January 1955 lunar eclipse

January 1955 lunar eclipse
Penumbral eclipse
The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left
DateJanuary 8, 1955
Gamma−1.0907
Magnitude−0.1421
Saros cycle143 (15 of 73)
Penumbral236 minutes, 2 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P110:34:46
Greatest12:32:49
P414:30:48

A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, January 8, 1955,[1] with an umbral magnitude of −0.1421. 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 2.2 days after perigee (on January 6, 1955, at 8:55 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over east and north Asia, Australia, and northwestern North America, seen rising over much of the western half of Asia and northern Europe and setting over eastern North America and northwestern South America.[3]

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]

January 8, 1955 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 0.85553
Umbral Magnitude −0.14209
Gamma −1.09070
Sun Right Ascension 19h15m41.7s
Sun Declination -22°18'18.6"
Sun Semi-Diameter 16'15.9"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9"
Moon Right Ascension 07h14m38.8s
Moon Declination +21°14'42.2"
Moon Semi-Diameter 16'18.2"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°59'50.2"
ΔT 31.1 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 December 1954–January 1955
December 25
Ascending node (new moon)
January 8
Descending node (full moon)
Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 131
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 143

Eclipses in 1955

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 143

Inex

Triad

Lunar eclipses of 1951–1955

Lunar eclipse series sets from 1951–1955
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
103 1951 Feb 21
Penumbral
108 1951 Aug 17
Penumbral
113 1952 Feb 11
Partial
118 1952 Aug 5
Partial
123 1953 Jan 29
Total
128 1953 Jul 26
Total
133 1954 Jan 19
Total
138 1954 Jul 16
Partial
143 1955 Jan 8
Penumbral
Last set 1951 Mar 23 Last set 1951 Sep 15
Next set 1955 Nov 29 Next set 1955 Jun 5

Half-Saros cycle

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 partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 150.

January 3, 1946 January 14, 1964

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "January 8, 1955 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1955 Jan 08" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1955 Jan 08". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros