Dec. 21, 2010, Total Lunar Eclipse Belongs to Saros Cycle 125

Summary: The Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010, total lunar eclipse belongs to Saros cycle 125, a series of 72 similar lunar eclipses.

Penumbral lunar eclipse of July 17, 1163, opened Saros 125’s lineup of 72 lunar eclipses: "Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment, Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak and Jean Meeus (NASA's GSFC)," via NASA Eclipse Web Site

The Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010, total lunar eclipse belongs to Saros cycle 125, which comprises 72 lunar eclipses with similar geometries.

Late December’s total lunar eclipse begins Tuesday, Dec. 21, at 5:29:17 Universal Time (12:29:17 a.m. Eastern Standard Time), according to NASA’s Eclipse Web Site. The eclipse ends 11:04:31 UT (6:04:31 a.m. EST).

December 2010’s total lunar eclipse appears as number 48 in the lineup of 72 lunar eclipses that compose Saros cycle 125. Similar geometries unite the 72 lunar eclipses into a family, known as a series.

Retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak’s EclipseWise website describes Saros 125 lunar eclipses as sharing the geometry of occurring at the moon’s descending node. With each succeeding eclipse in Saros 125, the lunar movement is northward with respect to the descending node.

The descending node pairs with the ascending node as intersecting points of Earth’s orbit by the lunar orbit. The two nodes reflect the approximately 5.1 degree tilt of the lunar orbit with respect to Earth’s orbit. The ascending node indicates the moon’s orbital crossing to the north of Earth’s orbit. The descending node marks the lunar orbital crossing to the south of Earth’s orbit.

A Saros cycle of periodicity and recurrence of eclipses approximates 6,585.3 days (18 years 11 days 8 hours). Each series produces 70 or more lunar eclipses, each separated by a Saros cycle. The timeline for a series typically spans 12 to 15 centuries.

Saros series 125 spans 1,280.14 years, according to NASA Eclipse Web Site. Saros series 125 lasts 14 centuries. Saros series 125 spans the 12th through 25th centuries.

Lunar eclipses in Saros cycle 125 occur in the sequence order of 17 penumbral lunar eclipses, 13 partial lunar eclipses, 26 total lunar eclipses, nine partial lunar eclipses and seven penumbral eclipses. Total lunar eclipses claim the most number of Saros 125 eclipses, with a total of 26 occurrences. Penumbral lunar eclipses account for the second most frequent lunar eclipse type in the series, with a total of 24 occurrences.

The 12th century’s penumbral eclipse of July 17, 1163, initiated Saros cycle 125. This event experienced its greatest eclipse over the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Kingdom of Tona.

The 12th century’s opening Saros 125 eclipse is dated according to the Julian Calendar. The NASA Eclipse Web Site’s Key to Catalog of Lunar Eclipses notes the use of the Julian Calendar for dates before Oct. 4, 1582, and the application of the Gregorian Calendar for dates after Oct. 15, 1582.

The 25th century’s penumbral eclipse of Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2443, ends Saros series 125. This eclipse numbers as the seventh in Saros 125’s closing set of seven penumbral lunar eclipses. This event's greatest eclipse will take place over the South Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka, east of Kenya and west of Sumatra.

The Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010, total lunar eclipse occurs as number 18 within the sequence of 26 total lunar eclipses in Saros series 125. This event's greatest eclipse occurs over the North Pacific Ocean, west of Mexico's Baja California Sur (Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California Sur; Free and Sovereign State of South Lower California).

The total lunar eclipse of Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1992, is the immediate predecessor of the Dec. 21, 2010, total lunar eclipse. The Dec. 9, 1992, total lunar eclipse appears as number 17 in the total lunar eclipse sequence and as number 47 in Saros 125’s lineup of 72 eclipses. This event experienced its greatest eclipse over southern Algeria's Tamanrasset (Berber: Tamanghasset) Province.

The total lunar eclipse of Sunday, Dec. 31, 2028, will appear as the successor of the Dec. 21, 2010, total lunar eclipse in Saros cycle 125. This eclipse numbers as 19 within the sequence of 26 total lunar eclipses and as 49 in the series’ lineup of 72 eclipses. This event's greatest eclipse will take place over Southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The takeaway for the Dec. 21, 2010, total lunar eclipse is that the event occurs as number 18 in Saros series 125’s set of 26 total lunar eclipses and as number 48 in the series’ lineup of 72 lunar eclipses.

