May 2003 lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse took place on May 16, 2003, the first of two total lunar eclipses in 2003, the other being on November 9, 2003.

Total Lunar Eclipse
May 16, 2003

From Minneapolis, Minnesota, 3:17 UTC

The moon's path through the Earth's shadow.
Series (and member)121 (51 of 82)
Date16 May 2003
Duration (hr:mn:sc)
Totality51:25
Partial3:13:54
Penumbral5:06:31
Contacts
P11:06:53 UTC
U12:03:11
U23:14:26
Greatest3:40:09
U34:05:51
U45:17:05
P46:13:24

The moon's path across the Earth's shadow near its descending node in Libra.

This lunar eclipse is first of a tetrad, four total lunar eclipses in series. The previous series was in 1985 and 1986, starting with a May 1985 lunar eclipse. The next one was in 2014 and 2015, starting with the April 15, 2014 lunar eclipse.

Visibility

  • From Minneapolis, Minnesota, 3:35 UTC, wide angle, near greatest eclipse

Relation to other lunar eclipses

Eclipses of 2003

Lunar year series

It is also the second of four lunar year cycles, repeating every 354 days.

Metonic series

This eclipse is the second of four Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, May 15–16, each separated by 19 years.

The Metonic cycle repeats nearly exactly every 19 years and represents a Saros cycle plus one lunar year. Because it occurs on the same calendar date, the earth's shadow will be in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.

  1. 1984 May 15.19 - penumbral (111)
  2. 2003 May 16.15 - total (121)
  3. 2022 May 16.17 - total (131)
  4. 2041 May 16.03 - penumbral (141)
  1. 1984 Nov 08.75 - penumbral (116)
  2. 2003 Nov 09.05 - total (126)
  3. 2022 Nov 08.46 - total (136)
  4. 2041 Nov 08.19 - partial (146)
  5. 2060 Nov 08.17 - penumbral (156)

Half-Saros cycle

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[1] This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 128.

May 10, 1994 May 20, 2012

See also

References
  1. Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros


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