January 1972 lunar eclipse
| Total eclipse | |||||||||||||||||
 The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left | |||||||||||||||||
| Date | January 30, 1972 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma | −0.4273 | ||||||||||||||||
| Magnitude | 1.0497 | ||||||||||||||||
| Saros cycle | 133 (24 of 71) | ||||||||||||||||
| Totality | 34 minutes, 48 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
| Partiality | 203 minutes, 23 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
| Penumbral | 340 minutes, 19 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Sunday, January 30, 1972,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.0497. 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 6.6 days before apogee (on February 6, 1972, at 0:45 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2]
Visibility
[edit]The eclipse was completely visible over northeast Asia, western and central North America, and the central Pacific Ocean, seen rising over much of Asia and Australia and setting over eastern North America and South America.[3]
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Eclipse details
[edit]Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Penumbral Magnitude | 2.09866 |
| Umbral Magnitude | 1.04971 |
| Gamma | −0.42729 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 20h48m23.2s |
| Sun Declination | -17°50'13.7" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'14.2" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 08h47m46.4s |
| Moon Declination | +17°27'35.5" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'28.8" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°56'48.6" |
| ΔT | 42.3 s |
Eclipse season
[edit]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.
| January 16 Ascending node (new moon) |
January 30 Descending node (full moon) |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Annular solar eclipse Solar Saros 121 |
Total lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 133 |
Related eclipses
[edit]Eclipses in 1972
[edit]- An annular solar eclipse on January 16.
- A total lunar eclipse on January 30.
- A total solar eclipse on July 10.
- A partial lunar eclipse on July 26.
Metonic
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1968
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1975
Tzolkinex
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 19, 1964
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1979
Half-Saros
[edit]- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 25, 1963
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 4, 1981
Tritos
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 2, 1961
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 1982
Lunar Saros 133
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 19, 1954
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 1990
Inex
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 1943
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 2001
Triad
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 30, 1885
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 30, 2058
Lunar eclipses of 1969–1973
[edit]| Lunar eclipse series sets from 1969–1973 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascending node | Descending node | |||||||
| Saros | Date Viewing |
Type Chart |
Gamma | Saros | Date Viewing |
Type Chart |
Gamma | |
| 108 | 1969 Aug 27
|
Penumbral
|
−1.54066 | 113 | 1970 Feb 21
|
Partial
|
0.96198 | |
| 118 | 1970 Aug 17
|
Partial
|
−0.80534 | 123 | 1971 Feb 10
|
Total
|
0.27413 | |
| 128 | 1971 Aug 06
|
Total
|
−0.07944 | 133 | 1972 Jan 30
|
Total
|
−0.42729 | |
| 138 | 1972 Jul 26
|
Partial
|
0.71167 | 143 | 1973 Jan 18
|
Penumbral
|
−1.08446 | |
| 148 | 1973 Jul 15
|
Penumbral
|
1.51782 | |||||
| Last set | 1969 Sep 25 | Last set | 1969 Apr 02 | |||||
| Next set | 1973 Jun 15 | Next set | 1973 Dec 10 | |||||
Half-Saros cycle
[edit]A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[5] This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 140.
| January 25, 1963 | February 4, 1981 |
|---|---|
|
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See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ "January 29–30, 1972 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
- ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
- ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1972 Jan 30" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
- ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1972 Jan 30". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
- ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
External links
[edit]- 1972 Jan 30 chart Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC
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