A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Tuesday, May 4, 2004, with an umbral magnitude of 1.3035. 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 1.2 days before perigee (on May 6, 2004, at 0:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse is the third of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on May 16, 2003; November 9, 2003; and October 28, 2004.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over much of Africa, eastern Europe, Antarctica, and Asia, central, and south Asia, seen rising over South America, western Europe, and west Africa and setting over east Asia and Australia.
Hourly motion shown right to left The moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of Libra.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+May 4, 2004 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.26449 Umbral Magnitude 1.30536 Gamma −0.31320 Sun Right Ascension 02h48m55.8s Sun Declination +16°14'51.5" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'51.5" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 14h48m25.1s Moon Declination -16°32'22.6" Moon Semi-Diameter 16'32.0" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°00'40.8" ΔT 64.5 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 April–May 2004 April 19Ascending node (new moon) May 4Descending node (full moon) Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 119 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 131
Related lunar eclipses Eclipses in 2004 A partial solar eclipse on April 19. A total lunar eclipse on May 4. A partial solar eclipse on October 14. A total lunar eclipse on October 28.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 2000 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 21, 2008
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1997 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 2011
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 29, 1995 Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 10, 2013
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 1993 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 2015
Lunar Saros 131 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1986 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 16, 2022
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1975 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 14, 2033
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 4, 1917 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 5, 2091
Lunar eclipses of 2002–2005
Saros 131
Metonic series
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 138. April 29, 1995May 10, 2013
See also List of lunar eclipses and List of 21st-century lunar eclipses May 2003 lunar eclipse November 2003 lunar eclipse October 2004 lunar eclipse
Notes
External links NASA
APOD 2004 May 6, A Lunar Eclipse Mosaic, from Greece APOD 2004 May 8, Good Morning Sydney, Sydney Australia Photos Spaceweather.com: Lunar eclipse gallery