March 2006 lunar eclipse explained

bgcolor=#e7dcc3 colspan=2	Penumbral lunar eclipse 14-15 March 2006
align=center colspan=2	From Trondheim, Norway at 23:49 UTC
align=center colspan=2	The Moon passed right to left through the Earth's northern penumbral shadow.
align=center bgcolor=#c0d0e0		113 (63 of 71)
align=center bgcolor=#c0d0e0		1.0210
align=center bgcolor=#c0d0e0		1.0301
align=center bgcolor=#c0b0e0 colspan=2	Duration (hr:mn:sc)
align=center bgcolor=#d0d0e0	Penumbral	4:47:27
align=center bgcolor=#a0d0e0 colspan=2	Contacts (UTC)
align=center bgcolor=#d0d0e0	P1	21:23:45
align=center bgcolor=#a0a0e0	Greatest	23:47:29
align=center bgcolor=#d0d0e0	P4	2:11:12 (15 Mar)
align=center colspan=2	The Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Virgo.

A penumbral lunar eclipse took place on 14 March 2006, the first of two lunar eclipses in 2006.

This was a relatively rare total penumbral lunar eclipse with the Moon passing entirely within the penumbral shadow without entering the darker umbral shadow. The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 14 March 2006.

Visibility

It was completely visible over Africa and Europe, seen rising over eastern North America, all of South America, and setting over western Asia.

A simulated view of the Earth from the center of the Moon at maximum eclipse.

Map

Relation to other lunar eclipses

Eclipses of 2006

• A penumbral lunar eclipse on 14 March.
• A total solar eclipse on 29 March.
• A partial lunar eclipse on 7 September.
• An annular solar eclipse on 22 September.

Saros series

The eclipse belongs to Saros series 113, and is the 63rd of 71 lunar eclipses in the series. The first penumbral eclipse of saros cycle 113 began on 29 April 888 AD, first partial eclipse on 14 July 1014, and total first was on 20 March 1429. The last total eclipse occurred on 7 August 1645, last partial on 21 February 1970, and last penumbral eclipse on 10 June 2150.^[1]

Half-Saros cycle

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).^[2] This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 120.

Metonic cycles (19 years)

This is the first eclipse this season.

Second eclipse this season: 29 March 2006 Total Solar Eclipse

See also

• List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses
• May 2003 lunar eclipse
• November 2003 lunar eclipse
• May 2004 lunar eclipse
• Chart

Notes

1. http://www.hermit.org/Eclipse/gen_stats.cgi?mode=query&page=full&qtype=type&body=L&saros=138 Hermit Eclipse: Eclipse Search
2. Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros

External links

• • photo of partial [penumbral] eclipse on March 14th of 2006, Kennebunk, Maine