December 2011 lunar eclipse

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Total Lunar Eclipse
10 December 2011

Singapore, 14:40 UTC

The Moon passes right to left through the Earth's shadow
Series (and member) 135 (23 of 71)
Gamma -0.3882
Magnitude 1.1061
Duration (hr:mn:sc)
Totality 0:51:08
Partial 3:32:15
Penumbral 5:56:21
Contacts (UTC)
P1 11:33:36
U1 12:45:43
U2 14:06:16
Greatest 14:31:49
U3 14:57:24
U4 16:17:58
P4 17:29:57

The Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Taurus

A total lunar eclipse took place on 10 December 2011. It was the second of two total lunar eclipses in 2011, the first having occurred on June 15. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon is positioned just right in its orbit to pass through Earth's shadow.

Visibility[edit]

NASA chart of the eclipse

Asia, Australia, and other areas of the Pacific had the best visibility. European countries only saw a partial eclipse of a rising moon, while northwestern North America saw a partial eclipse of a setting moon.

The eclipse was seen over the Philippines despite cloudy and rainy weather over parts of Luzon and other areas. Photos were taken by groups of amateur astronomers from the Astronomical League of the Philippines (ALP).[citation needed]

South America and portions of West Africa missed the eclipse completely as it happened in the early morning.[citation needed]

Gallery[edit]

Asia

Australia and Oceania

a series of 27 images of the moon during the eclipse
Sequence from 20:12 Dec 11 until 00:19 Dec 12 (AWST, UTC +8) Serpentine Dam, Western Australia view right to left as the moon passed across the sky

Europe and Middle East

North America

Contact timing by location[edit]

Times for Australia[edit]

The eclipse occurred on Saturday evening in Australia. Eastern Daylight Saving Time: (+11:00 UTC)

  • Penumbral Eclipse Begins: 22:33:32 EDST
  • Partial Eclipse Begins: 23:45:42 EDST
  • Total Eclipse Begins: 01:06:16 EDST
  • Greatest Eclipse: 01:31:49 EDST
  • Total Eclipse Ends: 01:57:24 EDST
  • Partial Eclipse Ends: 03:17:58 EDST
  • Penumbral Eclipse Ends: 04:30:00 EDST

Times for India[edit]

The eclipse was visible from India in the evening, given in India Standard Time (UTC+5:30):

  • Penumbral eclipse begins (P1): 17:04 IST
  • Partial eclipse begins (U1): 18:16 IST
  • Total eclipse begins (U2): 19:36 IST
  • Mid-eclipse: 20:02 IST
  • Total eclipse ends (U3): 20:27 IST
  • Partial eclipse ends (U4): 21:48 IST
  • Penumbral eclipse ends (P4): 23:00 IST

Times for North America[edit]

The eclipse was visible on Saturday morning before sunrise over North America. For most location the moon set before full lunar eclipse. Only Alaska and northernmost Canada will be able to witness the entire event.

Contact North America UTC
AST
(UTC−9)
PST
(UTC−8)
MST
(UTC−7)
CST
(UTC−6)
EST
(UTC−5)
Penumbral begins (P1) 2:34 am 3:34 am 4:34 am 5:34 am 6:34 am 11:34
Partial begins (U1) 3:46 am 4:46 am 5:46 am 6:46 am 7:46 am 12:46
Totality begins (U2) 5:06 am 6:06 am 7:06 am 8:06 am 9:06 am 14:06
Mid-eclipse 5:32 am 6:32 am 7:32 am 8:32 am 9:32 am 14:32
Totality ends (U3) 5:57 am 6:57 am 7:57 am 8:57 am 9:57 am 14:57
Partial ends (U4) 7:18 am 8:18 am 9:18 am 10:18 am 11:18 am 16:18
Penumbral ends (P4) 8:30 am 9:30 am 10:30 am 11:30 am 12:30 pm 17:30
(Table entries are given a dark background for invisibility due to moonset)

Related eclipses[edit]

Eclipses of 2011[edit]

It was preceded by the partial solar eclipse of November 25, 2011.

Half-Saros cycle[edit]

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[1] This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 142.

4 December 2002 14 December 2020

Lunar year (354 days)[edit]

This eclipse is the one of four lunar eclipses in a short-lived 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.

Lunar eclipse series sets from 2009–2013
Ascending node   Descending node
Saros #
Photo
Date
Viewing
Type
chart
Gamma Saros #
Photo
Date
Viewing
Type
chart
Gamma
110 2009 Jul 07
penumbral
−1.4916 115
2009 Dec 31
partial
0.9766
120
2010 Jun 26
partial
−0.7091 125
2010 Dec 21
total
0.3214
130
2011 Jun 15
total
0.0897 135
2011 Dec 10
total
−0.3882
140
2012 Jun 04
partial
0.8248 145 2012 Nov 28
penumbral
−1.0869
150 2013 May 25
penumbral
1.5351
Last set 2009 Aug 06 Last set 2009 Feb 9
Next set 2013 Apr 25 Next set 2013 Oct 18

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros

External links[edit]

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