A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Tuesday, September 16, 1997, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1909. 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 only about 2.5 hours after perigee (on September 16, 1997, at 16:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse was the last of an almost tetrad, with the others being on April 4, 1996 (total); September 27, 1996 (total); and March 24, 1997 (partial).
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over east Africa, eastern Europe, much of Asia, and western Australia, seen rising over eastern South America, western Europe, and west and central Africa and setting over northeast Asia and eastern Australia.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+September 16, 1997 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.14167 Umbral Magnitude 1.19094 Gamma −0.37684 Sun Right Ascension 11h37m42.6s Sun Declination +02°24'38.0" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'54.7" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 23h38m10.7s Moon Declination -02°46'41.1" Moon Semi-Diameter 16'44.2" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°01'25.5" ΔT 62.7 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 September 1997 September 2Ascending node (new moon) September 16Descending node (full moon) Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 125 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 137
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1997 A total solar eclipse on March 9. A partial lunar eclipse on March 24. A partial solar eclipse on September 2. A total lunar eclipse on September 16.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1993 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 5, 2001
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 6, 1990 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 2004
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of September 11, 1988 Followed by: Solar eclipse of September 22, 2006
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 17, 1986 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 16, 2008
Lunar Saros 137 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 6, 1979 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 28, 2015
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 6, 1968 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 28, 2026
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 17, 1910 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 17, 2084
Lunar eclipses of 1995–1998
Saros 137
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 144. September 11, 1988September 22, 2006
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
References
External links Prof. Druckmüller's eclipse photography site. Czech Republic Saros cycle 137
The EAAE Lunar Eclipse Project September 16, 1997 Total Lunar Eclipses seen from Cape Town Total lunar eclipse, September 16, 1997. Total Lunar Eclipse September 16, 1997, Western Australia