Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Dec 31

Fred Espenak

Key to Lunar Eclipse Figure (below)

Introduction

The Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Dec 31 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia

The diagram to the right depicts the Moon's path with respect to Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows. Below it is a map showing the geographic regions of eclipse visibility. Click on the figure to enlarge it. For an explanation of the features appearing in the figure, see Key to Lunar Eclipse Figures.

The instant of greatest eclipse takes place on 2009 Dec 31 at 19:23:46 TD (19:22:40 UT1). This is 1.1 days before the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Moon is in the constellation Gemini. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 1076.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 115 and is number 57 of 72 eclipses in the series. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s descending node. The Moon moves northward with respect to the node with each succeeding eclipse in the series and gamma increases.

This is a very shallow partial eclipse. It has an umbral eclipse magnitude of only 0.0779 and a partial eclipse duration of 60.8 minutes. Gamma has a value of 0.9766.

The partial lunar eclipse of 2009 Dec 31 is followed two weeks later by a annular solar eclipse on 2010 Jan 15.

These eclipses all take place during a single eclipse season.

The eclipse predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., TD = UT1 + ΔT). ΔT has a value of 66.1 seconds for this eclipse.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Dec 31 .

Eclipse Data: Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Dec 31

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 1.05719
Umbral Magnitude 0.07793
Gamma 0.97660
Epsilon 0.9921°
Opposition Times
Event Calendar Date & Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 2009 Dec 31 at 19:23:46.2 TD (19:22:40.1 UT1) 2455197.307409
Ecliptic Opposition 2009 Dec 31 at 19:13:51.1 TD (19:12:45.0 UT1) 2455197.300521
Equatorial Opposition 2009 Dec 31 at 19:05:52.9 TD (19:04:46.8 UT1) 2455197.294986
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
2009 Dec 31 at 19:23:46.2 TD (19:22:40.1 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension18h44m37.2s06h45m22.4s
Declination-23°02'33.1"+24°01'10.3"
Semi-Diameter 16'15.9" 16'36.6"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.9" 1°00'57.6"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l -2.2°
b -1.3°
c 3.0°
Earth's Shadows
Parameter Value
Penumbral Radius 1.3034°
Umbral Radius 0.7612°
Prediction Paramaters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE430
ΔT 66.1 s
Shadow Rule Herald/Sinnott
Shadow Enlargement 1.000
Saros Series 115 (57/72)

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Data Tables

Eclipse Contacts: Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Dec 31

Lunar Eclipse Contacts
Eclipse Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Zenith Latitude Zenith Longitude Position Angle Axis Distance
Penumbral BeginsP117:17:56.717:16:50.624°14.1'N100°26.9'E 318.9° 1.5780°
Partial BeginsU118:53:31.618:52:25.524°04.3'N077°34.1'E 353.4° 1.0351°
Greatest EclipseGreatest19:23:46.219:22:40.124°01.2'N070°19.7'E 10.0° 0.9921°
Partial EndsU419:54:18.519:53:12.423°57.9'N063°01.1'E 26.7° 1.0359°
Penumbral EndsP421:29:45.421:28:39.323°47.5'N040°10.0'E 61.1° 1.5802°
Eclipse Durations
Eclipse Phase Duration
Penumbral (P4 - P1)04h11m48.7s
Partial (U4 - U1)01h00m46.9s

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Contacts Table

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Dec 31

Polynomial Besselian Elements
2009 Dec 31 at 19:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d f1 f2 f3
0 -0.05655 1.01728 -0.4022 1.30333 0.76115 0.27681
1 0.57693 -0.10138 0.0001 0.00024 0.00024 0.00006
2 0.00011 -0.00027 0.0000 -0.00000 -0.00000 -0.00000
3 -0.00001 0.00000 - - - -

At time t1 (decimal hours), each besselian element is evaluated by:

x = x0 + x1*t + x2*t2 + x3*t3 (or x = Σ [xn*tn]; n = 0 to 3)

where: t = t1 - t0 (decimal hours) and t0 = 19.000

Explanation of Besselian Elements

Eclipse Publications

jpeg jpeg
jpeg jpeg
jpeg

For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing


Links for the Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Dec 31

Links to Additional Lunar Eclipse Information

• Decade Tables of Lunar Eclipses:
| 1901 - 1910 | 1911 - 1919 | 1921 - 1930 | 1931 - 1940 | 1941 - 1950 |
| 1951 - 1960 | 1961 - 1970 | 1971 - 1980 | 1981 - 1990 | 1991 - 2000 |
| 2001 - 2010 | 2011 - 2020 | 2021 - 2030 | 2031 - 2040 | 2041 - 2050 |
| 2051 - 2060 | 2061 - 2070 | 2071 - 2080 | 2081 - 2090 | 2091 - 2100 |

Lunar Eclipse Publications

Eclipse Predictions

Predictions for the Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2009 Dec 31 were generated using the JPL DE430 solar and lunar ephemerides. The lunar coordinates were calculated with respect to the Moon's Center of Mass.

The elliptical shape of Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows were calculated using the Herald/Sinnott method of modeling Earth's shadows to compensate for the opacity of the terrestrial atmosphere (including the oblateness of Earth).

The predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 66.1 seconds for this eclipse.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this web site is based on the book 21st Century Canon of Lunar Eclipses. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy.

Permission is granted to reproduce eclipse data when accompanied by a link to this page and an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, www.EclipseWise.com"

The use of diagrams and maps is permitted provided that they are NOT altered (except for re-sizing) and the embedded credit line is NOT removed or covered.