October 2004 lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Thursday, October 28, 2004,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.3100. 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 5.4 days before apogee (on November 2, 2004, at 13:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2]

October 2004 lunar eclipse
Total eclipse
Totality as viewed from Dunkirk, Maryland at 3:03 UTC, taken by Fred Espenak
DateOctober 28, 2004
Gamma0.2846
Magnitude1.3100
Saros cycle136 (19 of 72)
Totality85 minutes, 29 seconds
Partiality218 minutes, 41 seconds
Penumbral353 minutes, 46 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P10:07:17
U11:14:45
U22:23:51
Greatest3:04:07
U33:44:20
U44:53:26
P46:01:03

This lunar eclipse is the last of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on May 16, 2003; November 9, 2004; and May 4, 2004.

Visibility

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

   
Hourly motion shown right to left
 
The Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Aries.
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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.[4]

October 28, 2004 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 2.36560
Umbral Magnitude 1.31001
Gamma 0.28465
Sun Right Ascension 14h11m00.6s
Sun Declination -13°12'05.3"
Sun Semi-Diameter 16'06.0"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9"
Moon Right Ascension 02h10m32.6s
Moon Declination 13°26'29.6"
Moon Semi-Diameter 15'15.1"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°55'58.4"
ΔT 64.6 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 October 2004
October 14
Descending node (new moon)
October 28
Ascending node (full moon)
   
Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 124
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 136
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Eclipses in 2004

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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 136

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Inex

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Triad

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Lunar eclipses of 2002–2005

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 2002–2005
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros
Photo
Date
View
Type
Chart
Gamma Saros
Photo
Date
View
Type
Chart
Gamma
111 2002 May 26
 
penumbral
 
1.1759 116 2002 Nov 20
 
penumbral
 
−1.1127
121
 
2003 May 16
 
total
 
0.4123 126
 
2003 Nov 09
 
total
 
−0.4319
131
 
2004 May 04
 
total
 
−0.3132 136
 
2004 Oct 28
 
total
 
0.2846
141 2005 Apr 24
 
penumbral
 
−1.0885 146
 
2005 Oct 17
 
partial
 
0.9796
Last set 2002 Jun 24 Last set 2001 Dec 30
Next set 2006 Mar 14 Next set 2006 Sep 07


Saros 136

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This eclipse was a part of Saros cycle 136. The next occurrence will be on 8 November 2022. Solar Saros 143 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series. The greatest eclipse will occur on 21 April 2293, lasting 101 minutes and 23.5 seconds. The last total lunar eclipse will be on 7 July 2419 and the last partial lunar eclipse on 3 October 2563. The final lunar eclipse of Lunar Saros 136 will be on 1 June 2960.

Metonic series

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This eclipse is the third of four Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, 28–29 October, 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
  1. 1966 May 4 - Penumbral (111)
  2. 1985 May 4 - Total (121)
  3. 2004 May 4 - Total (131)
  4. 2023 May 5 - Penumbral (141)
  1. 1966 Oct 29 - Penumbral (116)
  2. 1985 Oct 28 - Total (126)
  3. 2004 Oct 28 - Total (136)
  4. 2023 Oct 28 - Partial (146)
  5. 2042 Oct 28 - Penumbral (156)
   

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).[5] This lunar eclipse is related to two solar eclipses of Solar Saros 143.

October 24, 1995 November 3, 2013
   

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "October 27–28, 2004 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2004 Oct 28" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2004 Oct 28". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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