A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Friday, March 24, 1978, with an umbral magnitude of 1.4518. It was a central lunar eclipse, in which part of the Moon passed through the center of the Earth's shadow. 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. The Moon's apparent diameter was near the average diameter because it occurred 7.1 days after apogee (on March 17, 1978, at 14:25 UTC) and 6.6 days before perigee (on March 31, 1978, at 5:45 UTC).
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over much of Asia and Australia, seen rising over Africa, Europe, and west and central Asia and setting over western North America and the central Pacific Ocean.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+March 24, 1978 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.47900 Umbral Magnitude 1.45179 Gamma −0.21402 Sun Right Ascension 00h13m28.3s Sun Declination +01°27'32.7" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'02.4" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8" Moon Right Ascension 12h13m13.4s Moon Declination -01°39'13.7" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'36.9" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°57'18.4" ΔT 48.8 s
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.
+ Eclipse season of March–April 1978 March 24Ascending node (full moon) April 7Descending node (new moon) Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 122 Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 148
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1978 A total lunar eclipse on March 24. A partial solar eclipse on April 7. A total lunar eclipse on September 16. A partial solar eclipse on October 2.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 1974 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 1982
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 10, 1971 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 4, 1985
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 18, 1969 Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 29, 1987
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1967 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 1989
Lunar Saros 122 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1960 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 1996
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1949 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 2007
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 23, 1891 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 22, 2065
Lunar eclipses of 1977–1980
Saros 122
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).Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros This lunar eclipse is related to two solar eclipses of Solar Saros 129. March 18, 1969March 29, 1987
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links