A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Tuesday, March 13, 1979, with an umbral magnitude of 0.8538. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when one part of the Moon is in the Earth's umbra, while the other part is in 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 3.5 days after apogee (on March 10, 1979, at 10:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over much of Africa, Europe, and the western half of Asia, seen rising over eastern North America, South America, and west Africa and setting over east and northeast Asia and Australia.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+March 13, 1979 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 1.93496 Umbral Magnitude 0.85377 Gamma 0.52537 Sun Right Ascension 23h33m09.8s Sun Declination -02°53'59.0" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'05.4" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8" Moon Right Ascension 11h33m44.4s Moon Declination +03°21'20.5" Moon Semi-Diameter 14'52.9" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°54'36.9" ΔT 49.7 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 February–March 1979 February 26Descending node (new moon) March 13Ascending node (full moon) Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 120 Partial lunar eclipseLunar Saros 132
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1979 A total solar eclipse on February 26. A partial lunar eclipse on March 13. An annular solar eclipse on August 22. A total lunar eclipse on September 6.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1975 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 1982
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1972 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1986
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 7, 1970 Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 18, 1988
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1968 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 1990
Lunar Saros 132 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 2, 1961 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1997
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1950 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 21, 2008
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 11, 1892 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 11, 2066
Lunar eclipses of 1977–1980
Saros 132
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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 139. March 7, 1970March 18, 1988
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links