A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Friday, February 9, 1990, with an umbral magnitude of 1.0750. 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. The Moon's apparent diameter will be near the average diameter because it will occur 7.7 days after perigee (on February 2, 1990, at 2:40 UTC) and 6.75 days before apogee (on February 16, 1990, at 13:05 UTC).
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over east Africa, eastern Europe, and Asia, seen rising over northeastern North America, eastern South America, western Europe and west and central Africa and setting over Australia, northwestern North America, and the western and central Pacific Ocean.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+February 9, 1990 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.11912 Umbral Magnitude 1.07499 Gamma −0.41481 Sun Right Ascension 21h32m41.8s Sun Declination -14°34'08.6" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'12.6" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9" Moon Right Ascension 09h32m01.7s Moon Declination +14°12'35.9" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'31.5" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°56'58.5" ΔT 56.9 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 January–February 1990 January 26Ascending node (new moon) February 9Descending node (full moon) Annular solar eclipseSolar Saros 121 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 133
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1990 An annular solar eclipse on January 26. A total lunar eclipse on February 9. A total solar eclipse on July 22. A partial lunar eclipse on August 6.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1986 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1993
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 1982 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1997
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 4, 1981 Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 16, 1999
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1979 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 2001
Lunar Saros 133 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1972 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 21, 2008
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 2, 1961 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2019
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 12, 1903 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 10, 2076
Lunar eclipses of 1988–1991
Saros 133
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 annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 140.
February 4, 1981February 16, 1999
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links