A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Thursday, October 28, 2004, with an umbral magnitude of 1.3100. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. 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. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Occurring about 5.4 days before apogee (on November 2, 2004, at 13:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller. This lunar eclipse is the last of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on May 16, 2003; November 9, 2004; and May 4, 2004.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over much of North and South America, west Africa, and western Europe, seen rising over western North America and the Pacific Ocean and setting over Africa, eastern Europe, and west Asia.

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 2004

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 136

Inex

Triad

Lunar eclipses of 2002–2005

Saros 136

This eclipse was a part of Saros cycle 136. The next occurrence will be on 8 November 2022. Solar Saros 143 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series. The greatest eclipse will occur on 21 April 2293, lasting 101 minutes and 23.5 seconds. The last total lunar eclipse will be on 7 July 2419 and the last partial lunar eclipse on 3 October 2563. The final lunar eclipse of Lunar Saros 136 will be on 1 June 2960.

Metonic series

This eclipse is the third of four Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, 28–29 October, each separated by 19 years:

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 solar eclipses of Solar Saros 143.