Timezone / Date

You have not selected a timezone for eclipse timings, so all times are shown in UT (essentially GMT).

Accuracy

Due to the erratic rotation of the Earth, the time and location of the eclipse cannot be forecast perfectly. This eclipse's forecast is estimated to be accurate to within 2km in distance and a few seconds in time.

A total eclipse of the Moon occurred on Friday 16 May, 2003 UT, lasting from 01:06–06:13 UT. A shallow total eclipse saw the Moon in relative darkness for 51 minutes and 24 seconds. The Moon was 13% of its diameter into the Earth's umbral shadow, and should have been significantly darkened for viewers over the Americas, Europe, and Africa. The partial eclipse lasted for 3 hours and 14 minutes in total.

The timings of the phases of the eclipse are as follows. You would have been able to see each phase of the eclipse if the Moon was up at the corresponding time as seen from your location; however the penumbral phase would have been very difficult to see in practice:

Penumbral eclipse began: 01:06:53 UT
Partial eclipse began: 02:03:11 UT
Total eclipse began: 03:14:26 UT
Maximum eclipse: 03:40:09 UT
Total eclipse ended: 04:05:51 UT
Partial eclipse ended: 05:17:05 UT
Penumbral eclipse ended: 06:13:24 UT

During this eclipse the Moon was at perigee, making it extremely large. At maximum eclipse it was 0.566° in apparent diameter, which is 6.7% larger than average. The statistics page has information on the ranges of the sizes of the Sun and Moon, and the Moon data page displays detailed information on the Moon's key dates.

Interactive Map

This map shows the visibility of the eclipse at various stages. The bright area in the middle saw the whole eclipse; the coloured bands to the right saw the start of the eclipse, and those on the left saw the end. Note that the map is approximate, and if you were near the edge of the area of visibility, the moon was very close to the horizon and may not have been practically visible.

You can use the zoom controls to zoom in and out, and pan to see areas of interest. Hover your mouse over the tags to see what was visible from each area on the map. The green marker in the centre shows where the Moon was directly overhead at maximum eclipse.

The interactive map is currently not available.

Overview Map

This map sourced from NASA Goddard Space flight Center: GSFC Eclipse Web SiteGSFC Eclipse Web Site
The primary source of all the information on eclipses presented here at Hermit Eclipse. (NASA Goddard Space flight Center)
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html shows the visibility of the eclipse. (Click on it for the full-sized version.)

Eclipse Season and Saros Series

This eclipse season contains 2 eclipses:

This was the 54th eclipse in lunar Saros series 121.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:

This Saros series, lunar Saros series 121, is linked to solar Saros series 128. The nearest partner eclipses in that series are:

Eclipse Parameters

UT Date/time (max) 03:40:09 on 16 May UT TDT Date/time (max) 03:41:13 on 16 May TDT
Saros Series 121 Number in Series 54
Penumbral Magnitiude 2.0747 Central Magnitiude 1.1276
Gamma 0.4123 Path Width (km)
Delta T 1m04s Error ± 0m00s (95%)
Penumbral Duration 5h07m Partial Duration 3h14m
Total Duration 51m24s
Partial Rating Total Rating
Sun Distance 151239940 km (85.7%) Moon Distance 357695 km (2.6%)
Sun Diameter 0.527° Moon Diameter 0.556° - 0.566°
Perigee 15:40 on 15 May UT Apogee 13:05 on 28 May UT
Contact p1 01:06:53 on 16 May UT Contact p2
Contact u1 02:03:11 on 16 May UT Contact u2 03:14:26 on 16 May UT
Max eclipse 03:40:09 on 16 May UT
Contact u3 04:05:51 on 16 May UT Contact u4 05:17:05 on 16 May UT
Contact p3 Contact p4 06:13:24 on 16 May UT

Note that while all dates and times on this site (except where noted) are in UT, which is within a second of civil time, the dates and times shown in NASA's eclipse listingsGSFC Eclipse Web Site
The primary source of all the information on eclipses presented here at Hermit Eclipse. (NASA Goddard Space flight Center)
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html are in the TDT timescale.

The Sun and Moon distances are shown in km, and as a percentage of their minimum - maximum distances; hence 0% is the closest possible (Earth's perihelion, or the Moon's closest possible perigee) and 100% is the farthest (aphelion, the farthest apogee). The statistics page has information on the ranges of sizes of the Sun and Moon, and the Moon data page displays detailed information on the Moon's key dates.

Data last updated: 2015-06-21 22:11:46 UTC.