A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Thursday, October 28, 2004, 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.
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, 2003; and May 4, 2004.
Visibility 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.
Hourly motion shown right to left The Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Aries.
Gallery
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+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
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 14Descending node (new moon) October 28Ascending node (full moon) Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 124 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 136
Related eclipses Eclipses in 2004 A partial solar eclipse on April 19. A total lunar eclipse on May 4. A partial solar eclipse on October 14. A total lunar eclipse on October 28.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 2001 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 16, 2008
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 1997 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 10, 2011
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 24, 1995 Followed by: Solar eclipse of November 3, 2013
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1993 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 28, 2015
Lunar Saros 136 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 17, 1986 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 8, 2022
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1975 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 8, 2033
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 28, 1917 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 29, 2091
Lunar eclipses of 2002–2005
Metonic series
Saros 136
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 solar eclipses of Solar Saros 143. October 24, 1995November 3, 2013
See also List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses May 2003 lunar eclipse November 2003 lunar eclipse May 2004 lunar eclipse
Notes
External links NASA Total Lunar Eclipse of Oct. 27, 2004
Saros series 136
Lunar Eclipse gallery Photo by Wade B Clark Jr. near Lyman, Washington, USA
Spaceweather.com: Lunar eclipse gallery