A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Monday, February 9, 2009, with an umbral magnitude of −0.0863. 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 1.9 days after perigee (on February 7, 2009, at 15:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger. This eclipse was the first of four lunar eclipses in 2009, with the others occurring on July 7 (penumbral), August 6 (penumbral), and December 31 (partial). It also happened on the Lantern Festival, the first since February 20, 1989.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over east Asia and Australia, seen rising over east Africa, eastern Europe, and west Asia and setting over North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Images

Gallery

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.

Eclipse season

This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) 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.

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 2009

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 143

Inex

Triad

Lunar eclipses of 2006–2009

Half-Saros cycle

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros). This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 150.