| Type: | penumbral |
| Date: | December 30, 2001 |
| Gamma: | 1.0731 |
| Magnitude: | −0.1141 |
| Saros Ser: | 144 |
| Saros No: | 15 of 71 |
| Penumbral: | 243 minutes, 32 seconds |
| P1: | 8:27:35 |
| Greatest: | 10:29:18 |
| P4: | 12:31:07 |
| Previous: | July 2001 |
| Next: | May 2002 |
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Sunday, December 30, 2001,[1] with an umbral magnitude of −0.1141. 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 3.7 days before perigee (on January 2, 2002, at 2:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]
The eclipse was completely visible over northeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and North America, seen rising over much of Asia and Australia and setting over South America.[3]
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
| Penumbral Magnitude | 0.89477 | |
| Umbral Magnitude | −0.11407 | |
| Gamma | 1.07318 | |
| Sun Right Ascension | 18h38m16.3s | |
| Sun Declination | -23°08'50.7" | |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'15.9" | |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" | |
| Moon Right Ascension | 06h38m07.7s | |
| Moon Declination | +24°12'18.7" | |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 16'07.4" | |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°59'10.2" | |
| ΔT | 64.3 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.
Lunar Saros series 144, repeating every 18 years and 11 days, has a total of 71 lunar eclipse events including 20 total lunar eclipses.
First Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 1749 Jul 29
First Partial Lunar Eclipse: 2146 Mar 28
First Total Lunar Eclipse: 2308 Jul 04
First Central Lunar Eclipse: 2362 Aug 06
Greatest Eclipse of the Lunar Saros 144: 2416 Sep 07
Last Central Lunar Eclipse: 2488 Oct 20
Last Total Lunar Eclipse: 2651 Jan 28
Last Partial Lunar Eclipse: 2867 Jun 08
Last Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 3011 Sep 04
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 partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 151.