Wikipedia / April 1968 lunar eclipse
Wikipedia / April 1968 lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, April 13, 1968, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1116. 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 1.1 days before perigee (on April 14, 1968, at 7:50 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse was the third of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on April 24, 1967; October 18, 1967; and October 6, 1968.
Visibility
The eclipse was completely visible over much of North America and South America, seen rising over northwestern North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
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Eclipse details
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
Parameter | Value |
Penumbral Magnitude | 2.07253 |
Umbral Magnitude | 1.11164 |
Gamma | −0.41732 |
Sun Right Ascension | 01h26m19.6s |
Sun Declination | +09°03'48.7" |
Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'56.9" |
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.8" |
Moon Right Ascension | 13h25m32.2s |
Moon Declination | -09°26'23.0" |
Moon Semi-Diameter | 16'35.8" |
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 1°00'54.7" |
ΔT | 38.5 s |
April 13, 1968 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Eclipse season
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.
March 28Ascending node (new moon) | April 13Descending node (full moon) |
Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 119 | Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 131 |
Eclipse season of March–April 1968
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1968
A total lunar eclipse on April 13.
Metonic
Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1964
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1972
Tzolkinex
Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 2, 1961
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1975
Half-Saros
Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 8, 1959
Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 18, 1977
Tritos
Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1957
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1979
Lunar Saros 131
Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1950
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1986
Inex
Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1939
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1997
Triad
Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 12, 1881
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 11, 2055
Lunar eclipses of 1966–1969
Saros 131
Tritos series
Inex series
Half-Saros cycle
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 annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 138.
See also
Notes
External links