Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, Total Lunar Eclipse Belongs to Saros Cycle 136

Summary: The Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, total lunar eclipse belongs to Saros cycle 136, a series of 72 similar lunar eclipses.

A penumbral eclipse on April 13, 1680, opened Saros cycle 136's lineup of 72 similar eclipses; credit: Eclipse map/figure/table/predictions courtesy of Fred Espenak, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, from eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov: no copyright, via NASA Eclipse Web Site

The Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, total lunar eclipse belongs to Saros cycle 136, which comprises 72 lunar eclipses displaying similar geometries.

The Saros cycle links eclipses with similar geometries, such as occurrence at the same lunar node, which represents the crossing point of the moon's and Earth's orbits. Same Saros cycle eclipses evince an approximately similar distance from Earth and a similar time of occurrence in the year. The Saros cycle places similar eclipses into families, known as series.

Saros cycle 136 lunar eclipses occur at the moon's ascending node, which marks the point of the moon's crossing to the north of Earth's orbit. Each Saros cycle 136 lunar eclipse reveals the moon's southward movement with respect to the node.

A Saros cycle spans approximately 6,585.3 days (18 years 11 days 8 hours). Saros cycle 136 specifically lasts for 1280.14 years, according to the NASA Eclipse Web Site. Saros series 136's first eclipse appeared as a penumbral eclipse April 13, 1680, with the lunar passage through the northern edge of Earth's penumbra (the lighter, outer region of Earth's shadow). The cycle's 72nd and final eclipse will take place June 1, 2960, near the penumbra's southern edge.

Saros cycle 136's 72 lunar eclipses sequence as eight penumbral, seven partial, 27 total, eight partial and 22 penumbral. The cycle's first eight lunar eclipses, occurring as penumbral eclipses, began April 13, 1680, and ended June 30, 1806. Eclipses nine through 15 of the series appeared as partials, between July 11, 1824, and Sep. 14, 1932, respectively.

The Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, lunar eclipse falls within Saros 136 cycle's set of 27 total lunar eclipses. The set opened Tuesday, Sep. 26, 1950, as the set's first total lunar eclipse and as number 16 in the cycle's 72-member lineup. The set closes Sunday, July 7, 2419, with the set's 27th and last total lunar eclipse, which numbers as 42nd in Saros 136 cycle's 72-member lineup.

November's total lunar eclipse numbers as fifth of the set's 27 total lunar eclipses. November's total lunar eclipse occupies the 20th spot in the cycle's membership of 72 eclipses.

The Saros cycle 136 predecessor of November's total lunar eclipse was the total lunar eclipse of Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004. The October 2004 total lunar eclipse numbered as 19 in Saros 136 cycle's 72-member lineup and as fourth in the cycle's 27-member set of total eclipses.

The Saros cycle 136 successor of the Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, total lunar eclipse will be the total lunar eclipse of Sunday, Nov. 18, 2040. The November 2040 event numbers as 21st in Saros 136 cycle's 72-member lineup and as sixth in the cycle's 27-member set of total eclipses.

The eclipse predictions by now-retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak and Belgian mathematical astronomer Jean Meeus on NASA’s Eclipse Web Site identify the Friday, April 21, 2293, total lunar eclipse's duration of 01 hour 41 minutes 23 seconds as the longest lasting in the Saros 136 cycle's set of 27 total lunar eclipses. The April 2293 total lunar eclipse numbers as the 35th of the Saros 136 cycle's 72-member lineup and as the 20th in the total lunar eclipse set of 27.

Saros 136 cycle's fourth set, comprising eight partial lunar eclipses, follows the cycle's set of 27 total lunar eclipses. The fourth set, which sequences as the cycle's second of two partial eclipse sets, opens Saturday July 18, 2437. The July 2437 partial lunar eclipse numbers as the 43rd in the cycle's 72-member lineup. The fourth set ends with the Monday, Oct. 3, 2563, partial lunar eclipse, which numbers as the 50th of the Saros 136 cycle's 72-member lineup.

Saros 136 cycle's first and second sets of partial lunar eclipse claim the longest and shortest lasting partial lunar eclipses, respectively. The partial lunar eclipse of Wednesday, Sep. 14, 1932, had a length of 03 hours 23 minutes 58 seconds. Saros 136 cycle's 15th and last partial lunar eclipse, occurring Monday, Oct. 3, 2563, will have a brevity of 58 minutes 12 seconds.

