View source for December 2010 lunar eclipse

{{Short description|Total Lunar eclipse of 21 December 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox lunar eclipse
| type       = total
| image      = Near Greatest Eclipse 20101221 0011-crop.jpg
| caption    = Totality as viewed from [[San Jose, California]], 8:11 UTC
| date       = December 21, 2010
| gamma      = 0.3213
| magnitude  = 1.2576
| saros_ser  = 125
| saros_no   = 48 of 72
| totality   = 72 minutes, 21 seconds
| partiality = 208 minutes, 41 seconds
| penumbral  = 335 minutes, 7 seconds
| p1         = 5:29:21
| u1         = 6:32:38
| u2         = 7:40:48
| greatest   = 8:16:57
| u3         = 8:53:09
| u4         = 10:01:19
| p4         = 11:04:28
| previous   = June 2010
| next       = June 2011
}}
A total [[lunar eclipse]] occurred at the Moon’s [[Lunar node|descending node]] of orbit on Tuesday, December 21, 2010,<ref>{{cite web|title=December 20–21, 2010 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2010-december-21|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref> with an umbral [[Magnitude of eclipse|magnitude]] of 1.2576. A lunar eclipse occurs when the [[Moon]] moves into the [[Earth's shadow]], causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. Unlike a [[solar eclipse]], which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the [[night]] side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's [[Umbra, penumbra and antumbra|shadow]] is smaller. Occurring about 4 days before [[Apsis|apogee]] (on December 25, 2010, at 7:15 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.<ref>{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=2010&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref>

This eclipse was notable in that it coincided with the date of the [[Winter solstice]] in the [[Northern Hemisphere]] and [[Summer solstice]] in the [[Southern Hemisphere]]. It was the first total [[lunar eclipse]] to occur on the day of the Northern [[Winter Solstice]] (Southern [[Summer Solstice]]) since [[List of 17th-century lunar eclipses|1638]], and only the second in the [[Common Era]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/17dec_solsticeeclipse/ |title=NASA Science News: Solstice Lunar Eclipse |publisher=Science.nasa.gov |date=2010-12-17 |access-date=2010-12-21 |archive-date=5 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105100428/http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/17dec_solsticeeclipse/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/lunar-eclipse-winter-solstice-to-coincide-1.955339 |title=Lunar eclipse, winter solstice to coincide |publisher=Cbc.ca |date=2010-12-17 |access-date=2010-12-21}}</ref>

== Visibility ==
The eclipse was completely visible over [[North America]] and the eastern [[Pacific Ocean]], seen rising over [[east Asia]] and [[Australia]] and setting over [[South America]], [[west Africa]], and [[Europe]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Lunar Eclipse of 2010 Dec 21|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot2001/LE2010Dec21T.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable width=480
|[[File:Lunar eclipse from moon-2010Dec21.png|240px]]
|[[File:Lunar eclipse chart close-10dec21.png|240px]]<BR>Hourly motion shown right to left
|[[File:Lunar eclipse chart-10dec21.png|250px]]<BR>The Moon's hourly motion across the Earth's shadow in the constellation of [[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]].
|- align=center
|colspan=3| [[File:Visibility Lunar Eclipse 2010-12-21.png|640px]]<BR>Visibility map
|}

== Images ==
{{Lunarsaros125_db|LunarEclipse visibility|201012}}
[[File:2010-12-21 Lunar Eclipse Sketch.png|thumb|left|NASA chart of the eclipse]]
{{clear}}

== Gallery ==
{| class=wikitable
|+ '''Progressions'''
|- align=center
|colspan=2|[[File:Lunar eclipse.jpg|640px]]<br>Progression from [[São Paulo, Brazil]]
|- align=center
|colspan=2|[[File:Lunar Eclipse from Achhorage Alaska.jpg|640px]]<br>Progression from [[Anchorage, Alaska]]
|- align=center
|colspan=2|[[File:VLT Cerro Paranal Total Lunar Eclipse 21 December 2010.jpg|640px]]<br>Panorama showing the view from the site of the [[Very Large Telescope|VLT]]
|- align=center
|colspan=1 width=320|[[File:LunarEclipseSequence-December21-10-rectangle.jpg|320px]]<br>Sequence from [[Toronto, Ontario]], Canada<br>(Sequence is in 15-minute increments, with 5-minute increments up until totality at 8:17&nbsp;am UTC)
|colspan=1 width=320|[[File:LunarEclipseSequence-December21-10.jpg|320px]]<BR>Progression from Toronto, Canada
|- align=center valign=top
|colspan=1|[[File:Lunar Eclipse Sequence on Winter Solstice Dec 21 2010.jpg|320px]]<BR>From [[Jacksonville, Florida]], 8:29 UTC - 10:06 UTC
|colspan=1|[[File:12-2010 Lunar-Eclipse.jpg|320px]]<BR>From [[Easton, Pennsylvania]]
|}

