A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Saturday, December 11, 2038, with an umbral magnitude of −0.2876. 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 3.3 days after apogee (on December 8, 2038, at 8:35 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter will be smaller.
This eclipse will be the last of four penumbral lunar eclipses in 2038, with the others occurring on January 21, June 17, and July 16.
Visibility The eclipse will be completely visible over northeast Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia, seen rising over west and central Africa and setting over the central Pacific Ocean.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+December 11, 2038 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 0.80623 Umbral Magnitude −0.28760 Gamma −1.14490 Sun Right Ascension 17h15m29.9s Sun Declination -23°02'24.2" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'14.6" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9" Moon Right Ascension 05h16m16.9s Moon Declination +22°00'57.8" Moon Semi-Diameter 14'51.0" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°54'29.8" ΔT 78.5 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 December 2038 December 11Ascending node (full moon) December 26Descending node (new moon) Penumbral lunar eclipseLunar Saros 116 Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 142
Related eclipses Eclipses in 2038 An annular solar eclipse on January 5. A penumbral lunar eclipse on January 21. A penumbral lunar eclipse on June 17. An annular solar eclipse on July 2. A penumbral lunar eclipse on July 16. A penumbral lunar eclipse on December 11. A total solar eclipse on December 26.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 22, 2035 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 29, 2042
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 30, 2031 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 22, 2046
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of December 5, 2029 Followed by: Solar eclipse of December 16, 2047
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 12, 2028 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 9, 2049
Lunar Saros 116 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 30, 2020 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 22, 2056
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 31, 2009 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 21, 2067
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 11, 1952 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 12, 2125
Lunar eclipses of 2038–2042
Saros 116
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 123. December 5, 2029December 16, 2047
See also List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links