March 1997 lunar eclipse
partial
DateMarch 24, 1997
Gamma0.4899
Magnitude0.9195
Saros ser132
Saros no29 of 71
Partiality203 minutes, 3 seconds
Penumbral353 minutes, 54 seconds
P 11:42:26
U 12:57:55
Greatest4:39:26
U 46:20:58
P 47:36:21
PreviousSeptember 1996
NextSeptember 1997

A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Monday, March 24, 1997,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 0.9195. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when one part of the Moon is in the Earth's umbra, while the other part is in 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 3.2 days after apogee (on March 20, 1997, at 23:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2]

This lunar eclipse, a near total one, was the third of an almost tetrad, with the others being on April 4, 1996 (total); September 27, 1996 (total); and September 16, 1997 (total).

This was the last of the first set of partial eclipses in Lunar Saros 132.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over much of North America and South America, seen rising over western North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over Africa, Europe, and west and central Asia.[3]

Eclipse details

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

March 24, 1997 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude1.99936
Umbral Magnitude0.91953
Gamma0.48990
Sun Right Ascension00h13m09.7s
Sun Declination+01°25'31.5"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'02.5"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.8"
Moon Right Ascension12h13m42.1s
Moon Declination-01°00'04.5"
Moon Semi-Diameter14'51.3"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°54'31.3"
ΔT62.4 s

Eclipse season

See also: Eclipse cycle

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 March 1997
March 9
Descending node (new moon)
March 24
Ascending node (full moon)
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 120		Partial lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 132

Eclipses in 1997

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 132

Inex

Triad

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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 139.

March 18, 1988March 29, 2006

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "March 23–24, 1997 Partial Lunar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Partial Lunar Eclipse of 1997 Mar 24". NASA. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  4. ^ "Partial Lunar Eclipse of 1997 Mar 24". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros