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Types of Lunar Eclipses
To study and understand a catalog of lunar eclipses, familiarization with the types of lunar eclipses is essential. A penumbral eclipse is one in which the moon misses the Earth's umbra, or darkest part of the shadow. A partial eclipse is one in which the moon does not pass completely into the Earth's umbra. A total eclipse occurs when the moon passes completely into the Earth's umbra. Total eclipses are further classified into two categories, central and non-central. A central total eclipse is the deepest and longest type of eclipse because the moon passes directly through the center of the Earth. A non-central total eclipse differs in that it misses the center of the umbra, but still passes within the Earth's shadow.
Understanding the Table
Each table or catalog of lunar eclipses consists of various letters and numbers. Although at first glance they may be difficult to decipher, knowledge of the meaning behind those numbers and letters is essential in understanding the table. The table includes 16 columns that correspond to the parameters of each eclipse. Besides listing the basic criteria such as catalog number, calendar date, time of eclipse, and type of eclipse, the columns list the durations, umbral magnitude, latitude, and longitude. Also, the columns contain information regarding the type of eclipse that occurs before and after the eclipse, a Saros series number, and a Lunation Number. According to the NASA eclipse website, the Saros number is part of a cycle occurring approximately every 6,585.3 days and a Lunation Number is the number of months since the New Moon of 2006.
Years 2001 to 2033
The total number of penumbral eclipses between the years 2001 and 2033 is calculated to be 29. On March 14, 2006 a total penumbral eclipse occurred. May 25, 2013, during a penumbral eclipse, marks the date for the beginning of a Saros series. Whereas July 18, 2027 marks the end of the Saros series. There is a calculated amount of 17 partial eclipses during the years 2001 and 2033. The number of total eclipses calculated between these years is 30. Of those total eclipses, there are five central total eclipses.
Years 2034 to 2067
Between the years 2034 and 2067, there will be a calculated total of 29 penumbral eclipses. One total penumbral eclipse will occur on Aug. 29, 2053. During these years, there are no Saros series calculated. The total number of partial eclipses occurring between the years 2034 and 2068 is calculated to be 20. The number of total eclipses calculated between these years is 28, of which there are eight central total eclipses.
Years 2068 to 2100
During the final 32 years of the 21st century, between the years 2068 and 2100, there is a calculated number of 29 penumbral eclipses. The largest penumbral eclipse is calculated to occur on April 25, 2070. There are two total penumbral eclipses during this year with one occurring on Aug. 8, 2082 and the other occurring on Sept. 29, 2099. During a penumbral eclipse on July 19, 2092, there is an end of a Saros series, and on June 6, 2096, during a penumbral eclipse, there is a beginning of a Saros series. Between the years 2068 and 2100 there is a total number of 20 partial eclipses. The number of total eclipses calculated between these years is 26, of which there are 10 central total eclipses.