August 2007 lunar eclipse

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August 28, 2007 Total Lunar Eclipse
Lunar eclipse at 9:48 UTC, beginning of totality, rising after sunset from Wollongong, Australia
The moon's path through the earth's southern shadow.
Series (and member)	128 (40 of 71)
Date	August 28, 2007
Duration (hr:mn:sc)
Totality	1:30:46
Partial	3:32:54
Penumbral	5:30:18
Contacts
P1	7:52:11 UTC
U1	8:50:57 UTC
U2	9:52:00 UTC
Greatest	10:37:22 UTC
U3	11:22:45 UTC
U4	12:23:50 UTC
P4	13:22:29 UTC
Eclipse across ascending node in Aquarius

A total lunar eclipse occurred on August 28, 2007, lasting just over 90 minutes. The Moon entered the Earth's penumbra at 07:53:39 UTC. The first partial phase began in earnest at 08:51:16 UTC when the Moon entered the Earth's umbra. It exited the penumbra at 13:21:02 UTC.

It was the "longest and deepest lunar eclipse to be seen in 7 years".^[1] ^[2] In the total lunar eclipse of July 16, 2000 the moon passed within two arc minutes of the center of the Earth's shadow. In comparison this still very deep eclipse was offcenter by over 12 minutes of arc.^[3] The next lunar eclipse of a longer duration will be on June 15, 2011.

The lunar eclipse was the second one in 2007. The first one occurred on March 3, 2007.

1 Viewing
2 Relation to other lunar eclipses
- 2.1 Saros cycle (18.03 years)
- 2.2 Lunar year and Metonic cycles (354 days and 19 years)
3 Photo gallery
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Viewing

Viewing from Oceania is favoured for the eclipse, because at the moment of greatest eclipse (10:37:22 UTC), the Moon was at the zenith of French Polynesia. The Pacific regions of Canada and the continental United States (including all of Alaska) witnessed the whole event, along with most of eastern Australia, New Zealand and all the Pacific Island regions (except New Guinea), and the tip of the Chukchi Peninsula that includes the town of Uelen, Russia. The majority of the Americas observed an abbreviated eclipse, with moonset occurring at some time during the eclipse. Siberia, far eastern Russia, eastern South Asia, China, the rest of eastern and southeastern Asia, New Guinea, and the rest of Australia missed out on the beginning of the eclipse, because the eclipse occurred at or close to moonrise in those regions. ^[4]

The Philippines, particularly Metro Manila, missed the rare eclipse entirely, due to clouds in the area due to the rainy season, which saddened many eclipse watchers in the area. The eclipse was also missed in New Guinea, especially Port Moresby because of clouds. Greenland, Europe (including western Russia), Africa, western Asia, western Central Asia, and western South Asia missed the eclipse completely.

This simulated view of the earth from the center of the moon during the lunar eclipse shows where the eclipse is visible on earth.

[edit] Relation to other lunar eclipses

This eclipse at the moon's ascending node was the second of two lunar eclipses to occur in 2007. The first at the descending node was on March 3, 2007.

[edit] Saros cycle (18.03 years)

This eclipse is a part of the Saros cycle series 128, repeating every 18 years and 11 days. It last occurred on August 17, 1989 and will next occur on September 7, 2025. The first total lunar eclipse of this series was on May 21, 1845, and last will be on October 21, 2097. The longest occurrence of this series was on July 26, 1953 when totality lasted 102 minutes.^[5]

[edit] Lunar year and Metonic cycles (354 days and 19 years)

This eclipse is the one of four lunar eclipses in two short-lived parallel series:

The lunar year series repeats after 12 lunations or 354 days (Shifting back about 10 days in sequentual years). Because of the date shift, the earth's shadow will be about 11 degrees west in sequential events.
The Metonic cycle repeats nearly exactly every 19 years and represents a Saros cycle plus one lunar year. Because it occurs on the same calendar date, the earth's shadow will in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.

Lunar years (12 lunations, 354 days)	Metonic cycles (19 years)
September 7, 2006 - partial (Saros series 118) August 28, 2007 - total (Saros series 128) August 16, 2008 - partial (Saros series 138) August 6, 2009 - penumbral (Saros series 148)	August 27, 1988 - partial (Saros series 118) August 28, 2007 - total (Saros series 128) August 28, 2026 - partial (Saros series 138) August 27, 2045 - penumbral (Saros series 148)
These charts show the moon's path through the earth's shadow near its ascending node. The path progresses northward through each sequential eclipse. Only the second is total.

[edit] Photo gallery

From Sydney, Australia.	A wider angle shows stars around the moon.	A full sky view (moon on left) shows the Milky way across the sky which is usually invisible under a full moon.
Overview from start until total eclipse. Bakersfield, California	From Swifts Creek, Australia 3 minute intervals	August 28, 2007 lunar eclipse, a collage of photos taken from the Oregon coast by Randall Scholten.
Total lunar eclipse taken from Melbourne, Australia on August 28, 2007.	Collage from the Oregon coast.