A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Thursday, May 13, 1976, with an umbral magnitude of 0.1217. 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 1.1 days after perigee (on May 12, 1976, at 17:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over central and east Africa, eastern Europe, the western half of Asia, western Australia, and Antarctica, seen rising over eastern South America, west Africa, and western Europe and setting over east and northeast Asia and eastern Australia.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+May 13, 1976 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 1.07612 Umbral Magnitude 0.12170 Gamma 0.95860 Sun Right Ascension 03h23m03.9s Sun Declination +18°33'49.8" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'49.5" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 15h23m42.3s Moon Declination -17°36'13.1" Moon Semi-Diameter 16'34.8" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°00'51.1" ΔT 46.9 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 1976 April 29Descending node (new moon) May 13Ascending node (full moon) Annular solar eclipseSolar Saros 128 Partial lunar eclipseLunar Saros 140
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1976 An annular solar eclipse on April 29. A partial lunar eclipse on May 13. A total solar eclipse on October 23. A penumbral lunar eclipse on November 6.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1972 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 1, 1980
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1969 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1983
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1967 Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 19, 1985
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 14, 1965 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 14, 1987
Lunar Saros 140 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1958 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1994
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 3, 1947 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 2005
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 12, 1889 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 14, 2063
Lunar eclipses of 1973–1976
Saros 140
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 partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 147. May 9, 1967May 19, 1985
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
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