December 2028 lunar eclipse

{{short description|Astronomical event}}

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = total

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-2028Dec31.png

| caption = The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left

| date = December 31, 2028

| gamma = 0.3258

| magnitude = 1.2479

| saros_ser = 125

| saros_no = 49 of 72

| totality = 71 minutes, 20 seconds

| partiality = 208 minutes, 49 seconds

| penumbral = 336 minutes, 13 seconds

| p1 = 14:03:49

| u1 = 15:07:35

| u2 = 16:16:19

| greatest = 16:51:58

| u3 = 17:27:40

| u4 = 18:36:24

| p4 = 19:40:02

| previous = July 2028

| next = June 2029

}}

A total lunar eclipse will occur at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Sunday, December 31, 2028,{{cite web|title=December 31, 2028–January 1, 2029 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2028-december-31|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=20 November 2024}} with an umbral magnitude of 1.2479. 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 shadow is smaller. Occurring about 4.3 days before perigee (on January 4, 2029, at 23:15 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter will be larger.{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=2029&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=20 November 2024}}

This eclipse will occur during a blue moon and is the first such eclipse to happen on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day since December 2009, and the first total lunar eclipse on New Year's Day in history. The next such eclipse will be in December 2047 (though January 2048 for most timezones).