March 1998 lunar eclipse
| Penumbral eclipse | |||||||||
 The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left | |||||||||
| Date | March 13, 1998 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma | 1.1964 | ||||||||
| Magnitude | −0.3824 | ||||||||
| Saros cycle | 142 (17 of 74) | ||||||||
| Penumbral | 246 minutes, 21 seconds | ||||||||
| |||||||||
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Friday, March 13, 1998,[1] with an umbral magnitude of −0.3824. 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 2.3 days before apogee (on March 15, 1998, at 12:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2]
Visibility
[edit]The eclipse was completely visible over much of North America, South America, west Africa and western Europe, seen rising over northwestern North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over much of Europe, much of Africa, and west and central Asia.[3]
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Eclipse details
[edit]Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Penumbral Magnitude | 0.70862 |
| Umbral Magnitude | −0.38237 |
| Gamma | 1.19644 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 23h32m02.0s |
| Sun Declination | -03°01'14.6" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'05.6" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.8" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 11h33m20.6s |
| Moon Declination | +04°02'58.3" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 14'45.1" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°54'08.2" |
| ΔT | 63.0 s |
Eclipse season
[edit]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.
| February 26 Descending node (new moon) |
March 13 Ascending node (full moon) |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Total solar eclipse Solar Saros 130 |
Penumbral lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 142 |
Related eclipses
[edit]Eclipses in 1998
[edit]- A total solar eclipse on February 26.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on March 13.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on August 8.
- An annular solar eclipse on August 22.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on September 6.
Metonic
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1994
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 2001
Tzolkinex
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1991
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 2005
Half-Saros
[edit]- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 7, 1989
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 19, 2007
Tritos
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 14, 1987
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 2009
Lunar Saros 142
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 1, 1980
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 23, 2016
Inex
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1969
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 2027
Triad
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1911
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 10, 2085
Lunar eclipses of 1995–1998
[edit]This is the last of four lunar year eclipses at the ascending node of the Moon's orbit. This eclipse is a member of a semester series. An eclipse in a semester series of lunar eclipses repeats approximately every 177 days and 4 hours (a semester) at alternating nodes of the Moon's orbit.[5]
The penumbral lunar eclipse on August 8, 1998 occurs in the next lunar year eclipse set.
| Lunar eclipse series sets from 1995 to 1998 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascending node | Descending node | |||||||
| Saros | Date Viewing |
Type Chart |
Gamma | Saros | Date Viewing |
Type Chart |
Gamma | |
| 112 | 1995 Apr 15
|
Partial
|
−0.9594 | 117 | 1995 Oct 08
|
Penumbral
|
1.1179 | |
122
|
1996 Apr 04
|
Total
|
−0.2534 | 127
|
1996 Sep 27
|
Total
|
0.3426 | |
132
|
1997 Mar 24
|
Partial
|
0.4899 | 137 | 1997 Sep 16
|
Total
|
−0.3768 | |
| 142 | 1998 Mar 13
|
Penumbral
|
1.1964 | 147 | 1998 Sep 06
|
Penumbral
|
−1.1058 | |
Half-Saros cycle
[edit]A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[6] This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 149.
| March 7, 1989 | March 19, 2007 |
|---|---|
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See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "March 12–13, 1998 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1998 Mar 13" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1998 Mar 13". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ van Gent, R.H. "Solar- and Lunar-Eclipse Predictions from Antiquity to the Present". A Catalogue of Eclipse Cycles. Utrecht University. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
External links
[edit]- Saros cycle 142
- 1998 Mar 13 chart Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC
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