A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Saturday, August 16, 2008, with an umbral magnitude of 0.8095. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when one part of the Moon is in the Earth's umbra, while the other part is in 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 6.2 days before apogee (on August 10, 2008, at 16:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over Africa, Europe, Antarctica, and west, central, and south Asia, seen rising over South America and setting over east Asia and Australia.
The planet Neptune was 2 days past opposition, visible in binoculars as an 8th magnitude "star" just two degrees west and slightly south of the Moon.
Hourly motion shown right to leftThe Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Capricornus. Visibility map
Images
Gallery
Progression from Oslo, Norway
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+August 16, 2008 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 1.83849 Umbral Magnitude 0.80946 Gamma 0.56463 Sun Right Ascension 09h46m37.2s Sun Declination +13°24'18.2" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'47.9" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 21h45m41.8s Moon Declination -12°55'29.2" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'21.1" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°56'20.6" ΔT 65.7 s
Eclipse season
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 2008 August 1Descending node (new moon) August 16Ascending node (full moon) Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 126 Partial lunar eclipseLunar Saros 138
Related eclipses Eclipses in 2008 An annular solar eclipse on February 7. A total lunar eclipse on February 21. A total solar eclipse on August 1. A partial lunar eclipse on August 16.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 2004 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 2012
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 5, 2001 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 28, 2015
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 Followed by: Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 1997 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 2019
Lunar Saros 138 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 6, 1990 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 28, 2026
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 6, 1979 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 27, 2037
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 16, 1921 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 17, 2095
Lunar eclipses of 2006–2009
Metonic series
Saros 138
Tritos series
Inex series
Half-Saros cycle A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 145.
August 11, 1999August 21, 2017
See also List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses Solar eclipse of August 1, 2008 :File:2008-08-16 Lunar Eclipse Sketch.gif Chart
Notes
External links NASA: Partial Lunar Eclipse: August 16, 2008 NASA
Hermit eclipse (Ian Cameron Smith) Partial Lunar Eclipse: August 16, 2008
Animation of lunar eclipse 16 August 2008 APOD August 20, 2008, Composite photos showing Earth's shadow Spaceweather.com lunar eclipse gallery