A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Friday, March 13, 1998, with an umbral magnitude of −0.3824. 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 2.3 days before apogee (on March 15, 1998, at 12:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over much of North America, South America, west Africa and western Europe, seen rising over northwestern North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over much of Europe, much of Africa, and west and central Asia.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+March 13, 1998 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 0.70862 Umbral Magnitude −0.38237 Gamma 1.19644 Sun Right Ascension 23h32m02.0s Sun Declination -03°01'14.6" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'05.6" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8" Moon Right Ascension 11h33m20.6s Moon Declination +04°02'58.3" Moon Semi-Diameter 14'45.1" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°54'08.2" ΔT 63.0 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 1998 February 26Descending node (new moon) March 13Ascending node (full moon) Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 130 Penumbral lunar eclipseLunar Saros 142
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1998 A total solar eclipse on February 26. A penumbral lunar eclipse on March 13. A penumbral lunar eclipse on August 8. An annular solar eclipse on August 22. A penumbral lunar eclipse on September 6.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1994 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 2001
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1991 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 2005
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 7, 1989 Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 19, 2007
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 14, 1987 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 2009
Lunar Saros 142 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 1, 1980 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 23, 2016
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1969 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 2027
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1911 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 10, 2085
Lunar eclipses of 1995–1998
Saros 142
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 149. March 7, 1989March 19, 2007!!
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
References
External links Saros cycle 142