A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Friday, September 27, 1996, with an umbral magnitude of 1.2395. 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 2.2 days after perigee (on September 24, 1996, at 22:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse was the second of an almost tetrad, with the others being on April 4, 1996 (total); March 24, 1997 (partial); and September 16, 1997 (total).
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over eastern North America, South America, western Europe, and west Africa, seen rising over western North America and the eastern and central Pacific Ocean and setting over eastern Europe, central and east Africa, and the western half of Asia.
Mid-infrared image of the Moon During its totality, the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) satellite's SPIRIT-III instrument took the image of the Moon in mid-infrared. At these wavelengths, MSX was able to characterize the thermal (heat) distribution of the lunar surface during the eclipse. The brightest regions are the warmest, and the darkest areas are the coolest. The well-known crater Tycho is the bright object to the south of center. Numerous other craters are also seen as bright spots, indicating that their temperature is higher than in the surrounding dark mare.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+September 27, 1996 lunar eclipse parameters Parameter Value Penumbral magnitude 2.21885 Umbral magnitude 1.23953 Gamma 0.34264 Sun right ascension 12h15m43.1s Sun declination -01°42'06.3" Sun semi-diameter 15'57.5" Sun equatorial horizontal parallax 08.8" Moon right ascension 00h15m18.1s Moon declination +02°01'37.4" Moon semi-diameter 16'17.8" Moon equatorial horizontal parallax 0°59'48.4" ΔT 62.1 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 September–October 1996 September 27Descending node (full moon) October 12Ascending node (new moon) Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 127 Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 153
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1996 A total lunar eclipse on April 4 A partial solar eclipse on April 17 A total lunar eclipse on September 27 A partial solar eclipse on October 12
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 9, 1992 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 2000
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 17, 1989 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 9, 2003
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of September 23, 1987 Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 3, 2005
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 1985 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 28, 2007
Lunar Saros 127 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 1978 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 8, 2014
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 18, 1967 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 7, 2025
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 27, 1909 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 29, 2083
Lunar eclipses of 1995–1998
Saros 127
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 134. September 23, 1987October 3, 2005
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
References
External links
Saros cycle 127
September 1996 lunar eclipse