is a cold, rocky body about 2,160 miles (3,476 km) in diameter. It
has no light of its own but shines by sunlight reflected from its surface. The
Moon orbits Earth about once every 29 and a half days. As it circles our
planet, the changing position of the Moon with respect to the Sun causes our
natural satellite to cycle through a series of phases:

 New Moon > New Crescent > First Quarter > Waxing Gibbous>
Full Moon >
Waning Gibbous > Last Quarter > Old Crescent > New
Moon (again)

Phases of the Moon.

The phase known as New Moon can not actually be seen because the
illuminated side of the Moon is then pointed away from Earth. The rest of the
phases are familiar to all of us as the Moon cycles through them month after
month. Did you realize that the word month is derived from the Moon's 29.5
day period?

Many early civilizations used the Moon's monthly cycle to measure the
passage of time. In fact, some calendars are synchronized to the phases of
the Moon. The Hebrew, Muslim and Chinese calendars are all lunar
calendars. The New Moon phase is uniquely recognized as the beginning of
each calendar month just as it is the beginning on the Moon's monthly cycle.
In comparison, the Full Moon phase occurs mid-way through the lunar
month.

The Full Moon is popularly known as the phase of love and romance. When
the Moon is Full, it rises at sunset and is visible all night long. At the end of
the night, the Full Moon sets just as the Sun rises. None of the Moon's other
phases have this unique characteristic. It happens because the Moon is
directly opposite the Sun in the sky when the Moon is Full. Full Moon also
has special significance with regard to eclipses.
Geometry of the Sun, Earth and Moon During an Eclipse of the Moon
Earth's two shadows are the penumbra and the umbra.
(Sizes and distances not to scale)

Types of Lunar Eclipses

An eclipse of the Moon (or lunar eclipse) can only occur at Full Moon, and
only if the Moon passes through some portion of Earth's shadow. That
shadow is actually composed of two cone-shaped components, one nested
inside the other. The outer or penumbral shadow is a zone where the Earth
blocks part but not all of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon. In contrast,
the inner or umbral shadow is a region where the Earth blocks all direct
sunlight from reaching the Moon.

Astronomers recognize three basic types of lunar eclipses:

1. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

 The Moon passes through Earth's penumbral shadow.

 These events are of only academic interest because they are
subtle and hard to observe.

(click for photo example)

2. Partial Lunar Eclipse

 A portion of the Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow.

 These events are easy to see, even with the unaided eye.

(click for photo example)

 3. Total Lunar Eclipse

 The entire Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow.

 These events are quite striking due to the Moon's vibrant red
color during the total phase (totality).

(click for photo example)

Now you might be wondering "If the Moon orbits Earth every 29.5 days and
lunar eclipses only occur at Full Moon, then why don't we have an eclipse
once a month during Full Moon?". I'm glad you asked! You see, the Moon's
orbit around Earth is actually tipped about 5 degrees to Earth's orbit around
the Sun. This means that the Moon spends most of the time either above or
below the plane of Earth's orbit. And the plane of Earth's orbit around the
Sun is important because Earth's shadows lie exactly in the same plane.
During Full Moon, our natural satellite usually passes above or below Earth's
shadows and misses them entirely. No eclipse takes place. But two to four
times each year, the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's
penumbral or umbral shadows and one of the above three types of eclipses
occurs.

When an eclipse of the Moon takes place, everyone on the night side of
Earth can see it. About 35% of all eclipses are of the penumbral type which
are very difficult to detect, even with a telescope. Another 30% are partial
eclipses which are easy to see with the unaided eye. The final 35% or so are
total eclipses, and these are quite extrordinary events to behold.

What is the difference between a lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse? A solar
eclipse is an eclipse of the Sun. It happens when the Moon passes between
the Earth and the Sun. This is only possible when the Moon is in the New
Moon phase. For more information, see Solar Eclipses for Beginners.
 Total Lunar Eclipse of 2004 Oct 27-28
Beginning (right), middle (center) and end (left) of totality
(click to see photo gallery)

Why is the Moon Red During a Total Lunar Eclipse?

During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching
the Moon. Astronauts on the Moon would then see the Earth completely
eclipse the Sun. (They would see a bright red ring around the Earth as they
watched all the sunrises and sunsets happening simultaneousely around the
world!) While the Moon remains completely within Earth's umbral shadow,
indirect sunlight still manages to reach and illuminate it. However, this
sunlight must first pass deep through the Earth's atmosphere which filters
out most of the blue colored light. The remaining light is a deep red or
orange in color and is much dimmer than pure white sunlight. Earth's
atmosphere also bends or refracts some of this light so that a small fraction
of it can reach and illuminate the Moon.

The total phase of a lunar eclipse is so interesting and beautiful precisely

because of the filtering and refracting effect of Earth's atmosphere. If the
Earth had no atmosphere, then the Moon would be completely black during a
total eclipse. Instead, the Moon can take on a range of colors from dark
brown and red to bright orange and yellow. The exact appearance depends
on how much dust and clouds are present in Earth's atmosphere. Total
eclipses tend to be very dark after major volcanic eruptions since these
events dump large amounts of volcanic ash into Earth's atmosphere. During
the total lunar eclipse of December 1992, dust from Mount Pinatubo
rendered the Moon nearly invisible.

All total eclipses start with a penumbral followed by a partial eclipse, and
end with a partial followed by a penumbral eclipse (the total eclipse is
sandwiched in the middle). The penumbral phases of the eclipse are quite
difficult to see, even with a telescope. However, partial and total eclipses are
easy to observe, even with the naked eye.

