December 2048 lunar eclipse


A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Sunday, December 20, 2048, with an umbral magnitude of −0.1420. 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 only about 13 hours before apogee, the Moon's apparent diameter will be smaller.

Visibility

The eclipse will be completely visible over North America and much of South America, seen rising over northeast Asia and the western Pacific Ocean and setting over west and central Africa and Europe.

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude0.96321
Umbral Magnitude−0.14202
Gamma−1.06244
Sun Right Ascension17h55m49.3s
Sun Declination-23°25'43.8"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'15.4"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension05h55m26.5s
Moon Declination+22°28'37.2"
Moon Semi-Diameter14'42.6"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°53'59.0"
ΔT84.4 s

Eclipse season

This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months 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.
December 5
Ascending node
December 20
Descending node
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 133
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 145

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 2048

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 145

Inex

Triad

Half-Saros cycle

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days. This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 152.
December 15, 2039December 26, 2057