A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Thursday, August 17, 1989, with an umbral magnitude of 1.5984. It was a central lunar eclipse, in which part of the Moon passed through the center of the Earth's shadow. 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 2.4 days before perigee (on August 19, 1989, at 13:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over eastern North America, South America, west Africa, and Antarctica, seen rising over western and central North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean and setting over Europe, much of Africa, and west, central, and south Asia.
The Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Capricornus.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+August 17, 1989 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.57033 Umbral Magnitude 1.59838 Gamma −0.14905 Sun Right Ascension 09h46m02.0s Sun Declination +13°27'24.4" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'47.9" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 21h46m17.4s Moon Declination -13°35'27.7" Moon Semi-Diameter 16'15.3" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°59'39.3" ΔT 56.6 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 August 1989 August 17Ascending node (full moon) August 31Descending node (new moon) Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 128 Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 154
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 October 28, 1985 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 1993
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 6, 1982 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 27, 1996
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 10, 1980 Followed by: Solar eclipse of August 22, 1998
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 1978 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 2000
Lunar Saros 128 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 6, 1971 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 28, 2007
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 5, 1960 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 27, 2018
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 17, 1902 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 17, 2076
Lunar eclipses of 1988–1991 This eclipse is the second of four lunar year eclipses occurring at the Moon's ascending node.
The lunar year series repeats after 12 lunations or 354 days (Shifting back about 10 days in sequential years). Because of the date shift, the Earth's shadow will be about 11 degrees west in sequential events.
Metonic series It is the third of five Metonic cycle eclipses, each being separated by 19 years:
Saros 128
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 135.
August 10, 1980August 22, 1998
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links