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August 2007 lunar eclipse

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August 2007 lunar eclipse
Total eclipse
The eclipse as viewed from Wollongong, Australia at 9:48 UTC, shortly before totality
DateAugust 28, 2007
Gamma−0.2145
Magnitude1.4777
Saros cycle128 (40 of 71)
Totality90 minutes, 1 second
Partiality212 minutes, 12 seconds
Penumbral327 minutes, 17 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P17:53:40
U18:51:16
U29:52:21
Greatest10:37:21
U311:22:22
U412:23:28
P413:20:57

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Tuesday, August 28, 2007,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.4777. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. 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 two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Occurring about 2.4 days before perigee (on August 30, 2007, at 20:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

This was a relatively rare central lunar eclipse, where the Moon crossed the center of the Earth's shadow. It was the most recent central lunar eclipse of Saros series 128 as well as the "longest and deepest lunar eclipse to be seen in 7 years". In the total lunar eclipse of July 16, 2000 the moon passed within two arc minutes of the center of the Earth's shadow. In comparison, this still very deep eclipse was off-center by over 12 minutes of arc.[3] The next total lunar eclipse of a longer duration was on June 15, 2011.

Visibility

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Viewing from Oceania was favored for the eclipse, because at the moment of greatest eclipse (10:37:22 UTC), the Moon was at the zenith of French Polynesia. The Pacific regions of Canada and the continental United States (including all of Alaska) witnessed the whole event, along with most of eastern Australia, New Zealand and all the Pacific Island regions (except New Guinea), and the tip of the Chukchi Peninsula that includes the town of Uelen, Russia. The majority of the Americas observed an abbreviated eclipse, with moonset occurring at some time during the eclipse. Siberia, far eastern Russia, eastern South Asia, China, the rest of eastern and southeastern Asia, New Guinea, and the rest of Australia missed out on the beginning of the eclipse, because the eclipse occurred at or close to moonrise in those regions.[4]

Luzon (except Visayas and Mindanao) in the Philippines, particularly Metro Manila, missed the rare eclipse entirely, due to clouds in the area due to the rainy season, which saddened many eclipse watchers in the area, but the eclipse was sighted by other amateur astronomers in other parts of the country as the lunar eclipse seen in clear skies. The eclipse was also missed in New Guinea, especially Port Moresby because of clouds. Greenland, Europe (including western Russia), Africa, western Asia, western Central Asia, and western South Asia missed the eclipse completely.[5]


Hourly motion shown right to left

The Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Aquarius.

Visibility map

Images

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NASA chart of the eclipse
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Collages

From the Oregon Coast.

From Swifts Creek, Australia.
(3 minute intervals)

From Bakersfield, California.

Eclipse details

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Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[6]

August 28, 2007 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 2.45448
Umbral Magnitude 1.47769
Gamma −0.21456
Sun Right Ascension 10h26m26.9s
Sun Declination +09°45'56.7"
Sun Semi-Diameter 15'50.0"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7"
Moon Right Ascension 22h26m50.4s
Moon Declination -09°57'18.5"
Moon Semi-Diameter 16'12.5"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°59'29.2"
ΔT 65.4 s

Eclipse season

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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 August–September 2007
August 28
Ascending node (full moon)
September 11
Descending node (new moon)
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 128
Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 154
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Eclipses in 2007

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Metonic

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Tzolkinex

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Half-Saros

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Tritos

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Lunar Saros 128

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Inex

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Triad

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Lunar eclipses of 2006–2009

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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

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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. 1988 Mar 03.675 – Partial (113)
  2. 2007 Mar 03.972 – Total (123)
  3. 2026 Mar 03.481 – Total (133)
  4. 2045 Mar 03.320 – Penumbral (143)
  1. 1988 Aug 27.461 – partial (118)
  2. 2007 Aug 28.442 – total (128)
  3. 2026 Aug 28.175 – partial (138)
  4. 2045 Aug 27.578 – penumbral (148)

Saros 128

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Lunar saros series 128, repeating every 18 years and 11 days, has a total of 71 lunar eclipse events including 57 umbral eclipses (42 partial lunar eclipses and 15 total lunar eclipses). Solar Saros 135 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series.

Greatest First

The greatest eclipse of the series occurred on 1953 Jul 26, lasting 100.7 minutes.[7]
Penumbral Partial Total Central
1304 Jun 18 1430 Sep 2 1845 May 21 1899 Jun 23
Last
Central Total Partial Penumbral
2007 Aug 28 2097 May 21 2440 May 17 2566 Aug 2
1901–2100
1917 Jul 4 1935 Jul 16 1953 Jul 26
1971 Aug 6 1989 Aug 17 2007 Aug 28
2025 Sep 7 2043 Sep 19 2061 Sep 29
2079 Oct 10 2097 Oct 21

Lunar Saros 128 contains 15 total lunar eclipses between 1845 and 2097 (in years 1845, 1863, 1881, 1899, 1917, 1935, 1953, 1971, 1989, 2007, 2025, 2043, 2061, 2079 and 2097). Solar Saros 135 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series.

Half-Saros cycle

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A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[8] This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 135.

August 22, 1998 September 1, 2016

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "August 27–28, 2007 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  3. ^ Visibility Map[dead link] for Total Lunar Eclipse of 16 July 2000
  4. ^ Visibility Map[dead link] for Total Lunar Eclipse of 28 August 2007
  5. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2007 Aug 28" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2007 Aug 28". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  7. ^ Listing of Eclipses of cycle 128
  8. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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