November 2002 lunar eclipse


A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, November 20, 2002, 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, the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.

Visibility

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.

The moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Taurus.

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude0.86176
Umbral Magnitude−0.22459
Gamma−1.11266
Sun Right Ascension15h41m07.8s
Sun Declination-19°36'53.3"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'11.2"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension03h42m30.3s
Moon Declination+18°39'15.4"
Moon Semi-Diameter14'54.0"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°54'40.9"
ΔT64.4 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.
November 20
Ascending node
December 4, 2002|December 4]
Descending node
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 116
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 142

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 2002

Metonic series

Tritos series

Inex series

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 123.
November 13, 1993November 25, 2011