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December 2010 lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Tuesday, December 21, 2010,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.2576. 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 4 days before apogee (on December 25, 2010, at 7:15 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2] This eclipse was notable in that it coincided with the date of the Winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and Summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. It was the first total lunar eclipse to occur on the day of the Northern Winter Solstice (Southern Summer Solstice) since 1638, and only the second in the Common Era.[3][4] VisibilityThe eclipse was completely visible over North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean, seen rising over east Asia and Australia and setting over South America, west Africa, and Europe.[5]
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TimingIn North America, the eclipse was visible in its entirety on 21 December 2010, from 12:27 a.m. to 6:06 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.[7] In the Central Standard Time zone and west, the eclipse began the night of 20 December.[8] Observers along South America's east coast missed the late stages of the eclipse because they occurred after moon-set.[9] Likewise much of Europe and Africa experienced moon-set while the eclipse was in progress. In Europe, only those observers in northern Scandinavia (including Iceland), Ireland and Britain could observe the entire event. For observers in eastern Asia the moon rose in eclipse. The eclipse was not visible from southern and eastern Africa, the Middle East or South Asia. In Japan and northeastern Asia, the eclipse's end was visible, with the moon rising at sunset. In the Philippines it was observable as a partial lunar eclipse just after sunset.[9] Predictions suggested that the total eclipse may appear unusually orange or red, as a result of the eruption of Mount Merapi in Indonesia on 26 October.[10]
Eclipse detailsShown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[11]
Eclipse seasonThis 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.
Related eclipsesEclipses in 2010
Metonic
Tzolkinex
Half-Saros
Tritos
Lunar Saros 125
Inex
Triad
Lunar eclipses of 2009–2013The lunar year series repeats after 12 lunations or 354 days (Shifting back about 10 days in sequential years). Because of the date shift, the Earth's shadow will be about 11 degrees west in sequential events.
Metonic seriesThe Metonic cycle repeats nearly exactly every 19 years and represents a Saros cycle plus one lunar year. Because it occurs on the same calendar date, the Earth's shadow will be in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.
Tritos seriesThe tritos series repeats 31 days short of 11 years at alternating nodes. Sequential events have incremental Saros cycle indices. This series produces 20 total eclipses between April 24, 1967 and August 11, 2185, only being partial on November 19, 2021.
Saros 125Lunar saros series 125, repeating every 18 years and 11 days, has 26 total lunar eclipses. The first was on June 17, 1704 and the last will be on March 19, 2155. The longest totality occurrence of this series (7th) was on August 22, 1812 when totality lasted one hour and 42 minutes.[12] Half-Saros cycleA lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[13] This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 132.
See also
Notes
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lunar eclipse of 2010 December 21.
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![From Seattle, Washington, beginning of totality, 7:41 UTC[6]](File:Lunar_Eclipse_seen_from_Seattle_21-12-2010.jpg)
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