| bgcolor=#e7dcc3 colspan=2 | Partial Lunar Eclipse 31 December 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| align=center colspan=2 | Munster, Ireland, 19:43 UT | |
| align=center colspan=2 | The southern edge of the Moon will be completely darken as the Moon passes through the Earth's umbral shadow | |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0d0e0 | 115 (57 of 72) | |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0d0e0 | 0.9765 | |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0d0e0 | 0.0763 | |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0b0e0 colspan=2 | Duration (hr:mn:sc) | |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0a0e0 | Partial | 0:59:58 |
| align=center bgcolor=#d0d0e0 | Penumbral | 4:11:03 |
| align=center bgcolor=#a0d0e0 colspan=2 | Contacts (UTC) | |
| align=center bgcolor=#d0d0e0 | P1 | 17:17:08 |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0a0e0 | U1 | 18:52:43 |
| align=center bgcolor=#a0a0e0 | Greatest | 19:22:39 |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0a0e0 | U4 | 19:52:41 |
| align=center bgcolor=#d0d0e0 | P4 | 21:28:11 |
| align=center colspan=2 | The Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Gemini |
A partial lunar eclipse was visible on 31 December 2009. It was the last and largest of four minor lunar eclipses in 2009. This lunar eclipse was also notable, because it occurred during a blue moon (a second full moon in December) and was near perigee (making it a supermoon). The next eclipse on New Year's Eve and blue moon will occur on 31 December 2028.
Only a small portion of the Moon entered the Earth's umbral shadow, but there was a distinct darkening visible over the Moon's southern surface at greatest eclipse.
It was visible from all of Africa, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Australia. In the Philippines, the lunar eclipse was started last 1 January 2010, when it was very visible at mid-dawn until before sunrise.
Progression from Degania A, Israel
This eclipse is the one of four lunar eclipses in a short-lived series. The 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.
It was part of Saros series 115.
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[1] This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 122.