March 1998 lunar eclipse


A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Friday, March 13, 1998, with an umbral magnitude of −0.3824. 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 2.3 days before apogee, the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.

Visibility

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

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude0.70862
Umbral Magnitude−0.38237
Gamma1.19644
Sun Right Ascension23h32m02.0s
Sun Declination-03°01'14.6"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'05.6"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.8"
Moon Right Ascension11h33m20.6s
Moon Declination+04°02'58.3"
Moon Semi-Diameter14'45.1"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°54'08.2"
ΔT63.0 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.
February 26
Descending node
March 13
Ascending node
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 130
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 142

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1998

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 142

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 partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 149.
March 7, 1989March 19, 2007
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