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April 1949 lunar eclipse

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April 1949 lunar eclipse
Total eclipse
The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left
DateApril 13, 1949
Gamma0.2474
Magnitude1.4251
Saros cycle121 (52 of 84)
Totality84 minutes, 56 seconds
Partiality205 minutes, 42 seconds
Penumbral315 minutes, 50 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P11:33:02
U12:28:05
U23:28:28
Greatest4:10:56
U34:53:24
U45:53:47
P46:48:52

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Wednesday, April 13, 1949,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.4251. 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 only about 19 hours after perigee (on April 12, 1949, at 9:35 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

This lunar eclipse was the first of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on October 7, 1949; April 2, 1950; and September 26, 1950.

Visibility

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The eclipse was completely visible over central and eastern North America, South America, and Antarctica, seen rising over western North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.[3]

Eclipse details

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

April 13, 1949 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 2.38255
Umbral Magnitude 1.42511
Gamma 0.24740
Sun Right Ascension 01h24m45.8s
Sun Declination +08°54'38.8"
Sun Semi-Diameter 15'56.9"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8"
Moon Right Ascension 13h25m14.0s
Moon Declination -08°41'13.4"
Moon Semi-Diameter 16'39.4"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°01'07.9"
ΔT 28.8 s

Eclipse season

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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 April 1949
April 13
Descending node (full moon)
April 28
Ascending node (new moon)
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 121
Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 147
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Eclipses in 1949

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Metonic

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Tzolkinex

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Half-Saros

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Tritos

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Lunar Saros 121

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Inex

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Triad

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Lunar eclipses of 1948–1951

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 1947–1951
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
111 1948 Apr 23
Partial
116 1948 Oct 18
Penumbral
121 1949 Apr 13
Total
126 1949 Oct 07
Total
131 1950 Apr 02
Total
136 1950 Sep 26
Total
141 1951 Mar 23
Penumbral
146 1951 Sep 15
Penumbral

Half-Saros cycle

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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 128.

April 7, 1940 April 19, 1958

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "April 12–13, 1949 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1949 Apr 13" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1949 Apr 13". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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