Total Lunar Eclipse of 2015 Apr 04

Fred Espenak

Key to Lunar Eclipse Figure (below)

Introduction

The Total Lunar Eclipse of 2015 Apr 04 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • Asia, Australia, Pacific, Americas

The diagram to the right depicts the Moon's path with respect to Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows. Below it is a map showing the geographic regions of eclipse visibility. Click on the figure to enlarge it. For an explanation of the features appearing in the figure, see Key to Lunar Eclipse Figures.

The instant of greatest eclipse takes place on 2015 Apr 04 at 12:01:24 TD (12:00:16 UT1). This is 3.0 days after the Moon reaches apogee. During the eclipse, the Moon is in the constellation Virgo. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 1141.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 132 and is number 30 of 71 eclipses in the series. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s ascending node. The Moon moves southward with respect to the node with each succeeding eclipse in the series and gamma decreases.

This is a very shallow total eclipse. It has an umbral eclipse magnitude of only 1.0019 and a duration of totality lasting 7.3 minutes. Gamma has a value of 0.4460.

The total lunar eclipse of 2015 Apr 04 is preceded two weeks earlier by a total solar eclipse on 2015 Mar 20.

These eclipses all take place during a single eclipse season.

The eclipse predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., TD = UT1 + ΔT). ΔT has a value of 67.7 seconds for this eclipse.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2015 Apr 04 .

Eclipse Data: Total Lunar Eclipse of 2015 Apr 04

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 2.08024
Umbral Magnitude 1.00191
Gamma 0.44599
Epsilon 0.4046°
Opposition Times
Event Calendar Date & Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 2015 Apr 04 at 12:01:23.6 TD (12:00:16.0 UT1) 2457117.000185
Ecliptic Opposition 2015 Apr 04 at 12:06:41.7 TD (12:05:34.1 UT1) 2457117.003867
Equatorial Opposition 2015 Apr 04 at 11:45:16.4 TD (11:44:08.7 UT1) 2457116.988990
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
2015 Apr 04 at 12:01:23.6 TD (12:00:16.0 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension00h53m01.2s12h53m29.7s
Declination+05°40'32.8"-05°17'20.2"
Semi-Diameter 15'59.6" 14'49.9"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.8" 0°54'25.9"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l -2.9°
b -0.5°
c 24.3°
Earth's Shadows
Parameter Value
Penumbral Radius 1.1886°
Umbral Radius 0.6555°
Prediction Paramaters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE430
ΔT 67.7 s
Shadow Rule Herald/Sinnott
Shadow Enlargement 1.000
Saros Series 132 (30/71)

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Data Tables

Eclipse Contacts: Total Lunar Eclipse of 2015 Apr 04

Lunar Eclipse Contacts
Eclipse Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Zenith Latitude Zenith Longitude Position Angle Axis Distance
Penumbral BeginsP109:02:13.909:01:06.204°50.2'S135°42.1'W 303.4° 1.4341°
Partial BeginsU110:16:37.710:15:30.105°01.5'S153°45.4'W 313.7° 0.9008°
Total BeginsU211:58:00.111:56:52.505°16.8'S178°21.4'W 13.3° 0.4054°
Greatest EclipseGreatest12:01:23.612:00:16.005°17.3'S179°10.8'W 17.0° 0.4046°
Total EndsU312:05:15.612:04:08.005°17.9'S179°52.9'E 21.2° 0.4056°
Partial EndsU413:46:23.813:45:16.105°33.1'S155°20.3'E 80.4° 0.9030°
Penumbral EndsP415:00:37.914:59:30.205°44.3'S137°19.5'E 90.7° 1.4365°
Eclipse Durations
Eclipse Phase Duration
Penumbral (P4 - P1)05h58m24.0s
Partial (U4 - U1)03h29m46.0s
Total (U3 - U2)00h07m15.5s

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Contacts Table

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Total Lunar Eclipse of 2015 Apr 04

Polynomial Besselian Elements
2015 Apr 04 at 12:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d f1 f2 f3
0 0.10821 0.38997 0.0991 1.18857 0.65546 0.24719
1 0.44090 -0.13502 0.0003 0.00018 0.00019 0.00005
2 0.00010 -0.00002 -0.0000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
3 -0.00000 0.00000 - - - -

At time t1 (decimal hours), each besselian element is evaluated by:

x = x0 + x1*t + x2*t2 + x3*t3 (or x = Σ [xn*tn]; n = 0 to 3)

where: t = t1 - t0 (decimal hours) and t0 = 12.000

Explanation of Besselian Elements

Eclipse Publications

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For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing


Links for the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2015 Apr 04

Links to Additional Lunar Eclipse Information

• Decade Tables of Lunar Eclipses:
| 1901 - 1910 | 1911 - 1919 | 1921 - 1930 | 1931 - 1940 | 1941 - 1950 |
| 1951 - 1960 | 1961 - 1970 | 1971 - 1980 | 1981 - 1990 | 1991 - 2000 |
| 2001 - 2010 | 2011 - 2020 | 2021 - 2030 | 2031 - 2040 | 2041 - 2050 |
| 2051 - 2060 | 2061 - 2070 | 2071 - 2080 | 2081 - 2090 | 2091 - 2100 |

Lunar Eclipse Publications

Eclipse Predictions

Predictions for the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2015 Apr 04 were generated using the JPL DE430 solar and lunar ephemerides. The lunar coordinates were calculated with respect to the Moon's Center of Mass.

The elliptical shape of Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows were calculated using the Herald/Sinnott method of modeling Earth's shadows to compensate for the opacity of the terrestrial atmosphere (including the oblateness of Earth).

The predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 67.7 seconds for this eclipse.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this web site is based on the book 21st Century Canon of Lunar Eclipses. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy.

Permission is granted to reproduce eclipse data when accompanied by a link to this page and an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, www.EclipseWise.com"

The use of diagrams and maps is permitted provided that they are NOT altered (except for re-sizing) and the embedded credit line is NOT removed or covered.