A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Wednesday, April 13, 1949, with an umbral magnitude of 1.4251. It was a central lunar eclipse, in which part of the Moon passed through the center of the Earth's shadow. 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 only about 19 hours after perigee (on April 12, 1949, at 9:35 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse was the first of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on October 7, 1949; April 2, 1950; and September 26, 1950.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over central and eastern North America, South America, and Antarctica, seen rising over western North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+April 13, 1949 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.38255 Umbral Magnitude 1.42511 Gamma 0.24740 Sun Right Ascension 01h24m45.8s Sun Declination +08°54'38.8" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'56.9" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8" Moon Right Ascension 13h25m14.0s Moon Declination -08°41'13.4" Moon Semi-Diameter 16'39.4" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°01'07.9" ΔT 28.8 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 April 1949 April 13Descending node (full moon) April 28Ascending node (new moon) Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 121 Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 147
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1949 A total lunar eclipse on April 13. A partial solar eclipse on April 28. A total lunar eclipse on October 7. A partial solar eclipse on October 21.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1945 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 29, 1953
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 1942 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 24, 1956
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 7, 1940 Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 19, 1958
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 14, 1938 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1960
Lunar Saros 121 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1931 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1967
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1920 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1978
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 12, 1862 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 11, 2036
Lunar eclipses of 1948–1951
Saros 121
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 128. April 7, 1940April 19, 1958
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links