May 2002 lunar eclipse

A penumbral lunar eclipse took place on Sunday 26 May 2002, the first of three lunar eclipses in 2002.

Visibility
The beginning of the penumbral phase was visible in most of North America except the northeast, Central America, western South America, extreme northeast Russia, eastern Asia, Australia, most of Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean, and the southeast Indian Ocean; the end of the eclipse was visible in southwestern Alaska, Asia except the extreme north, Australia, the eastern Indian Ocean, and most of the Pacific Ocean except the extreme eastern part.



Eclipses of 2002

 * A penumbral lunar eclipse on 26 May.
 * An annular solar eclipse on 10 June.
 * A penumbral lunar eclipse on 24 June.
 * A penumbral lunar eclipse on 20 November.
 * A total solar eclipse on 4 December.

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

Eclipse season
This is the first eclipse this season.

Second eclipse this season: 10 June 2002 Annular Solar Eclipse

Third eclipse this season: 24 June 2002 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

Saros series
Lunar Saros 111, repeating every 18 years and 11 days, has a total of 71 lunar eclipse events including 11 total lunar eclipses. The first total lunar eclipse of this series was on 19 April 1353, and last was on 4 August 1533. The longest occurrence of this series was on 12 June 1443 when the totality lasted 106 minutes.

Metonic series
First eclipse: May 26, 2002. Second eclipse: 26 May 2021. Third eclipse: 26 May 2040. Fourth eclipse: 27 May 2059.

Half-Saros cycle
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros). This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 118.

In popular culture
This eclipse appears in the 2022 film Turning Red, although it differs from actual events. It is depicted as taking place on the evening of 25 May, rather than the early morning hours of 26 May. Additionally, the film takes place in Toronto, where the total eclipse was not visible.