A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Monday, October 18, 1948, with an umbral magnitude of −0.0571. It was a relatively rare total penumbral lunar eclipse, with the Moon passing entirely within the penumbral shadow without entering the darker umbral shadow. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the Moon's near side passes into 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 4.2 days after apogee (on October 13, 1948, at 22:15 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over eastern North America, South America, west Africa, and western Europe, seen rising over western North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean and setting over east Africa, eastern Europe, and the western half of Asia.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+October 18, 1948 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 1.01405 Umbral Magnitude −0.05712 Gamma −1.02452 Sun Right Ascension 13h31m13.7s Sun Declination -09°32'38.5" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'03.4" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8" Moon Right Ascension 01h32m57.9s Moon Declination +08°42'28.9" Moon Semi-Diameter 14'59.4" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°55'00.9" ΔT 28.6 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 October–November 1948 October 18Ascending node (full moon) November 1Descending node (new moon) Penumbral lunar eclipseLunar Saros 116 Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 142
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1948 A partial lunar eclipse on April 23. An annular solar eclipse on May 9. A penumbral lunar eclipse on October 18. A total solar eclipse on November 1.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 29, 1944 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 5, 1952
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 5, 1941 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1955
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 12, 1939 Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 23, 1957
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1937 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 17, 1959
Lunar Saros 116 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 7, 1930 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 29, 1966
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 7, 1919 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 27, 1977
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 17, 1861 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 19, 2035
Lunar eclipses of 1948–1951
Saros 116
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 123. October 12, 1939October 23, 1957
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links