| Type: | total |
| Date: | May 26, 2040 |
| Gamma: | −0.1872 |
| Magnitude: | 1.5365 |
| Saros Ser: | 131 |
| Saros No: | 35 of 72 |
| Totality: | 92 minutes, 12 seconds |
| Partiality: | 210 minutes, 42 seconds |
| Penumbral: | 321 minutes, 26 seconds |
| P1: | 9:05:40 |
| U1: | 10:01:01 |
| U2: | 11:00:16 |
| Greatest: | 11:46:22 |
| U3: | 12:32:28 |
| U4: | 13:31:43 |
| P4: | 14:27:04 |
| Previous: | November 2039 |
| Next: | November 2040 |
A total lunar eclipse will occur at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, May 26, 2040,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.5365. 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 1.4 days before perigee (on May 27, 2040, at 22:25 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter will be larger.[2]
The northern limb of the Moon will pass through the center of the Earth's shadow. This is the second central lunar eclipse of Saros series 131. Since this lunar event will occur near perigee, it will be referred to as a "super flower blood moon" or "super blood moon", though not quite as close to Earth as the eclipse of May 26, 2021.
The eclipse will be completely visible over Antarctica, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean, seen rising over east and south Asia and setting over North and 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 | 2.49551 | |
| Umbral Magnitude | 1.53646 | |
| Gamma | −0.18720 | |
| Sun Right Ascension | 04h15m46.6s | |
| Sun Declination | +21°16'35.1" | |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'47.2" | |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.7" | |
| Moon Right Ascension | 16h15m33.4s | |
| Moon Declination | -21°27'28.2" | |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 16'27.7" | |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 1°00'24.9" | |
| ΔT | 79.3 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.
This eclipse is the third of four lunar year eclipses occurring at the Moon's ascending node.
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.
First eclipse: May 26, 2002.Second eclipse: May 26, 2021.Third eclipse: May 26, 2040.Fourth eclipse: May 27, 2059.
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 138.