| bgcolor=#e7dcc3 colspan=2 | Total lunar eclipse September 28, 2015 | |
|---|---|---|
| align=center colspan=2 | From Murrieta, California, 2:52 UTC | |
| align=center colspan=2 | Ecliptic north up The Moon passes right to left (west to east) through Earth's shadow | |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0d0e0 | 137 (28 of 81) | |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0d0e0 | −0.3296 | |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0d0e0 | 1.2764 | |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0b0e0 colspan=2 | Duration (hr:mn:sc) | |
| align=center bgcolor=#b0a0e0 | Totality | 1:11:55 |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0a0e0 | Partial | 3:19:52 |
| align=center bgcolor=#d0d0e0 | Penumbral | 5:10:41 |
| align=center bgcolor=#a0d0e0 colspan=2 | Contacts (UTC) | |
| align=center bgcolor=#d0d0e0 | P1 | 0:11:47 |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0a0e0 | U1 | 1:07:11 |
| align=center bgcolor=#b0a0e0 | U2 | 2:11:10 |
| align=center bgcolor=#a0a0e0 | Greatest | 2:47:08 |
| align=center bgcolor=#b0a0e0 | U3 | 3:23:05 |
| align=center bgcolor=#c0a0e0 | U4 | 4:27:03 |
| align=center bgcolor=#d0d0e0 | P4 | 5:22:27 |
The Moon crosses Earth's shadow in Pisces, passing west to east (right to left) as shown here in hourly movements. Uranus, at magnitude 5.7, can be seen in binoculars 16 degrees east of the total eclipsed Moon. | ||
The Moon appeared larger than normal, because the Moon was just 1 hour past its closest approach to Earth in 2015 at mid-eclipse, sometimes called a supermoon. The Moon's apparent diameter was larger than 34' viewed straight overhead, just off the coast of northeast Brazil.[1] [2]
The total lunar eclipse was darker than expected, possibly due to ash left behind from eruptions of the Calbuco volcano in April 2015.[3]
See main article: Lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes within Earth's umbra (shadow). As the eclipse begins, Earth's shadow first darkens the Moon slightly. Then, the shadow begins to "cover" part of the Moon, turning it a dark red-brown color (typically – the color can vary based on atmospheric conditions). The Moon appears to be reddish because of Rayleigh scattering (the same effect that causes sunsets to appear reddish) and the refraction of that light by Earth's atmosphere into its umbra.[4]
The following simulation shows the approximate appearance of the Moon passing through Earth's shadow. The Moon's brightness is exaggerated within the umbral shadow. The northern portion of the Moon was closest to the center of the shadow, making it darkest, and most red in appearance.
The eclipse was visible over Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and America.
| Time Zone adjustments from UTC | -7h | -6h | -5h | -4h | -3h | -2h | -1h | 0h | +1h | +2h | +3h | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDT MST | MDT | CDT PET | EDT BOT | ADT AMST ART | GMT WET | WEST CET BST | CEST EET MSK−1 | EEST FET MSK | |||||
| Event | Evening 27 September | Morning 28 September | |||||||||||
| P1 | Penumbral begins* | N/A† | N/A† | 7:12 pm | 8:12 pm | 9:12 pm | 10:12 pm | 11:12 pm | 12:12 am | 1:12 am | 2:12 am | 3:12 am | |
| U1 | Partial begins | N/A† | 7:07 pm | 8:07 pm | 9:07 pm | 10:07 pm | 11:07 pm | 12:07 am | 1:07 am | 2:07 am | 3:07 am | 4:07 am | |
| U2 | Total begins | 7:11 pm | 8:11 pm | 9:11 pm | 10:11 pm | 11:11 pm | 12:11 am | 1:11 am | 2:11 am | 3:11 am | 4:11 am | 5:11 am | |
| Mid-eclipse | 7:47 pm | 8:47 pm | 9:47 pm | 10:47 pm | 11:47 pm | 12:47 am | 1:47 am | 2:47 am | 3:47 am | 4:47 am | 5:47 am | ||
| U3 | Total ends | 8:23 pm | 9:23 pm | 10:23 pm | 11:23 pm | 12:23 am | 1:23 am | 2:23 am | 3:23 am | 4:23 am | 5:23 am | 6:23 am | |
| U4 | Partial ends | 9:27 pm | 10:27 pm | 11:27 pm | 12:27 am | 1:27 am | 2:27 am | 3:27 am | 4:27 am | 5:27 am | 6:27 am | Set | |
| P4 | Penumbral ends | 10:22 pm | 11:22 pm | 12:22 am | 1:22 am | 2:22 am | 3:22 am | 4:22 am | 5:22 am | 6:22 am | Set | Set | |
* The penumbral phase of the eclipse changes the appearance of the Moon only slightly and is generally not noticeable.[5]
This eclipsed Moon appeared 12.9% larger in diameter than the April 2015 lunar eclipse, measured as 29.66' and 33.47' in diameter from Earth's center, as compared in these simulated images.
A supermoon is the coincidence of a full moon or a new moon with the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth on its elliptical orbit, resulting in the largest apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth. This was the last supermoon lunar eclipse until 31 January 2018.
The eclipse was one of four lunar eclipses in a short-lived series at the descending node of the Moon's orbit.
The lunar year series repeats after 12 lunations, or 354 days (shifting back about 10 days in sequential years). Because of the date shift, Earth's shadow will be about 11 degrees west in sequential events.
It is part of Saros series 137.
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[6] This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of solar saros 144.