Sunday, March 10, 2013

Has there ever been a total solar eclipse and total lunar eclipse in the same lunar revolution?


Question by Eric: Has there ever been a total solar eclipse and total lunar eclipse in the same lunar revolution?
I know the moon is inclined about 16 degrees, but I imagine this is possible since the sun's inclination is greater than that.


Best answer:
Answer by ArkaliusThe moon's ecliptic inclination is only about 5.1 degrees. It's equatorial inclination varies over the course of just over 18 years from 18.3 degrees to 28.6 degrees and back again, due to the precession of it's nodes.

In the epoch of human existence, a total lunar and total solar eclipse occurring in the same lunation would be impossible and has not happened. In the distant past, when the moon was closer, and therefore appeared larger, it is likely that it was able to create both total solar and lunar eclipses in the same lunation.

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The last total solar eclipse until 2015, with the moon crossing in front of the sun in a celestial event that will ultimately send the moon's shadow on a thr...
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Total Solar Eclipse | Solar Eclipse Information

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