Individual shots, sorted by time:
<gallery>
File:NYC Lunar Eclipse December 21 2010.jpg|From [[New York City, New York]], 5:35 UTC
File:2010 Lunar Eclipse Arlington VA.jpg|From [[Arlington County, Virginia]], ~7:30 UTC
File:Lunar Eclipse by Jiyang Chen.jpg|From New York City, New York, 7:38 UTC
File:Lunar_Eclipse_seen_from_Seattle_21-12-2010.jpg|From [[Seattle, Washington]], beginning of totality, 7:41 UTC<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/yatharthgupta/5279878696/ | title=Total Eclipse of the Moon | date=21 December 2010 | location=Seattle | first=Yatharth | last=Gupta | access-date=30 July 2020 | via=Flickr }}</ref>
File:December 2010 lunar eclipse.JPG|From the [[Lower Mainland]] of [[British Columbia]], Canada, 7:46 UTC
File:Moon Eclipse cropped From Miami 2010.jpg|From [[Miami, Florida]], 7:52 UTC
File:Xmatt_-_eclipse_total_(by).jpg|From [[Richardson, Texas]], 7:53 UTC
File:2010eclipse1.JPG|From [[Dover, Delaware]], 7:54 UTC
File:December 2010 lunar eclipse 2.JPG|Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada during totality, 8:21 UTC
File:Dec 2010 Lunar Eclipse-1.jpg|From [[Toronto, Ontario]], Canada, 8:26 UTC
File:2010-12-21 lunar eclipse Orlando FL.jpg|From [[Orlando, Florida]], 8:28 UTC
File:Lunar Eclipse Dec 21 2010 Jacksonville.JPG|From [[Jacksonville, Florida]], 8:30 UTC
File:Observando un Eclipse Lunar Total.png|Amateur scientists observing eclipse in [[Villa Gesell]], Argentina, 8:34 UTC
File:Eclipse 2010.jpg|From [[Tucson, Arizona]], 8:44 UTC
File:Lunar eclipse in Longjing township of taiwan.JPG|From [[Longjing District]], [[Taichung, Taiwan]] at moonrise, 9:45 UTC
</gallery>

Animations:
<gallery>
File:Lunar_eclipse_chart_close-2010Dec21_animation.gif|{{center|Animated Simulation}}
File:Full_Moon_Eclipse_2010_Animation.gif|Time-lapsed animation<BR>[[Miami, Florida]]
</gallery>

== Timing ==
In North America, the eclipse was visible in its entirety on 21 December 2010, from 12:27&nbsp;a.m. to 6:06&nbsp;a.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Standard Time]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Greg|title=Total Lunar Eclipse of December 21, 2010|date=11 December 2010 |url=http://www.outerspaceuniverse.org/total-lunar-eclipse-of-december-21-2010.html|publisher=Outer Space Universe|access-date=3 January 2011}}</ref> In the [[Central Standard Time]] zone and west, the eclipse began the night of 20 December.<ref>{{LEplot2001 link|2010|Dec|21|T}}</ref> Observers along South America's east coast missed the late stages of the eclipse because they occurred after moon-set.<ref name="citystatetimes1">{{cite web |url=http://www.citystatetimes.com/1888/what-time-is-the-lunar-eclipse-2010-tonight/ |title=What Time is the Lunar Eclipse 2010 Tonight? |publisher=City State Times |access-date=2010-12-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222010045/http://www.citystatetimes.com/1888/what-time-is-the-lunar-eclipse-2010-tonight/ |archive-date=22 December 2010 }}</ref>

Likewise much of Europe and Africa experienced moon-set while the eclipse was in progress. In Europe, only those observers in northern Scandinavia (including Iceland), Ireland and Britain could observe the entire event. For observers in eastern Asia the moon rose in eclipse. The eclipse was not visible from southern and eastern Africa, the Middle East or South Asia. In Japan and northeastern Asia, the eclipse's end was visible, with the moon rising at sunset. In the [[Philippines]] it was observable as a partial lunar eclipse just after sunset.<ref name="citystatetimes1"/>