Penumbral lunar eclipse of Sept. 9, 2443, will close Saros 125’s lineup of 72 lunar eclipse: "Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment, Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak and Jean Meeus (NASA's GSFC)," via NASA Eclipse Web Site

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Penumbral lunar eclipse of July 17, 1163, opened Saros 125’s lineup of 72 lunar eclipses: "Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment, Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak and Jean Meeus (NASA's GSFC)," via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1101-1200/LE1163-07-17N.gif

Penumbral lunar eclipse of Sept. 9, 2443, will close Saros 125’s lineup of 72 lunar eclipses: "Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment, Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak and Jean Meeus (NASA's GSFC)," via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2401-2500/LE2443-09-09N.gif

For further information:

Espenak, Fred. “2010 Dec 21: Total Lunar Eclipse.” NASA Eclipse Web Site > Eclipses During 2010.
Available via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html

Espenak, Fred. “Key to Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Saros Series 125.
Available via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEsaros/LEsaroscatkey.html

Espenak, Fred. “Penumbral 1163 Jul 17.” NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipses of Saros Series 1 to 180: Summary of Saros Series 101 to 125: 125 > Saros Series 125: 01 -36 1163 Jul 17.
Available via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1101-1200/LE1163-07-17N.gif

Espenak, Fred. “Penumbral 2443 Sep 09.” NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipses of Saros Series 1 to 180: Summary of Saros Series 101 to 125: 125 > Saros Series 125: 72 35 2443.
Available via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2401-2500/LE2443-09-09N.gif

Espenak, Fred. “Total 1992 Dec 09." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipses of Saros Series 1 to 180: Summary of Saros Series 101 to 125: 47 10 1992 Dec 09.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1901-2000/LE1992-12-09T.gif

Espenak, Fred. “Total 2028 Dec 31." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipses of Saros Series 1 to 180: Summary of Saros Series 101 to 125: 49 12 2028 Dec 31.
Available via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2001-2100/LE2028-12-31T.gif

Espenak, Fred; Jean Meeus. "Saros Series 125." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipses of Saros Series 1 to 180.
Available via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEsaros/LEsaros125.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "One Exeligmos Unites Dec. 21, 2010, and Nov. 18, 1956, Lunar Eclipses." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2010/12/one-exeligmos-unites-dec-21-2010-and.html

Smith, Ian Cameron. "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 9 Sep, 2443 AD." Moon Blink > Hermit Eclipse > Eclipse Database > Full Lunar Catalog >2001-3000 AD > 2401 AD > 2441-2460 AD. Available @ https://moonblink.info/Eclipse/eclipse/2443_09_09

Smith, Ian Cameron. "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 17 Jul, 1163 AD." Moon Blink > Hermit Eclipse > Eclipse Database > Full Lunar Catalog >1001-2000 AD > 1101 AD > 1161-1180 AD.
Available @ https://moonblink.info/Eclipse/eclipse/1163_07_17

Smith, Ian Cameron. "Total Lunar Eclipse of 9 Dec, 1992 AD." Moon Blink > Hermit Eclipse > Eclipse Database > Full Lunar Catalog >1001-2000 AD > 1901 AD > 1981-2000 AD.
Available @ https://moonblink.info/Eclipse/eclipse/1992_12_09

Smith, Ian Cameron. "Total Lunar Eclipse of 21 Dec, 2010 AD." Moon Blink > Hermit Eclipse > Eclipse Database > Full Lunar Catalog >2001-3000 AD > 2001 AD > 2001-2020 AD.
Available @ https://moonblink.info/Eclipse/eclipse/2010_12_21

Smith, Ian Cameron. "Total Lunar Eclipse of 31 Dec, 2028 AD." Moon Blink > Hermit Eclipse > Eclipse Database > Full Lunar Catalog >2001-3000 AD > 2001 AD > 2021-2040 AD.
Available @ https://moonblink.info/Eclipse/eclipse/2028_12_31

Walker, John. “Lunar Perigee and Apogee Calculator.” Fourmilab Switzerland > Earth and Moon Viewer.
Available @ https://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/pacalc.html