A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Saturday, May 14, 1938, with an umbral magnitude of 1.0966. 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 4.1 days before apogee (on May 18, 1938, at 9:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
This lunar eclipse was the first of an almost tetrad, with the others being on November 7, 1938 (total); May 3, 1939 (total); and October 28, 1939 (partial).
This was the last total lunar eclipse of Lunar Saros 120.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over western North America, Antarctica, and the eastern Pacific Ocean, seen rising over east Asia and Australia and setting over eastern North America, South America, and west Africa.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+May 14, 1938 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.15402 Umbral Magnitude 1.09660 Gamma −0.39944 Sun Right Ascension 03h21m58.6s Sun Declination +18°30'04.2" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'49.4" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 15h21m44.2s Moon Declination -18°51'44.3" Moon Semi-Diameter 14'57.8" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°54'55.0" ΔT 24.0 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 May 1938 May 14Ascending node (full moon) May 29Descending node (new moon) Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 120 Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 146
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1938 A total lunar eclipse on May 14. A total solar eclipse on May 29. A total lunar eclipse on November 7. A partial solar eclipse on November 21.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1934 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 1942
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1931 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1945
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1929 Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 20, 1947
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 1927 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1949
Lunar Saros 120 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1920 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 24, 1956
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 1909 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1967
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 13, 1851 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 14, 2025
Lunar eclipses of 1937–1940
Saros 120
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 127. May 9, 1929May 20, 1947
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
References
Total Eclipse of the Moon: 1938 May 14 HM Nautical Almanac Office The Lunar Eclipse of 1938 may 14 and its Saros Series, with Plate VI Pogo, Alexander, Popular Astronomy, Vol. 46, p. 385
External links May 13/14, 1938 — Total Lunar Eclipse www.timeanddate.com