August 2008 lunar eclipse

Partial lunar eclipse
2008/8/16 [1]
Saros (member) 138 (29)
Recent <S <T < > T> S>

Cape Town, South Africa

The Moon passes right to left through the Earth's northern shadow
Gamma[1] 0.5647
Duration (hr:mn:sc)
Partial 3:08:08
Penumbral 5:30:31
Contacts
P1 18:24:50 UTC
U1 19:36:05 UTC
Greatest 21:10:06 UTC
U4 22:44:13 UTC
P4 23:55:21 UTC

At ascending node in Capricornus

A partial lunar eclipse took place on 16 August 2008, the second of two lunar eclipses in 2008, with the first being a total eclipse on 20 February 2008. The next lunar eclipse was a penumbral eclipse occurring on 9 February 2009, while the next total lunar eclipse occurred on 21 December 2010.

The Moon's apparent diameter was 26.2 arcseconds smaller than the 21 February 2008 total lunar eclipse.

Eclipse season

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This is the second eclipse this season.

First eclipse this season: 1 August 2008 Total Solar Eclipse

Viewing

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NASA chart of the eclipse
 
These simulated views of the Earth from the center of the Moon during the lunar eclipse show where the eclipse is visible on Earth.

Parts of Australia saw it begin before sunrise, while parts of South America saw it end just after sunset. The eclipse is also seen in the Philippines and other parts of Asia at moonset. Parts of Europe, the Middle East and Africa saw it when it is visible.

The penumbral eclipse began at 18:23 UTC, with the partial eclipse beginning at 19:36. The time of greatest eclipse was 21:10. The partial eclipse ended at 22:44, and the penumbral eclipse will ended at 23:57.

The planet Neptune was 2 days past opposition, visible in binoculars as an 8th magnitude "star" just two degrees west and slightly south of the Moon.

 

Relation to other lunar eclipses

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Eclipses of 2008

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Lunar year series

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 2006–2009
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros #
and photo
Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma Saros #
and photo
Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma
113
 
2006 Mar 14
 
penumbral
 
1.0211 118
 
2006 Sep 7
 
partial
 
−0.9262
123
 
2007 Mar 03
 
total
 
0.3175 128
 
2007 Aug 28
 
total
 
−0.2146
133
 
2008 Feb 21
 
total
 
−0.3992 138
 
2008 Aug 16
 
partial
 
0.5646
143
 
2009 Feb 09
 
penumbral
 
−1.0640 148
 
2009 Aug 06
 
penumbral
 
1.3572
Last set 2005 Apr 24 Last set 2005 Oct 17
Next set 2009 Dec 31 Next set 2009 Jul 07


Saros series

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Lunar saros series 138 has 26 total eclipses between September 7, 2044 and March 24, 2369. The longest eclipse will be on January 7, 2243, and last for 102 minutes.

Partial eclipses will occur between June 24, 1918 and August 13, 2603. Penumbral eclipses will occur between October 15, 1521 and March 30, 2982. [2]

Metonic cycle (19 years)

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The 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 in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.

Metonic lunar eclipse sets 1951–2027
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date Type Saros Date Type
103 1951 Feb 21.88 Penumbral 108 1951 Aug 17.13 Penumbral
   
113 1970 Feb 21.35 Partial 118 1970 Aug 17.14 Partial
   
123 1989 Feb 20.64 Total 128 1989 Aug 17.13 Total
   
133 2008 Feb 21.14 Total 138 2008 Aug 16.88 Partial
   
143 2027 Feb 20.96 Penumbral 148 2027 Aug 17.30 Penumbral
   

Half-Saros cycle

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A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[3] This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 145.

11 August 1999 21 August 2017
   

Photo

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Progression from Oslo, Norway

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Gamma is the minimum distance of the Moon's shadow axis from Earth's centre in Earth radii at greatest eclipse.
  2. ^ Hermit Eclipse: Eclipse Saros 138
  3. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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