A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Sunday, October 6, 1968, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1691. 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 5.3 days before apogee (on October 11, 1968, at 18:05 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
This lunar eclipse was the last of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on April 24, 1967; October 18, 1967; and April 13, 1968.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over northeast Asia, eastern Australia, northwestern North America and much of the Pacific Ocean, seen rising over most of Asia and western Australia and setting over North and South America.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+October 6, 1968 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.22423 Umbral Magnitude 1.16913 Gamma 0.36054 Sun Right Ascension 12h48m51.9s Sun Declination -05°14'36.0" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'00.2" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8" Moon Right Ascension 00h48m13.3s Moon Declination +05°32'13.0" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'10.1" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°55'39.9" ΔT 39.0 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 September–October 1968 September 22Descending node (new moon) October 6Ascending node (full moon) Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 124 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 136
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1968 A partial solar eclipse on March 28. A total lunar eclipse on April 13. A total solar eclipse on September 22. A total lunar eclipse on October 6.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 19, 1964 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1972
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 26, 1961 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1975
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 2, 1959 Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 12, 1977
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 7, 1957 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 6, 1979
Lunar Saros 136 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 26, 1950 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 17, 1986
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 1939 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 1997
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 5, 1881 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 7, 2055
Lunar eclipses of 1966–1969
Saros 136
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 143. October 2, 1959October 12, 1977
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
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