A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, May 3, 1939, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1765. 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 5.2 days after perigee (on April 28, 1939, at 11:05 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse was the third of an almost tetrad, with the others being on May 14, 1938 (total); November 7, 1938 (total); and October 28, 1939 (partial).
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over east Asia, Australia, and Antarctica, seen rising over central and east Africa, eastern Europe, and west, central, and south Asia and setting over western North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+May 3, 1939 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.18417 Umbral Magnitude 1.17649 Gamma 0.36934 Sun Right Ascension 02h39m22.9s Sun Declination +15°31'43.2" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'51.8" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 14h39m41.4s Moon Declination -15°10'51.4" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'44.6" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°57'46.6" ΔT 24.2 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 1939 April 19Descending node (new moon) May 3Ascending node (full moon) Annular solar eclipseSolar Saros 118 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 130
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1939 An annular solar eclipse on April 19. A total lunar eclipse on May 3. A total solar eclipse on October 12. A partial lunar eclipse on October 28.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 1935 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 1943
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 22, 1932 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 14, 1946
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 28, 1930 Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1948
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 3, 1928 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1950
Lunar Saros 130 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 22, 1921 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1957
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 24, 1910 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1968
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 1, 1852 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 2026
Lunar eclipses of 1937–1940
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 solar eclipses of Solar Saros 137. April 28, 1930May 9, 1948
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links