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April 1940 lunar eclipse

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April 1940 lunar eclipse
Penumbral eclipse
The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left
DateApril 22, 1940
Gamma1.0741
Magnitude−0.0945
Saros cycle140 (21 of 80)
Penumbral232 minutes, 31 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P12:29:43
Greatest4:26:01
P46:22:14

A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Monday, April 22, 1940,[1] with an umbral magnitude of −0.0945. 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 2.7 days after perigee (on April 20, 1940, at 20:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

Visibility

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The eclipse was completely visible over much of North America, South America, west Africa, and Antarctica, seen rising over northwestern North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.[3]

Eclipse details

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Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]

April 22, 1940 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 0.86836
Umbral Magnitude −0.09446
Gamma 1.07414
Sun Right Ascension 01h58m53.2s
Sun Declination +12°08'03.3"
Sun Semi-Diameter 15'54.5"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7"
Moon Right Ascension 14h00m00.5s
Moon Declination -11°05'02.6"
Moon Semi-Diameter 16'31.3"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°00'38.2"
ΔT 24.5 s

Eclipse season

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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.

Eclipse season of March–April 1940
March 23
Ascending node (full moon)
April 7
Descending node (new moon)
April 22
Ascending node (full moon)
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 102
Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 128
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 140
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Eclipses in 1940

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Metonic

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Tzolkinex

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Half-Saros

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Tritos

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Lunar Saros 140

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Inex

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Triad

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Lunar eclipses of 1937–1940

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 1937–1940
Ascending node   Descending node
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
110 1937 May 25
Penumbral
115 1937 Nov 18
Partial
120 1938 May 14
Total
125 1938 Nov 07
Total
130 1939 May 03
Total
135 1939 Oct 28
Partial
140 1940 Apr 22
Penumbral
145 1940 Oct 16
Penumbral

Saros 140

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It was part of Saros series 140.

Half-Saros cycle

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A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[5] This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 147.

April 18, 1931 April 28, 1949

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "April 21–22, 1940 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1940 Apr 22" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1940 Apr 22". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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