February 2009 lunar eclipse

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A penumbral lunar eclipse will take place on February 9, 2009, the first of four lunar eclipses in 2009. [1]

Contents 1 Relation to other eclipses 1.1 Lunar year and Metonic cycles (354 days and 19 years) 2 See also 3 External links

[edit] Relation to other eclipses

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

This eclipse is the one of two short-lived parallel series:

• The lunar year series repeats after 12 lunations or 354 days (Shifting back about 10 days in sequential 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.

March 14, 2006 - partial (Saros 113) March 3, 2007 - total (Saros 123) February 21, 2008 - total (Saros 133) February 9, 2009 - penumbral (Saros 143)

These charts show the moon's path through the earth's shadow near its descending node. The path progresses southward through each sequential eclipse. The second and third are total.

[edit] See also

• List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st century lunar eclipses

[edit] External links