A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the MoonâÂÂs descending node of orbit on Sunday, May 26, 2002, with an umbral magnitude of âÂÂ0.2871. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the Moon's near side passes into the Earth's penumbra. 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. Occurring about 3.1 days after perigee (on May 23, 2002, at 11:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The eclipse was completely visible over Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and Antarctica, seen rising over much of Asia and setting over much of North America and western South America.
This eclipse appears in the 2022 film Turning Red, although it differs from actual events. It is depicted as taking place on the evening of 25 May, rather than the early morning hours of 26 May. Additionally, the film takes place in Toronto, where the eclipse was not visible.
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
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. The first and last eclipse in this sequence is separated by one synodic month.
First eclipse: May 26, 2002. Second eclipse: 26 May 2021. Third eclipse: 26 May 2040. Fourth eclipse: 27 May 2059.
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 partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 118.