November 2003 lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse took place on Sunday 9 November 2003, the second of two total lunar eclipses in 2003, the first being on 16 May 2003. It is the first total lunar eclipse of 21st century which happened on a micromoon day. The Moon barely edged into total eclipse for 21 minutes and 58 seconds. With the Moon just 1.78% of its diameter into the Earth's umbral shadow, the Moon may have been quite bright, but even so, this should have been worth seeing. The partial eclipse lasted for 3 hours, 31 minutes and 25 seconds. Occurring only 1.4 days before apogee (Apogee on Monday 10 November 2003), the Moon's apparent diameter was 6.4% smaller than average.

This was the last of 14 total lunar eclipses of Lunar Saros 126, which started on 19 June 1769 and ended on 9 November 2003.

Visibility
It was completely visible over Americas, Europe, Africa and central Asia, seen rising over the Americas and setting over central Asia.



Eclipse season
This is the first eclipse this season.

Second eclipse this season: 23 November 2003 Total Solar Eclipse

Eclipses of 2003

 * A total lunar eclipse on 16 May.
 * An annular solar eclipse (one limit) on 31 May.
 * A total lunar eclipse on 9 November.
 * A total solar eclipse on 23 November.

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

Metonic series
This eclipse is the second of five Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, 8–9 November, each separated by 19 years:

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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 133.