Saros 136 cycle's second set of penumbral eclipses numbers as the cycle's fifth and last set. The set of 22 penumbral eclipses opens Saturday, Oct. 13, 2581, with the 51st of the cycle's 72-member lineup. The set closes Sunday, June 1, 2960, with the cycle's 72nd and last eclipse.

Saros 136 cycle's first and second sets of penumbral eclipses claim the longest and shortest lasting penumbral lunar eclipses, respectively. The first set's Monday, June 30, 1806, penumbral eclipse had a length of 4 hours 43 minutes 33 seconds. The June 1806 eclipse closed the cycle's first set of penumbral eclipses and numbered as the eighth of the cycle's 72-member lineup. The Sunday, June 1, 2960 penumbral lunar eclipse, which closed Saros 136 as the cycle's 30th and last penumbral eclipse and as the cycle's 72nd and last member, will have a brevity of 46 minutes 6 seconds.

The takeaways for the Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, total lunar eclipse's belonging to Saros cycle 136 are that the event numbers as the fifth of the cycle's 27 total lunar eclipses and that the November 2022 total lunar eclipse occurs as the 20th in the cycle's 72-member lineup.

A penumbral eclipse on June 1, 2960, will close Saros cycle 136 as the cycle's 72nd and last member; credit: Eclipse map/figure/table/predictions courtesy of Fred Espenak, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, from eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov: no copyright, 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:

A penumbral eclipse on April 13, 1680, opened Saros cycle 136's lineup of 72 similar eclipses; credit: Eclipse map/figure/table/predictions courtesy of Fred Espenak, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, from eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov: no copyright, via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1601-1700/LE1680-04-13N.gif

A penumbral eclipse on June 1, 2960, will close Saros cycle 136 as the cycle's 72nd and last member; credit: Eclipse map/figure/table/predictions courtesy of Fred Espenak, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, from eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov: no copyright, via NASA Eclipse Web Site @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2901-3000/LE2960-06-01N.gif

For further information:

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

Espenak, Fred. "Partial 1824 Jul 11." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1801-1900/LE1824-07-11P.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Partial 1932 Sep 14." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1901-2000/LE1932-09-14P.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Partial 2437 Jul 18." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2401-2500/LE2437-07-18P.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Partial 2563 Oct 03." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2501-2600/LE2563-10-03P.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Penumbral 1680 Apr 13." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1601-1700/LE1680-04-13N.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Penumbral 2581 Oct 13." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2501-2600/LE2581-10-13N.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Penumbral 2960 Jun 01." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2901-3000/LE2960-06-01N.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Penumbral (T)1806 Jun 30." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1801-1900/LE1806-06-30N.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Saros Series 136." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEsaros/LEsaros136.html

Espenak, Fred. "Total 1950 Sep 26." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1901-2000/LE1950-09-26T.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Total 2004 Oct 28." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2001-2100/LE2004-10-28T.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Total 2040 Nov 18." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2001-2100/LE2040-11-18T.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Total 2293 Apr 21." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2201-2300/LE2293-04-21T.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Total 2419 Jul 07." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series > Lunar Eclipse Catalogs > Summary of Saros Series 126 to 150.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/2401-2500/LE2419-07-07T.gif

Espenak, Fred. "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2022 Nov 08." EclipseWise > Lunar Eclipses > Recent and Upcoming Lunar Eclipses > Decade Tables of Lunar Eclipses > Lunar Eclipses: 2021-2030.
Available @ http://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/2001-2100/LE2022Nov08Tprime.html

Espenak, Fred. "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2022 Nov 08." NASA Eclipse Web Site > Lunar Eclipses > Decade Long Tables of Past and Future Lunar Eclipses > Lunar Eclipses: 2021-2030.
Available @ https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot2001/LE2022Nov08T.pdf

Marriner, Derdriu. "Nov. 8 Total Lunar Eclipse Is Second of Two 2022 Total Lunar Eclipses." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/10/nov-8-total-lunar-eclipse-is-second-of.html