A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, July 26, 1972, with an umbral magnitude of 0.5427. 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 6.4 days after apogee (on July 19, 1972, at 21:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over much of North and South America and Antarctica, seen rising over Australia, northwestern North America, and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over northeastern North America, west Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+July 26, 1972 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 1.56180 Umbral Magnitude 0.54271 Gamma 0.71167 Sun Right Ascension 08h22m46.8s Sun Declination +19°24'04.5" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'44.9" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 20h21m51.2s Moon Declination -18°45'55.3" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'27.2" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°56'42.9" ΔT 42.8 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 July 1972 July 10Descending node (new moon) July 26Ascending node (full moon) Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 126 Partial lunar eclipseLunar Saros 138
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1972 An annular solar eclipse on January 16. A total lunar eclipse on January 30. A total solar eclipse on July 10. A partial lunar eclipse on July 26.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 6, 1968 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1976
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 14, 1965 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 6, 1979
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 20, 1963 Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 31, 1981
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 26, 1961 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1983
Lunar Saros 138 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 1954 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 6, 1990
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 15, 1943 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 5, 2001
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 24, 1885 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 27, 2059
Lunar eclipses of 1969–1973
Saros 138
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 145.
July 20, 1963July 31, 1981
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links