Predictions suggested that the total eclipse may appear unusually orange or red, as a result of the eruption of [[Mount Merapi]] in [[Indonesia]] on 26 October.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_16899709 | title=A historic eclipse: Volcano will tint the moon in rare Dec. 21 celestial dance | first=Chris | last=Roberts | newspaper=El Paso Times | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120729023005/http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_16899709 | archivedate=29 July 2012}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|+ Local times of eclipse over North America
!Event
![[Hawaii–Aleutian Time Zone|HAST]]<br><small>([[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]-10)</small>
![[Alaska Time Zone|AKST]]<br><small>(UTC−9)</small>
![[Pacific Time Zone|PST]]<br><small>(UTC−8)</small>
![[Mountain Time Zone|MST]]<br><small>(UTC−7)</small>
![[Central Time Zone|CST]]<br><small>(UTC−6)</small>
![[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]<br><small>(UTC−5)</small>
![[Atlantic Time Zone|AST]]<br><small>(UTC−4)</small>
![[UTC]]<br><small>(UTC)</small>
|-
!Start penumbral (P1)
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 7:29 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 8:29 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 9:29 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 10:29 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 11:29 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| 12:29 am
| 1:29 am
| 5:29 am
|-
!Start umbral (U1)
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 8:33 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 9:33 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 10:33 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 11:33 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| 12:33 am
| 1:33 am
| 2:33 am
| 6:33 am
|-
!Start total (U2)
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 9:41 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 10:41 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 11:41 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| 12:41 am
| 1:41 am
| 2:41 am
| 3:41 am
| 7:41 am
|-
!Greatest eclipse
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 10:17 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 11:17 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| 12:17 am
| 1:17 am
| 2:17 am
| 3:17 am
| 4:17 am
| 8:17 am
|-
!End total (U3)
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 10:53 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| style="background:#e0ffff;"| 11:53 pm<sup>(*)</sup>
| 12:53 am
| 1:53 am
| 2:53 am
| 3:53 am
| 4:53 am
| 8:53 am
|-
!End umbral (U4)
| 12:01 am
| 1:01 am
| 2:01 am
| 3:01 am
| 4:01 am
| 5:01 am
| 6:01 am
| 10:01 am
|-
!End penumbral (P4)
| 1:04 am
| 2:04 am
| 3:04 am
| 4:04 am
| 5:04 am
| 6:04 am
| 7:04 am
| 11:04 am
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center; background:#e0ffff;"|(*) before midnight on Monday night, 20 December
|}

== Eclipse details ==
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Lunar Eclipse of 2010 Dec 21|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/2001-2100/LE2010Dec21Tprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=15 November 2024}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" align="{{{align|left}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|right|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"
|+December 21, 2010 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
! Parameter
! Value
|-
| Penumbral Magnitude
| 2.28215
|-
| Umbral Magnitude
| 1.25759
|-
| Gamma
| 0.32139
|-
| Sun Right Ascension
| 17h57m09.6s
|-
| Sun Declination
| -23°26'09.9"
|-
| Sun Semi-Diameter
| 16'15.5"
|-
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 08.9"
|-
| Moon Right Ascension
| 05h57m17.3s
|-
| Moon Declination
| +23°44'47.8"
|-
| Moon Semi-Diameter
| 15'52.1"
|-
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 0°58'14.3"
|-
| ΔT
| 66.4 s
|}
{{clear}}

== Eclipse season ==
{{See also|Eclipse cycle}}
This eclipse is part of an [[eclipse season]], a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a [[fortnight]].

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Eclipse season of December 2010–January 2011
! December 21<br/>Descending node (full moon)<br/> !! [[Solar eclipse of January 4, 2011|January 4]]<br/>Ascending node (new moon)<br/>
|-
| [[File:Lunar eclipse chart close-10dec21.png|200px]] || [[File:SE2011Jan04P.png|200px]]
|- align=center
| [[Lunar eclipse#Types of lunar eclipse|Total lunar eclipse]]<br />Lunar Saros 125 || [[Total eclipse#Types|Partial solar eclipse]]<br />Solar Saros 151
|}

== Related eclipses ==
=== Eclipses in 2010 ===
* [[Solar eclipse of January 15, 2010|An annular solar eclipse on January 15]].
* [[June 2010 lunar eclipse|A partial lunar eclipse on June 26]].
* [[Solar eclipse of July 11, 2010|A total solar eclipse on July 11]].
* '''A total lunar eclipse on December 21.'''

