| Type: | total |
| Date: | December 10, 2011 |
| Gamma: | −0.3882 |
| Magnitude: | 1.1076 |
| Saros Ser: | 135 |
| Saros No: | 23 of 71 |
| Totality: | 51 minutes, 8 seconds |
| Partiality: | 212 minutes, 15 seconds |
| Penumbral: | 356 minutes, 21 seconds |
| P1: | 11:33:36 |
| U1: | 12:45:43 |
| U2: | 14:06:16 |
| Greatest: | 14:31:49 |
| U3: | 14:57:24 |
| U4: | 16:17:58 |
| P4: | 17:29:57 |
| Previous: | June 2011 |
| Next: | June 2012 |
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, December 10, 2011,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.1076. 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. Occurring about 4.8 days after apogee (on December 5, 2011, at 20:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2]
The eclipse was completely visible over east and northern Asia, Australia, and northern North America, seen rising over Europe and east and central Africa, and setting over North America.[3]
AsiaAustralia and Oceania
Europe and Middle EastNorth America
The eclipse occurred on Saturday evening in Australia. Eastern Daylight Saving Time: (+11:00 UTC)
The eclipse was visible from India in the evening, given in India Standard Time (UTC+5:30):
The eclipse was visible on Saturday morning before sunrise over North America. For most location the moon set before full lunar eclipse. Only Alaska and northernmost Canada will be able to witness the entire event.
| Contact | North America | UTC | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AST (UTC−9) | PST (UTC−8) | MST (UTC−7) | CST (UTC−6) | EST (UTC−5) | |||
| Penumbral begins (P1) | 2:34 am | 3:34 am | 4:34 am | 5:34 am | 6:34 am | 11:34 | |
| Partial begins (U1) | 3:46 am | 4:46 am | 5:46 am | 6:46 am | 7:46 am | 12:46 | |
| Totality begins (U2) | 5:06 am | 6:06 am | 7:06 am | 8:06 am | 9:06 am | 14:06 | |
| Mid-eclipse | 5:32 am | 6:32 am | 7:32 am | 8:32 am | 9:32 am | 14:32 | |
| Totality ends (U3) | 5:57 am | 6:57 am | 7:57 am | 8:57 am | 9:57 am | 14:57 | |
| Partial ends (U4) | 7:18 am | 8:18 am | 9:18 am | 10:18 am | 11:18 am | 16:18 | |
| Penumbral ends (P4) | 8:30 am | 9:30 am | 10:30 am | 11:30 am | 12:30 pm | 17:30 | |
| (Table entries are given a dark background for invisibility due to moonset) | |||||||
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
| Penumbral Magnitude | 2.18746 | |
| Umbral Magnitude | 1.10757 | |
| Gamma | −0.38819 | |
| Sun Right Ascension | 17h08m35.0s | |
| Sun Declination | -22°54'38.7" | |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'14.5" | |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" | |
| Moon Right Ascension | 05h08m33.9s | |
| Moon Declination | +22°33'13.3" | |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'02.4" | |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°55'11.7" | |
| ΔT | 66.7 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.
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.
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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 142.
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