A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Wednesday, December 9, 1992, with an umbral magnitude of 1.2709. 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 3.9 days before perigee (on December 13, 1992, at 21:05 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
According to Fred Espenak, this was the darkest eclipse in a decade, caused by the June 15, 1991 eruptions of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.Totality - 1992 Dec
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over northern North America, Europe, Africa, and west, central, and north Asia, seen rising over much of North America and South America and setting over the eastern half of Asia.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+December 9, 1992 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.29154 Umbral Magnitude 1.27090 Gamma 0.31438 Sun Right Ascension 17h08m34.5s Sun Declination -22°54'48.3" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'14.5" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9" Moon Right Ascension 05h08m35.3s Moon Declination +23°13'09.8" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'54.8" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°58'24.2" ΔT 59.1 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 December 1992 December 9Descending node (full moon) December 24Ascending node (new moon) Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 125 Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 151
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1992 An annular solar eclipse on January 4. A partial lunar eclipse on June 15. A total solar eclipse on June 30. A total lunar eclipse on December 9. A partial solar eclipse on December 24.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 1989 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 27, 1996
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 1985 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2000
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of December 4, 1983 Followed by: Solar eclipse of December 14, 2001
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 1982 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 9, 2003
Lunar Saros 125 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1974 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 21, 2010
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 1963 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 19, 2021
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 1906 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 10, 2079
Lunar eclipses of 1991–1994
Saros 125
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 132. December 4, 1983December 14, 2001
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links
Lunar Eclipse Photo Gallery 1 1982 - 1993 Photographs by Fred Espenak