A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Thursday, September 17, 1959, with an umbral magnitude of −0.0495. 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 6.1 days before apogee (on September 23, 1959, at 2:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over South America, Africa, and Europe, seen rising over North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean and setting over 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.
+September 17, 1959 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 0.98742 Umbral Magnitude −0.04953 Gamma 1.02963 Sun Right Ascension 11h35m46.2s Sun Declination +02°37'11.9" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'54.7" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 23h34m35.7s Moon Declination -01°41'57.4" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'20.7" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°56'19.0" ΔT 33.0 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 September–October 1959 September 17Descending node (full moon) October 2Ascending node (new moon) Penumbral lunar eclipseLunar Saros 117 Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 143
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1959 A partial lunar eclipse on March 24. An annular solar eclipse on April 8. A penumbral lunar eclipse on September 17. A total solar eclipse on October 2.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1955 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 6, 1963
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 5, 1952 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 29, 1966
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of September 12, 1950 Followed by: Solar eclipse of September 22, 1968
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 18, 1948 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 17, 1970
Lunar Saros 117 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 5, 1941 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 27, 1977
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 7, 1930 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 27, 1988
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 15, 1872 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 18, 2046
Lunar eclipses of 1958–1962
Saros 117
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 124. September 12, 1950September 22, 1968
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links