A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Monday, August 6, 1990, with an umbral magnitude of 0.6766. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when one part of the Moon is in the Earth's umbra, while the other part is in 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 6.2 days after apogee (on July 31, 1990, at 9:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over east Asia, Australia, and Antarctica, seen rising over much of Asia and east Africa and setting over western North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+August 6, 1990 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 1.70047 Umbral Magnitude 0.67658 Gamma 0.63741 Sun Right Ascension 09h05m18.6s Sun Declination +16°40'08.3" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'46.2" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 21h04m21.5s Moon Declination -16°06'49.0" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'24.1" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°56'31.6" ΔT 57.3 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 July–August 1990 July 22Descending node (new moon) August 6Ascending node (full moon) Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 126 Partial lunar eclipseLunar Saros 138
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1990 An annular solar eclipse on January 26. A total lunar eclipse on February 9. A total solar eclipse on July 22. A partial lunar eclipse on August 6.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 17, 1986 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1994
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1983 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 1997
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 31, 1981 Followed by: Solar eclipse of August 11, 1999
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 6, 1979 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 5, 2001
Lunar Saros 138 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1972 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 16, 2008
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 26, 1961 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 2019
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 6, 1903 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 6, 2077
Lunar eclipses of 1988–1991
Saros 138
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 145.
July 31, 1981August 11, 1999
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links