A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Saturday, April 4, 2015, with an umbral magnitude of 1.0019. 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 3.1 days after apogee (on April 1, 2015, at 9:00 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
This lunar eclipse is the third of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on April 15, 2014; October 8, 2014; and September 28, 2015.
This is the 30th member of Lunar Saros 132, and the first total eclipse of the series. The previous event was the March 1997 lunar eclipse, being slightly partial.
It occurred on Easter Sunday (Gregorian only).
Duration Totality lasted only 4 minutes and 43 seconds, making it the shortest lunar totality in almost five centuries since October 17, 1529 (which lasted 1 minute and 42 seconds). It was claimed by some that due to the oblateness of the Earth, it may have actually just been a partial eclipse. It was the sixth total lunar eclipse out of nine with totality under 5 minutes in a five millennium period between 2,000 BC and 3,000 AD. The eclipsed moon was 12.9% smaller in apparent diameter than the supermoon September 2015 lunar eclipse, measured as 29.66' and 33.47' in diameter from the center of the Earth. It occurred 3 days past apogee at 29.42'.
Background
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes within Earth's umbra (shadow). As the eclipse begins, Earth's shadow first darkens the Moon slightly. Then, the shadow begins to "cover" part of the Moon, turning it a dark red-brown color (typically - the color can vary based on atmospheric conditions). The Moon appears to be reddish because of Rayleigh scattering (the same effect that causes sunsets to appear reddish) and the refraction of that light by Earth's atmosphere into its umbra.
The following simulation shows the approximate appearance of the Moon passing through Earth's shadow. The Moon's brightness is exaggerated within the umbral shadow. The southern portion of the Moon will be closest to the center of the shadow, making it darkest, and most red in appearance.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over northeast Asia, eastern Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and western North America, seen rising over Asia and western Australia and setting over North and South America.
Visibility map
Timing + Local times of contacts Time Zoneadjustments fromUTC +8h +11h +13h -10h -8h -7h -6h -5h -4h AWST AEDT NZDT HST AKDT PDT MDT CDT EDTEventEvening April 4Morning April 4P1 Penumbral begins N/A† 8:01 pm 10:01 pm 11:01 pm 1:01 am 2:01 am 3:01 am 4:01 am 5:01 amU1 Partial begins 6:16 pm 9:16 pm 11:16 pm 12:16 am 2:16 am 3:16 am 4:16 am 5:16 am 6:16 amU2 Total begins 7:58 pm 10:58 pm12:58 am1:58 am3:58 am4:58 am5:58 am6:58 am Set Greatest eclipse 8:00 pm 11:00 pm 1:00 am 2:00 am 4:00 am 5:00 am 6:00 am 7:00 am SetU3 Total ends 8:03 pm 11:03 pm 1:03 am 2:03 am 4:03 am 5:03 am 6:03 am Set SetU4 Partial ends 9:45 pm 12:45 am 2:45 am 3:45 am 5:45 am Set Set Set SetP4 Penumbral ends 10:59 pm 1:59 am 3:59 am 3:59 am 5:59 am Set Set Set Set † The Moon was not visible during this part of the eclipse in this time zone.
Gallery Progression from Bali, IndonesiaTime-lapsed image from TaiwanSequence from Fox Observatory in Sunrise, FloridaSequence from Melbourne, FloridaProgression from St. Louis, Missouri
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+April 4, 2015 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.08024 Umbral Magnitude 1.00191 Gamma 0.44599 Sun Right Ascension 00h53m01.2s Sun Declination +05°40'32.8" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'59.6" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8" Moon Right Ascension 12h53m29.7s Moon Declination -05°17'20.2" Moon Semi-Diameter 14'49.9" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°54'25.9" ΔT 67.7 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 March–April 2015 March 20Descending node (new moon) April 4Ascending node (full moon) Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 120 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 132
Related eclipses Eclipses in 2015 A total solar eclipse on March 20. A total lunar eclipse on April 4. A partial solar eclipse on September 13. A total lunar eclipse on September 28.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 2011 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2019
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 21, 2008 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 16, 2022
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 29, 2006 Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 4, 2004 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 2026
Lunar Saros 132 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1997 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 14, 2033
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1986 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 2044
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 3, 1928 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 3, 2102
Lunar eclipses of 2013–2016
Saros 132
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 139.
March 29, 2006April 8, 2024
See also List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links
Hermit Eclipse: Total Lunar Eclipse: April 4, 2015 Mattastro.com Total Lunar Eclipse: April 4, 2015 Full Moon in Earth's Shadow APOD 2015 April 8