A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, December 10, 2011, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1076. 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 4.8 days after apogee (on December 5, 2011, at 20:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over east and northern Asia, Australia, and northern North America, seen rising over Europe and east and central Africa, and setting over North America.
Hourly motion shown right to leftThe Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Taurus. Visibility map
Images
Gallery Asia
Australia and Oceania
Europe and Middle East
North America
Timing
Times for Australia
The eclipse occurred on Saturday evening in Australia. Eastern Daylight Saving Time: (+11:00 UTC) Penumbral Eclipse Begins: 22:33:32 EDST Partial Eclipse Begins: 23:45:42 EDST Total Eclipse Begins: 01:06:16 EDST Greatest Eclipse: 01:31:49 EDST Total Eclipse Ends: 01:57:24 EDST Partial Eclipse Ends: 03:17:58 EDST Penumbral Eclipse Ends: 04:30:00 EDST
Times for India
The eclipse was visible from India in the evening, given in India Standard Time (UTC+5:30): Penumbral eclipse begins (P1): 17:04 IST Partial eclipse begins (U1): 18:16 IST Total eclipse begins (U2): 19:36 IST Mid-eclipse: 20:02 IST Total eclipse ends (U3): 20:27 IST Partial eclipse ends (U4): 21:48 IST Penumbral eclipse ends (P4): 23:00 IST
Times for North America
The eclipse was visible on Saturday morning before sunrise over North America. For most locations, the moon set before full lunar eclipse. Only Alaska and northernmost Canada will be able to witness the entire event. ContactNorth AmericaUTCAST(UTC−9)PST(UTC−8)MST(UTC−7)CST(UTC−6)EST(UTC−5)Penumbral begins (P1)2:34 am3:34 am4:34 am5:34 am6:34 am11:34 Partial begins (U1)3:46 am4:46 am5:46 am6:46 am7:46 am12:46 Totality begins (U2)5:06 am6:06 am7:06 am8:06 am9:06 am14:06 Mid-eclipse5:32 am6:32 am7:32 am8:32 am9:32 am14:32 Totality ends (U3)5:57 am6:57 am7:57 am8:57 am9:57 am14:57 Partial ends (U4)7:18 am8:18 am9:18 am10:18 am11:18 am16:18 Penumbral ends (P4)8:30 am 9:30 am10:30 am11:30 am12:30 pm17:30 (Table entries are given a dark background for invisibility due to moonset)
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+December 10, 2011 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.18746 Umbral Magnitude 1.10757 Gamma −0.38819 Sun Right Ascension 17h08m35.0s Sun Declination -22°54'38.7" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'14.5" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9" Moon Right Ascension 05h08m33.9s Moon Declination +22°33'13.3" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'02.4" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°55'11.7" ΔT 66.7 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 November–December 2011 November 25Ascending node (new moon) December 10Descending node (full moon) Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 123 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 135
Related eclipses Eclipses in 2011 A partial solar eclipse on January 4. A partial solar eclipse on June 1. A total lunar eclipse on June 15. A partial solar eclipse on July 1. A partial solar eclipse on November 25. A total lunar eclipse on December 10.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 21, 2008 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 28, 2015
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 2004 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2019
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of December 4, 2002 Followed by: Solar eclipse of December 14, 2020
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 2001 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 8, 2022
Lunar Saros 135 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1993 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 20, 2029
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 1982 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 2040
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 8, 1925 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 10, 2098
Lunar eclipses of 2009–2013
Saros 135
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 142. December 4, 2002December 14, 2020
See also List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses December 2010 lunar eclipse June 2011 lunar eclipse :File:2011-12-10 Lunar Eclipse Sketch.gif Chart
References
External links
https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/02dec_lunareclipse/ Hermit eclipse: 2011-12-10 NightSkyInfo.com : 10 December 2011 Lunar Eclipse ShadowAndSubstance.com Animation and time tables for US time zones Sharypic World Contributions Gallery SpaceWeather.com photo album Live Webcasts
Amateur Astronomers Association Delhi Astronomers Without Borders Live webcast of 10 Dec Lunar Eclipse Night Skies Networks Live webcast of 10 Dec Lunar Eclipse SEMS University of North Dakota SEMS project 3 minutes of totality from Grand Forks. SWAN from India. Live Webcast of 10 Dec Lunar Eclipse Lunar Eclipse over the Colorado Rocky Mountains