Penumbral Lunar Eclipse - 2020 JAN 10-11

[CentaurZ]

A Penumbral Lunar Eclipse will be seen by many observers with clear skies in Eurasia, Africa and Australia during the night of 2020 JAN 10-11. The Earth’s penumbra is its relatively bright fringe shadow surrounding its much darker inner shadow called the umbra. At maximum eclipse, 89% of the Moon’s diameter will be covered by the penumbra. The Moon’s nearest limb to the umbra will miss it by 12% of the Moon’s diameter. Often a penumbral lunar eclipse is hardly noticeable, but this time the Moon will be deep enough in the penumbra that some shadowing should be detected.

2020 will be an unusual year in which there will be four lunar eclipses, and all of them penumbral. The next umbral eclipse will be total and occur on 2021 MAY 26.

Below is a graphic I created for the upcoming penumbral eclipse as seen against an imaginary blue wall to make the shadow fully apparent. The predicted event timings are in Universal Time (UT), but will occur at essentially the same real time for all observers experiencing nighttime. The depicted orientation and Moon altitudes are for an observer in London.

Photos and descriptions of the eclipse would be welcome additions to this thread.

Edited January 6, 2020 by CentaurZ

[CentaurZ]

Interestingly, just after the Moon leaves the penumbra, it will be the brightest Moon of 2020. Although it will not be the Full Moon with the largest angular diameter of 2020. That honor will go to the April Full Moon. 

Again many authors in the popular media will undoubtedly refer to the April Full Moon as a SuperMoon that's both the largest and brightest Full Moon of 2020. What they'll overlook is that the Moon's brightness is determined by not only its nearness to Earth, but also its nearness to the Sun and nearness to the Anti-Solar point in the sky. The latter factor is the reason that a Full Moon just before or after an eclipse is often an especially bright Moon. And this month nearness to the Sun (perihelion) adds another boost to the Moon's brightness.

Those of us in North America will not be able to watch this month's lunar eclipse, but afterward as the Moon rises we will be able to observe its great brilliance. 😎

Edited January 5, 2020 by CentaurZ

[CentaurZ]

It started about 24 minutes ago, but won't reach maximum until 19:10 UT.  This is a fairly deep Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, so at maximum some darkening should be noticed.

Unfortunately, those of us in North America are shutout, due to this being daytime with the Full Moon beneath the horizon.

Again, photos and descriptions would be welcome additions to this thread.

Edited January 10, 2020 by CentaurZ

[PeterW]

Shadow supposedly right across the moon, not obvious though.

 

peter

[Stu]

19 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Shadow supposedly right across the moon, not obvious though.

 

peter

No, I checked it at a similar time and couldn't detect anything at all really. Was best at 7.10 ish at full extent.

[CentaurZ]

Thanks to PeterW and Stu for participating. Here in America the eclipsed Moon was beneath the horizon. Based on your posts, apparently we didn't miss much. At that time I was following the stock market which sank from midday all-time record highs for the averages to losses at the close. Financial astrologers would blame that on the eclipse. 😉

The next lunar eclipse on 2020 JUN 05 will again be penumbral and visible in the Old World but not the New World. 

But a month later on 2020 JUL 04, we in America will be treated to a bright and beautiful Full Moon that goes into penumbral eclipse during our Fourth of July (Independence Day) fireworks celebrations. 😎