=== Metonic ===
* Preceded by: [[March 2007 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of March 3, 2007]]
* Followed by: [[October 2014 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of October 8, 2014]]

=== Tzolkinex ===
* Preceded by: [[November 2003 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of November 9, 2003]]
* Followed by: [[January 2018 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of January 31, 2018]]

=== Half-Saros ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of December 14, 2001]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of December 26, 2019]]

=== Tritos ===
* Preceded by: [[January 2000 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2000]]
* Followed by: [[November 2021 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of November 19, 2021]]

=== Lunar Saros 125 ===
* Preceded by: [[December 1992 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of December 9, 1992]]
* Followed by: [[December 2028 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of December 31, 2028]]

=== Inex ===
* Preceded by: [[January 1982 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of January 10, 1982]]
* Followed by: [[November 2039 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of November 30, 2039]]

=== Triad ===
* Preceded by: [[February 1924 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of February 20, 1924]]
* Followed by: [[October 2097 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of October 21, 2097]]

=== Lunar eclipses of 2009–2013 ===
{{Lunar eclipse set 2009-2013}}

=== Metonic series ===
{{Metonic lunar eclipse 1991-2048}}

=== Saros 125 ===
{{Lunar Saros series 125}}

=== Tritos series ===
{{Lunar Tritos series January 2000}}

=== Inex series ===
{{Lunar Inex series December 2010}}

=== Half-Saros cycle ===
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a [[Saros (astronomy)#Relationship between lunar and solar saros .28sar.29|half saros]]).<ref>Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, ''The half-saros''</ref> This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of [[Solar Saros 132]].
{| class=wikitable
![[Solar eclipse of December 14, 2001|December 14, 2001]]
![[Solar eclipse of December 26, 2019|December 26, 2019]]
|-
|[[File:SE2001Dec14A.png|240px]]
|[[File:SE2019Dec26A.png|240px]]
|}

==See also==
*[[List of lunar eclipses]]
*[[List of 21st-century lunar eclipses]]
*[[June 2011 lunar eclipse]]
*[[December 2011 lunar eclipse]]
*[[:File:2010-12-21 Lunar Eclipse Sketch.gif]] Chart
*[[commons:File:Lunar Eclipse Dec 21 2010 Jacksonville.JPG|2010 12 21 – Lunar Eclipse in Jacksonville, FL]]
*[[commons:File:Lunar Eclipse Sequence on Winter Solstice Dec 21 2010.jpg|2010 12 21 – Lunar Eclipse Sequence]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Lunar eclipse of 2010 December 21}}
* [http://www.spacedex.com/lunar-eclipse/ Worldwide viewing times for the December 2010 Total Lunar Eclipse]
* [http://www.nyip.com/ezine/outdoors/eclipse.html How to Photograph the Lunar Eclipse from the NY Institute of Photography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714220146/http://www.nyip.com/ezine/outdoors/eclipse.html |date=14 July 2011 }}
* {{cite web | url=https://www.techdreams.org/general/full-last-lunar-eclipse-of-2010-on-december-21st/5120-20101212 | title=Full & Last Lunar Eclipse Of 2010 On December 21st | publisher=Tech Dreams | date=12 December 2010 | access-date=30 July 2020}}
* {{LEplot2001 link|2010|Dec|21|T}}
** [http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html#LE2010Dec21T NASA: Eclipses During 2010 2010 Dec 21: Total Lunar Eclipse]
* {{cite web | url=http://www.hermit.org/Eclipse/2010-12-21 | title=Total Lunar Eclipse of 21 Dec, 2010 AD | publisher=hermit.org | access-date=30 July 2020}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100813154543/http://www.shadowandsubstance.com/2010%201221%20lun%20ecl/20101221b0625.swf "Animation of the December 21, 2010 eclipse"] at shadowandsubstance.com
* [http://www.astrosociety.org/eclipse/ Astronomical Society of the Pacific eclipse times and questions & answers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223084228/http://www.astrosociety.org/eclipse/ |date=23 December 2010 }}
* {{cite web | url=https://www.spaceweather.com/eclipses/gallery_21dec10.htm | publisher=Spaceweather.com | title=Total Lunar Eclipse: Dec. 21, 2010 | access-date=30 July 2020 }}
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12039683]

{{Lunar eclipses}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lunar eclipse 2010-12}}
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