| Type: | total |
| Date: | January 21, 2000 |
| Gamma: | −0.2957 |
| Magnitude: | 1.3246 |
| Saros Ser: | 124 |
| Saros No: | 48 of 74 |
| Totality: | 76 minutes, 59 seconds |
| Partiality: | 203 minutes, 19 seconds |
| Penumbral: | 318 minutes, 12 seconds |
| P1: | 02:04:26 |
| U1: | 03:01:50 |
| U2: | 04:05:01 |
| Greatest: | 04:43:31 |
| U3: | 05:22:00 |
| U4: | 06:25:09 |
| P4: | 07:22:38 |
| Previous: | July 1999 |
| Next: | July 2000 |
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Friday, January 21, 2000,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.3246. 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 1.5 days after perigee (on January 19, 2000, at 17:50 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]
The eclipse was completely visible over most of North America, South America, and western Europe, seen rising over the Pacific Ocean and setting over Africa, Europe, and west Asia.[3]
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
| Penumbral Magnitude | 2.30601 | |
| Umbral Magnitude | 1.32459 | |
| Gamma | −0.29571 | |
| Sun Right Ascension | 20h10m32.9s | |
| Sun Declination | -20°03'20.2" | |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'15.2" | |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" | |
| Moon Right Ascension | 08h10m24.0s | |
| Moon Declination | +19°45'29.3" | |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 16'33.7" | |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 1°00'46.8" | |
| ΔT | 63.8 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 annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 131.