September 1978 lunar eclipse
total
DateSeptember 16, 1978
Gamma0.2951
Magnitude1.3268
Saros ser127
Saros no40 of 72
Totality78 minutes, 39 seconds
Partiality207 minutes, 10 seconds
Penumbral323 minutes, 50 seconds
P 116:22:19
U 117:20:36
U 218:24:52
Greatest19:04:12
U 319:43:30
U 420:47:46
P 421:46:10
PreviousMarch 1978
NextMarch 1979

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, September 16, 1978,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.3268. 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 2.4 days after perigee (on September 14, 1978, at 10:35 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over east Africa, eastern Europe, much of Asia, and western Australia, seen rising over eastern South America, western Europe, and west and central Africa and setting over northeast Asia and central and eastern Australia.[3]

Eclipse details

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

September 16, 1978 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude2.30598
Umbral Magnitude1.32683
Gamma0.29510
Sun Right Ascension11h36m19.9s
Sun Declination+02°33'33.2"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'54.7"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.7"
Moon Right Ascension23h35m58.5s
Moon Declination-02°16'47.0"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'15.0"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°59'38.4"
ΔT49.3 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 September–October 1978
September 16
Descending node (full moon)
October 2
Ascending node (new moon)
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 127		Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 153

Eclipses in 1978

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 127

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 annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 134.

September 11, 1969September 23, 1987

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "September 16–17, 1978 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1978 Sep 16". NASA. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
  4. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1978 Sep 16". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros