A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Monday, February 20, 1989, with an umbral magnitude of 1.2747. 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 days before apogee (on February 23, 1989, at 14:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over the eastern half of Asia and Australia, seen rising over much of Africa, Europe, and west, central, and south Asia and setting over much of North America and the eastern 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 20, 1989 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.36514 Umbral Magnitude 1.27467 Gamma 0.29347 Sun Right Ascension 22h15m55.3s Sun Declination -10°46'12.9" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'10.4" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9" Moon Right Ascension 10h16m24.6s Moon Declination +11°00'28.8" Moon Semi-Diameter 14'49.9" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°54'25.9" ΔT 56.4 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 February–March 1989 February 20Descending node (full moon) March 7Ascending node (new moon) Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 123 Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 149
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1989 A total lunar eclipse on February 20. A partial solar eclipse on March 7. A total lunar eclipse on August 17. A partial solar eclipse on August 31.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 4, 1985 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 9, 1992
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 1982 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 1996
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 16, 1980 Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 26, 1998
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1978 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2000
Lunar Saros 123 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 10, 1971 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 2007
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1960 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 31, 2018
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 22, 1902 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 22, 2075
Lunar eclipses of 1988–1991
Metonic series This is the third of five Metonic lunar eclipses.
Saros 123
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 130.
February 16, 1980February 26, 1998
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links