A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Thursday, March 2, 1961, with an umbral magnitude of 0.8006. 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 3.7 days after apogee (on February 26, 1961, at 21:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over east and northeast Asia, Australia, and northwestern North America, seen rising over east Africa, eastern Europe and much of Asia and setting over much of North America and northwestern South America.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+March 2, 1961 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 1.88284 Umbral Magnitude 0.80062 Gamma 0.55406 Sun Right Ascension 22h52m38.0s Sun Declination -07°09'38.0" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'08.1" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9" Moon Right Ascension 10h53m13.0s Moon Declination +07°38'40.5" Moon Semi-Diameter 14'54.5" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°54'43.0" ΔT 33.6 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 February–March 1961 February 15Descending node (new moon) March 2Ascending node (full moon) Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 120 Partial lunar eclipseLunar Saros 132
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1961 A total solar eclipse on February 15. A partial lunar eclipse on March 2. An annular solar eclipse on August 11. A partial lunar eclipse on August 26.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1957 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 19, 1964
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 19, 1954 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1968
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 25, 1952 Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 7, 1970
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1950 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1972
Lunar Saros 132 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 1943 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1979
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 22, 1932 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 1990
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 1, 1874 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 1, 2048
Lunar eclipses of 1958–1962
Saros 132
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 139. February 25, 1952March 7, 1970
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
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