| Type: | penumbral |
| Date: | November 20, 2002 |
| Gamma: | −1.1126 |
| Magnitude: | −0.2246 |
| Saros Ser: | 116 |
| Saros No: | 57 of 73 |
| Penumbral: | 264 minutes, 18 seconds |
| P1: | 23:34:28 |
| Greatest: | 1:46:36 |
| P4: | 3:58:46 |
| Previous: | June 2002 |
| Next: | May 2003 |
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, November 20, 2002,[1] with an umbral magnitude of −0.2246. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the Moon's near side passes into the Earth's penumbra. 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. Occurring about 3.8 days after apogee (on November 16, 2002, at 6:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2]
The eclipse was completely visible much of North and South America, Africa, and Europe, seen rising over western North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean and setting over east Africa and west, central, and south 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 | 0.86176 | |
| Umbral Magnitude | −0.22459 | |
| Gamma | −1.11266 | |
| Sun Right Ascension | 15h41m07.8s | |
| Sun Declination | -19°36'53.3" | |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'11.2" | |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" | |
| Moon Right Ascension | 03h42m30.3s | |
| Moon Declination | +18°39'15.4" | |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 14'54.0" | |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°54'40.9" | |
| ΔT | 64.4 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.
It is part of Saros series 116.
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 partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 123.