Total Lunar Eclipse of 2000 Jan 20-21

Beginning (right), middle (center) and end (left) of totality
(click to see more photos)

Observing Lunar Eclipses

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch. You don't
need any kind of protective filters. It isn't even necessary to use a telescope.
You can watch the lunar eclipse with nothing more than your own two eyes.
If you have a pair of binoculars, they will help magnify the view and will
make the red coloration brighter and easier to see. A standard pair of 7x35
or 7x50 binoculars work fine. Remember to dress warmly and enjoy the
spectacle!

Amateur astronomers can actually make some useful observations during

total eclipses. It's impossible to predict exactly how dark the Moon will
appear during totality. The color can also vary from dark gray or brown,
through a range of shades of red and bright orange. The color and
brightness depend on the amount of dust in Earth's atmosphere during the
eclipse. Using the Danjon Brightness Scale for lunar eclipses, amateurs can
categorize the Moon's color and brightness during totality.
Another useful amateur activity requires a telescope. Using a standard list
lunar craters, one can careful measure the exact time when each crater
enters and leaves the umbral shadow. These crater timings can be used to
estimate the enlargement of Earth's atmosphere due to airborne dust and
volcanic ash.

Of course, an eclipse of the Moon also presents a tempting target to

photograph. Fortunately, lunar eclipse photographyis easy provided that you
have the right equipment and use it correctly. See MrEclipse's Picks for
camera, lens and tripod recommendations. For more photographs taken
during previous lunar eclipses, be sure to visit Lunar Eclipse Photo Gallery.

Lunar Eclipse Frequency and Future Eclipses

Penumbral eclipses are of little interest because they are hard to see. If we
consider only partial and total lunar eclipses, how often do they occur?

During the five thousand year period from 2000 BCE through 3000 CE, there
are 7,718 eclipses of the Moon (partial and total). This averages out to about
one and a half eclipses each year. Actually, the number of lunar eclipses in a
single year can range from 0 to 3. The last time that 3 total lunar eclipses
occurred in one calendar year was in 1982. Partial eclipses slightly
outnumber total eclipses by 7 to 6.

The table below lists every lunar eclipse from 2018 through 2024. Click on
the eclipse Date to see a diagram of the eclipse and a world map showing
where it is visible from. Although penumbral lunar eclipses are included in
this list, they are usually hard to see because they are faint.

The Umbral Magnitude is the fraction on the Moon's diameter immersed in

the umbra at maximum eclipse. For values greater than 1.0, it is a total
eclipse. For negative values, it is a penumbral eclipse. The Eclipse
Duration column lists the length of the partial eclipse in hours and minutes.
If it is a total eclipse, two values are given. The first is the amount of time
between the start and end of the partial phases while the second (in bold) is
the length of the total eclipse.

Eclipses of the Moon: 2018 - 2024

 Date Eclipse Umbral Eclipse Geographic Region of Eclipse Visibility
Type Magnitude Duration

2018 Jan 31 Total 1.315 03h23m Asia, Aus., Pacific, w N.America

01h16m

2018 Jul 27 Total 1.609 03h55m S.America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
01h43m

2019 Jan 21 Total 1.195 03h17m c Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa

01h02m

2019 Jul 16 Partial 0.653 02h58m S.America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.

2020 Jan 10 Penumbral -0.116 - Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.

2020 Jun 05 Penumbral -0.405 - Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.

2020 Jul 05 Penumbral -0.644 - Americas, sw Europe, Africa

2020 Nov 30 Penumbral -0.262 - Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas

2021 May 26 Total 1.009 03h07m e Asia, Australia, Pacific, Americas

00h15m

2021 Nov 19 Partial 0.974 03h28m Americas, n Europe, e Asia, Australia, Pacific

2022 May 16 Total 1.414 03h27m Americas, Europe, Africa

01h25m

2022 Nov 08 Total 1.359 03h40m Asia, Australia, Pacific, Americas

01h25m

2023 May 05 Penumbral -0.046 - Africa, Asia, Australia

2023 Oct 28 Partial 0.122 01h17m e Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia

2024 Mar 25 Penumbral -0.132 - Americas

2024 Sep 18 Partial 0.085 01h03m Americas, Europe, Africa

Geographic abreviations (used above): n = north, s = south, e = east, w =

west, c = central
For an extended version of this table, see: Lunar Eclipse Preview: 2011-
2030.

Upcoming lunar eclipses visible from the U.S.A. include:

 Apr. 15, 2014 (total)

 Oct. 08, 2014 (total)
 Apr. 04, 2015 (total)
 Sep. 28, 2015 (total)

Total Lunar Eclipse Over Maui

A Nikon 8008 was used in multiple exposure mode to capture the entire
eclipse
on one frame of film. A second exposure captures morning twilight.
Total Lunar Eclipse of 2000 July 16 (Lahaina, Maui)
(click to see larger image)

Eclipse Resources
Lunar Eclipse Predictions
 o Eclipses During 2014 Observer's Handbook 2014

o Lunar Eclipse Preview: 2011-2030

o Six Millennium Catalog of Lunar Eclipses: 3000 BCE to AD 3000 CE
o Lunar Eclipses of Historical Interest

o Crater Timings and Lunar Eclipses

o Danjon Brightness Scale of Lunar Eclipses

Lunar Eclipse Photography

o How To Photograph Lunar Eclipses

o Exposure Table for Lunar Eclipse Photography

o Lunar Eclipse Photo Gallery 1

o Lunar Eclipse Photo Gallery 2
o Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 Jul 06
o Total Lunar Eclipse of 2000 Jan 20-21
o Total Lunar Eclipse of 2000 Jul 16
o Total Lunar Eclipse of 2004 Oct 27-28
o Total Lunar Eclipse of 2014 Apr 15

Other Links

o Solar Eclipses For Beginners

o Lunar Eclipses For Beginners