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December 1945 lunar eclipse

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December 1945 lunar eclipse
Total eclipse
The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left
DateDecember 19, 1945
Gamma−0.2845
Magnitude1.3424
Saros cycle124 (45 of 74)
Totality78 minutes, 53 seconds
Partiality204 minutes, 54 seconds
Penumbral320 minutes, 52 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P123:39:56
U10:37:52
U21:40:53
Greatest2:20:20
U32:59:46
U44:02:46
P45:00:47

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, December 19, 1945,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.3424. 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 1.6 days after perigee (on December 17, 1945, at 12:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

This lunar eclipse was the second of an almost tetrad, with the others being on June 25, 1945 (partial); June 14, 1946 (total); and December 8, 1946 (total).

Visibility

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The eclipse was completely visible over much of North and South America, west Africa, Europe, and northern Russia, seen rising over the eastern Pacific Ocean and setting over east and southern Africa and much of Asia.[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]

December 19, 1945 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 2.32932
Umbral Magnitude 1.34237
Gamma −0.28453
Sun Right Ascension 17h46m11.1s
Sun Declination -23°24'29.1"
Sun Semi-Diameter 16'15.4"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9"
Moon Right Ascension 05h46m20.2s
Moon Declination +23°07'25.0"
Moon Semi-Diameter 16'28.3"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°00'27.1"
ΔT 27.3 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.

Eclipse season of December 1945–January 1946
December 19
Ascending node (full moon)
January 3
Descending node (new moon)
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 124
Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 150
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Eclipses in 1945

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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 124

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Inex

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Triad

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Lunar eclipses of 1944–1947

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 1944–1947
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
109 1944 Jul 06
Penumbral
114 1944 Dec 29
Penumbral
119 1945 Jun 25
Partial
124 1945 Dec 19
Total
129 1946 Jun 14
Total
134 1946 Dec 08
Total
139 1947 Jun 03
Partial
144 1947 Nov 28
Penumbral

Saros 124

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It was part of Saros series 124.

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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 131.

December 13, 1936 December 25, 1954

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "December 18–19, 1945 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1945 Dec 19" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1945 Dec 19". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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