July 1982 lunar eclipse
total
DateJuly 6, 1982
Gamma−0.0579
Magnitude1.7180
Saros ser129
Saros no36 of 71
Totality105 minutes, 44 seconds
Partiality235 minutes, 35 seconds
Penumbral373 minutes, 51 seconds
P 14:23:58
U 15:33:07
U 26:38:03
Greatest7:30:55
U 38:23:47
U 49:28:42
P 410:37:49
PreviousJanuary 1982
NextDecember 1982

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Tuesday, July 6, 1982,[1][2] with an umbral magnitude of 1.7180. It was a central lunar eclipse, in which part of the Moon passed through the center of the Earth's shadow. 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 1.2 days after apogee (on July 5, 1982, at 2:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[3] It was the longest total lunar eclipse since the August 1859 eclipse.[4]: 145

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over western and central North America, western South America, and Antarctica, seen rising over northwestern North America, Australia, and the western Pacific Ocean and setting over northeastern North America, eastern South America, and west and southern Africa.[5]

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[6]

July 6, 1982 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude2.78600
Umbral Magnitude1.71795
Gamma−0.05792
Sun Right Ascension07h00m26.1s
Sun Declination+22°42'50.6"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'43.9"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.6"
Moon Right Ascension19h00m26.1s
Moon Declination-22°45'58.4"
Moon Semi-Diameter14'43.7"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°54'03.4"
ΔT52.6 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. The first and last eclipse in this sequence is separated by one synodic month.

Eclipse season of June–July 1982
June 21
Ascending node (new moon)
July 6
Descending node (full moon)
July 20
Ascending node (new moon)
Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 117		Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 129		Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 155

Eclipses in 1982

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 129

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).[7] This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 136.

June 30, 1973July 11, 1991

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "July 5–6, 1982 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  2. ^ "July 6 eclipse to be 'doozy' of the century - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
  3. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  4. ^ Meeus, Jan (2002). More Mathematical Astronomy Morsels. ISBN 0943396743.
  5. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 Jul 06". NASA. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  6. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 Jul 06". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  7. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros

References

  • Bao-Lin Liu, Canon of Lunar Eclipses 1500 B.C.-A.D. 3000, 1992