A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Monday, May 13, 1957, with an umbral magnitude of 1.2982. 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 3.25 days after perigee (on May 9, 1957, at 4:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse was the third of an almost tetrad, with the others being on May 24, 1956 (partial); November 18, 1956 (total); and November 7, 1957 (total).
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Antarctica, seen rising over eastern North America and South America and setting over much of 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.
+May 13, 1957 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.30005 Umbral Magnitude 1.29822 Gamma 0.30457 Sun Right Ascension 03h21m53.2s Sun Declination +18°29'35.8" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'49.4" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 15h22m04.8s Moon Declination -18°12'09.6" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'47.7" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°57'58.1" ΔT 32.0 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 April–May 1957 April 30Descending node (new moon) May 13Ascending node (full moon) Annular solar eclipseSolar Saros 118 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 130
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1957 A non-central annular solar eclipse on April 30. A total lunar eclipse on May 13. A non-central total solar eclipse on October 23. A total lunar eclipse on November 7.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1953 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 2, 1961
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1950 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1964
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1948 Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 20, 1966
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 14, 1946 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1968
Lunar Saros 130 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1939 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1975
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 3, 1928 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1986
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 12, 1870 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 2044
Lunar eclipses of 1955–1958
Saros 130
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 annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 137. May 9, 1948May 20, 1966
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
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