A total lunar eclipse occurred on the evening of Wednesday, February 20, and morning of Thursday, February 21, 2008. It was visible in the eastern evening sky on February 20 for all of North and South America, and on February 21 in the predawn western sky from most of Africa and Europe. Greatest Eclipse occurring on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 03:26:03 UTC, totality lasting 49 minutes and 45.6 seconds. Occurring 7.1 days after perigee and 6.9 days before apogee, the Moon's apparent diameter was near the average diameter. The total lunar eclipse was the first of the two lunar eclipses in 2008, with the second, the August 16, 2008 event being partial. The next total lunar eclipse occurred on December 21, 2010. The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Total Lunar Eclipse of 21 February 2008. The moon's apparent diameter was 26.2 arcseconds larger than the August 16, 2008 partial lunar eclipse.
This is the second eclipse this season. First eclipse this season: 7 February 2008 Annular Solar Eclipse Date = 21 February 2008 Penumbral Magnitude = 2.14507 Umbral Magnitude = 1.10618 Gamma: -0.39923 Greatest Eclipse: 21 Feb 2008 03:26:03.3 UTC Ecliptic Opposition: 21 Feb 2008 03:30:30.8 UTC Equatorial Opposition: 21 Feb 2008 03:48:25.7 UTC Sun right ascension: 22 hours, 15 minutes, 30.0 seconds Moon right ascension: 10 hours, 14 minutes, 48.5 seconds Earth's shadow right ascension: 10 hours, 15 minutes, 30.0 seconds Sun declination: 10 degrees, 48 minutes, 31.3 seconds south of Celestial Equator Moon declination: 10 degrees, 28 minutes, 7.6 seconds north of Celestial Equator Earth's shadow declination: 10 degrees, 48 minutes, 31.3 seconds north of Celestial Equator Sun diameter: 1941.0 arcseconds Moon diameter: 1868.4 arcseconds Penumbra diameter: 2 degrees, 1684.08 arcseconds Umbra diameter: 1 degree, 1402.56 arcseconds Saros Series: 133rd Node: Descending Node
Libration of Moon
Latitude: 4.8 degrees north Longitude: 0.5 degrees east Position Angle: 19.4
Eclipse Durations of Total Lunar Eclipse 21 February 2008
The eclipse was visible in the eastern evening sky on February 20 for all of North and South America, and on February 21 in the predawn western sky from most of Africa and Europe. The penumbral eclipse began at 00:35 UTC, and ended at 6:17. A partial eclipse existed from 1:43 until 3:00, followed by 51 minutes of totality, and then partial again from 3:51 until 5:09. It is possible to mistake the appearance of partial eclipse as the moon being in a different phase, but the shadow from the eclipse changes much more rapidly. The bright star Regulus of Leo and the planet Saturn were prominent very near the moon during the total eclipse portion. Shortly before the eclipse began, Regulus was occulted by the moon in parts of the far Southern Atlantic Ocean and Antarctica.
This lunar eclipse is part of series 133 of the Saros cycle, which repeats every 18 years and 11 days. Series 133 runs from the year 1557 until 2819. The previous eclipse of this series occurred on February 9, 1990 and the next will occur on March 3, 2026. It is the 6th of 21 total lunar eclipses in series 133. The first was on December 28, 1917. The last will be on August 3, 2278. The longest two occurrences of this series will last for a total of 1 hour and 42 minutes on May 18, 2152 and May 30, 2170. Solar saros 140 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series.
Metonic cycle (19 years)
This is the fourth of five Metonic lunar eclipses.
Half-Saros cycle
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days. This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 140.
The moon entered the penumbral shadow at 0:36 UTC, and the umbral shadow at 1:43. Totality lasted for 50 minutes, between 3:01 and 3:51. The moon left the umbra shadow at 5:09 and left the penumbra shadow at 6:16.
