May 1984 lunar eclipse


A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Tuesday, May 15, 1984, with an umbral magnitude of −0.1759. 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 days after perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over much of North America, South America, and Antarctica, seen rising over northwestern North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over Africa and much of 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 Magnitude0.80710
Umbral Magnitude−0.17593
Gamma1.11308
Sun Right Ascension03h28m40.8s
Sun Declination+18°54'19.8"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'49.2"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.7"
Moon Right Ascension15h30m13.7s
Moon Declination-17°52'23.9"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'05.6"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°59'03.7"
ΔT54.0 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. The first and last eclipse in this sequence is separated by one synodic month.
May 15
Descending node
May 30
Ascending node
June 13
Descending node
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 111
Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 137
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 149

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1984

A penumbral lunar eclipse on May 15.

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 111

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 118.
May 11, 1975May 21, 1993