A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Monday, February 9, 2009, with an umbral magnitude of −0.0863. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the Moon's near side passes into 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 1.9 days after perigee (on February 7, 2009, at 15:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This eclipse was the first of four lunar eclipses in 2009, with the others occurring on July 7 (penumbral), August 6 (penumbral), and December 31 (partial).
It also happened on the Lantern Festival, the first since February 20, 1989.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over east Asia and Australia, seen rising over east Africa, eastern Europe, and west Asia and setting over North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Hourly motion shown right to leftThe Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Leo. Visibility map
Images This simulated view shows the Earth and Sun as viewed from the center of the Moon near contact points P1 and P4. The eclipse will be visible from Earth from the locations of the world as seen on the Earth above.
Gallery
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+February 9, 2009 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 0.90132 Umbral Magnitude −0.08632 Gamma −1.06401 Sun Right Ascension 21h33m30.0s Sun Declination -14°30'07.1" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'12.6" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9" Moon Right Ascension 09h31m42.1s Moon Declination +13°31'37.5" Moon Semi-Diameter 16'24.8" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°00'14.2" ΔT 65.8 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 2009 January 26Ascending node (new moon) February 9Descending node (full moon) Annular solar eclipseSolar Saros 131 Penumbral lunar eclipseLunar Saros 143
Related eclipses Eclipses in 2009 An annular solar eclipse on January 26. A penumbral lunar eclipse on February 9. A penumbral lunar eclipse on July 7. A total solar eclipse on July 22. A penumbral lunar eclipse on August 6. A partial lunar eclipse on December 31.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 2005 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 28, 2012
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 2001 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 23, 2016
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 5, 2000 Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 15, 2018
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1998 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 10, 2020
Lunar Saros 143 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1991 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 2027
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 1, 1980 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2038
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 11, 1922 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 11, 2095
Lunar eclipses of 2006–2009
Saros 143
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 partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 150.
February 5, 2000February 15, 2018
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 21st-century lunar eclipses :File:2009-02-09 Lunar Eclipse Sketch.gif Chart
Notes
External links Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon: 2009 February 09