A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Sunday, July 5, 2020, with an umbral magnitude of −0.6422. 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. The Moon's apparent diameter was near the average diameter because it occurred 5.3 days after perigee (on June 29, 2020, at 22:10 UTC) and 7.5 days before apogee (on July 12, 2020, at 15:30 UTC).
This eclipse was the third of four penumbral lunar eclipses in 2020, with the others occurring on January 10, June 5, and November 30.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over North and South America and west Africa, seen rising over northwestern North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over much of Africa and western Europe.
Visibility map
Gallery
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+July 5, 2020 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 0.35600 Umbral Magnitude −0.64219 Gamma −1.36387 Sun Right Ascension 06h59m10.5s Sun Declination +22°44'23.3" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'43.9" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.6" Moon Right Ascension 18h59m12.6s Moon Declination -24°03'16.2" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'45.6" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°57'50.4" ΔT 69.7 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. The first and last eclipse in this sequence is separated by one synodic month.
+ Eclipse season of June–July 2020 June 5Descending node (full moon) June 21Ascending node (new moon) July 5Descending node (full moon) Penumbral lunar eclipseLunar Saros 111 Annular solar eclipseSolar Saros 137 Penumbral lunar eclipseLunar Saros 149
Related eclipses Eclipses in 2020 A penumbral lunar eclipse on January 10. A penumbral lunar eclipse on June 5. An annular solar eclipse on June 21. A penumbral lunar eclipse on July 5. A penumbral lunar eclipse on November 30. A total solar eclipse on December 14.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 2016
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 2013 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 17, 2027
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 1, 2011 Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 11, 2029
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 6, 2009 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 5, 2031
Lunar Saros 149 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 24, 2002 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 2038
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1991 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 2049
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 4, 1933 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 7, 2107
Lunar eclipses of 2016–2020
Saros 149
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 156. July 1, 2011July 11, 2029
See also List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses
References
External links
Hermit eclipse: Saros cycle 149 Hermit eclipse: 5 Jul 2020 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse