When is the next lunar eclipse?

Next lunar eclipse is April 25, 2013. It’s a partial, lasting just 27 minutes – the second-shortest partial lunar eclipse of the 21st century.



In 2013, there will be three lunar eclipses – a 27-minute partial on April 25, and two penumbrals. The 2013 lunar eclipses will be interesting, as always, but not super exciting. There’s info about the next total lunar eclipse at the bottom of this post. It’ll be awesome! The next lunar eclipse is a partial on April 25, 2013. Its main distinction is that it’ll be the second-shortest partial eclipse of the moon for the 21st century. Only a tiny sliver of the moon will be covered by the Earth’s umbral shadow at maximum eclipse. We in North America won’t be able to see this eclipse. It’ll be daytime for us – and the moon will be down – for the entire thing. The April 25, 2013 partial lunar eclipse will be visible over Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. What is the shortest eclipse of this century, by the way? It’ll be on September 29, 2042, a partial eclipse of the moon lasting only 12 minutes. In the 2042 eclipse, only 0.3% of the moon will lie inside Earth’s dark umbral shadow. Still, there will be a great penumbral eclipse that night, as there will be on April 25, 2013.

Visibility of April 25, 2013 partial lunar eclipse. View larger. Image via Fred Espanek of NASA.

What’s the difference between a total lunar eclipse, a partial eclipse, and a penumbral eclipse? These various kinds of lunar eclipses stem from the same source: an alignment, or near alignment, of the Earth, sun and moon in space with Earth in the middle. At any lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow falls on the full moon. The amount of shadow covering the moon’s face at mid-eclipse creates the three varieties of lunar eclipses. Every lunar eclipse starts (and ends) with a penumbral eclipse. That’s when Earth light, outer, penumbral shadow just brushes the moon’s face. Some people say they can’t see a penumbral eclipse, even when one is going on right before their eyes! You have to be an observant person to enjoy one. A partial eclipse happens when the alignment of the sun, Earth and moon is more precise, and the Earth’s dark, central, umbral shadow falls on the moon. During a partial eclipse, it appears as if a dark bite is taken from one edge of the moon. Every total eclipse starts (and ends) with a partial eclipse.

Here’s what a penumbral eclipse looks like. This is a beautiful image of the November 28, 2012 moon in the midst of a penumbral eclipse, in contrast to the same moon with no eclipse. You can see that a penumbral lunar eclipse is really very subtle. This photo is from EarthSky Facebook friend Raven Yu in the Philippines. Many thanks, Raven! View larger.


A total eclipse is, of course, the most dramatic of the three kinds of eclipses. Then the alignment between the sun, Earth and moon is perfect, and Earth’s dark umbral shadow completely covers the moon’s face. Sometimes, if there is a lot of volcanic dust in Earth’s atmosphere, Earth’s shadow on the moon can appear very dark at mid-eclipse. But usually the shadow appears blood-red due to the presence of some sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere, and falling, via the shadow, on the face of the moon. It’s a beautiful sight to see. There are from four to seven eclipses each year – some partial, some total, some solar, some lunar. But from your location on Earth, you can’t see every eclipse. Total solar eclipses are seen only along a narrow band across Earth’s surface – a swath cut by the moon’s shadow as it sweeps across Earth during the eclipse. Total lunar eclipses are more widely seen. An entire hemisphere of Earth can watch simultaneously as a total lunar eclipse takes place. But you do have to be able to see the moon, and only half of Earth can do that at any one time. In other words, there are lots of eclipses, but you have to be in the right place on the globe to see them. So when you hear of an eclipse visible for your part of the globe – whether that’s North America or elsewhere – be aware that it’s a very special event. Then just go outside, and watch it!

This is what a total eclipse looks like. This is the total eclipse of October 27, 2004 via Fred Espenak of NASA, otherwise known as Mr. Eclipse. Visit Fred’s page here.


source and credit a earthsky