A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Friday, May 16, 2003, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1294. 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 only about 15 hours after perigee (on May 15, 2003, at 11:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse marks the beginning of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on November 9, 2003; May 4, 2004; and October 28, 2004. The previous series was in 1985 and 1986, starting with the May 1985 lunar eclipse. The next series was in 2014 and 2015, starting with the April 2014 lunar eclipse.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over eastern North America, South America, the Caribbean, Antarctica, and west Africa, seen rising over western North America and the Pacific Ocean and setting over Europe, west Asia, and much of Africa.
Hourly motion shown right to left The moon's path across the Earth's shadow near its descending node in Libra.
Gallery
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+May 16, 2003 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.07649 Umbral Magnitude 1.12938 Gamma 0.41234 Sun Right Ascension 03h30m07.2s Sun Declination +18°59'20.2" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'49.2" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 15h30m43.0s Moon Declination -18°35'31.7" Moon Semi-Diameter 16'42.2" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°01'18.2" ΔT 64.4 s
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.
+ Eclipse season of May 2003 May 16Descending node (full moon) May 31Ascending node (new moon) Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 121 Annular solar eclipseSolar Saros 147
Related eclipses Eclipses in 2003 A total lunar eclipse on May 16. An annular solar eclipse on May 31. A total lunar eclipse on November 9. A total solar eclipse on November 23.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 28, 1999 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 2007
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 1996 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 26, 2010
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 10, 1994 Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 20, 2012
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 1992 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 15, 2014
Lunar Saros 121 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 4, 1985 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 26, 2021
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 1974 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 25, 2032
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 15, 1916 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 15, 2090
Lunar eclipses of 2002–2005
Metonic series
Saros 121
Tritos series
Inex series
Half-Saros cycle A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 128. May 10, 1994May 20, 2012
See also List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses November 2003 lunar eclipse October 2004 lunar eclipse May 2004 lunar eclipse
References
External links Saros cycle 121
NASA Saros series 121 Lunar Eclipse Gallery Pictures of the May 15-16 Lunar Eclipse Prof. Druckmüller's eclipse photography site. Czech Republic