January 2018 lunar eclipse

Total lunar eclipse
January 31, 2018
Ecliptic north up

The moon will pass west to east (right to left) through the Earth's shadow.
Saros (and member) 124 (49 of 74)
Gamma -0.3014
Duration (hr:mn:sc)
Totality 1:16:04
Partial 3:22:44
Penumbral 5:17:12
Contacts (UTC)
P1 10:51:15
U1 11:48:27
U2 12:51:47
Greatest 13:29:50
U3 14:07:51
U4 15:11:11
P4 16:08:27

A total lunar eclipse will take place on January 31, 2018.

Visibility

It will be visible over north-western North America, the Pacific, Asia, and Australia.


View of earth from moon during greatest eclipse

Visibility map

Background

Main article: Lunar eclipse

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes within Earth's umbra (shadow). As the eclipse begins, Earth's shadow first darkens the Moon slightly. Then, the shadow begins to "cover" part of the Moon, turning it a dark red-brown color (typically – the color can vary based on atmospheric conditions). The Moon appears to be reddish because of Rayleigh scattering (the same effect that causes sunsets to appear reddish) and the refraction of that light by Earth's atmosphere into its umbra.[1]

The following simulation shows the approximate appearance of the Moon passing through Earth's shadow. The Moon's brightness is exaggerated within the umbral shadow. The northern portion of the Moon was closest to the center of the shadow, making it darkest, and most red in appearance.

Lunar year series

Saros series

It is part of Saros cycle 124.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Fred Espenak & Jean Meeus. "Visual Appearance of Lunar Eclipses". NASA. Retrieved April 13, 2014.


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