| Type: | total |
| Date: | April 4, 1996 |
| Gamma: | −0.2534 |
| Magnitude: | 1.3795 |
| Saros Ser: | 122 |
| Saros No: | 55 of 75 |
| Totality: | 85 minutes, 45 seconds |
| Partiality: | 217 minutes, 8 seconds |
| Penumbral: | 344 minutes, 43 seconds |
| P1: | 21:17:22 |
| U1: | 22:21:13 |
| U2: | 23:26:54 |
| Greatest: | 0:09:46 |
| U3: | 0:52:39 |
| U4: | 1:58:21 |
| P4: | 3:02:04 |
| Previous: | October 1995 |
| Next: | September 1996 |
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Thursday, April 4, 1996,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.3795. It was a central lunar eclipse, in which part of the Moon passed through the center of the Earth's shadow. 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. The Moon's apparent diameter was near the average diameter because it occurred 6.9 days after apogee (on March 28, 1996, at 2:40 UTC) and 7.2 days before perigee (on April 11, 1996, at 3:45 UTC).[2]
This lunar eclipse was the first of an almost tetrad, with the others being on September 27, 1996 (total); March 24, 1997 (partial); and September 16, 1997 (total).
This was the last central member and 55th overall member of Lunar Saros 122.
The eclipse was completely visible over eastern South America, Europe, and Africa, seen rising over much of North America and western and central South America and setting over much of Asia and western Australia.[3]
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
| Penumbral Magnitude | 2.40683 | |
| Umbral Magnitude | 1.37949 | |
| Gamma | −0.25339 | |
| Sun Right Ascension | 00h53m26.5s | |
| Sun Declination | +05°43'14.0" | |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'59.5" | |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.8" | |
| Moon Right Ascension | 12h53m09.4s | |
| Moon Declination | -05°57'04.2" | |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'33.9" | |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°57'07.5" | |
| ΔT | 61.8 s |
See also: Eclipse cycle. 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.
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[5] This lunar eclipse is related to two hybrid solar eclipses of Solar Saros 129.