November 1938 lunar eclipse
total
DateNovember 7, 1938
Gamma0.2739
Magnitude1.3525
Saros ser125
Saros no44 of 72
Totality81 minutes, 26 seconds
Partiality210 minutes, 11 seconds
Penumbral331 minutes, 28 seconds
P 119:40:32
U 120:41:14
U 221:45:36
Greatest22:26:18
U 323:07:02
U 40:11:25
P 41:12:00
PreviousMay 1938
NextMay 1939

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Monday, November 7, 1938,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.3525. 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 3.2 days before perigee (on November 11, 1938, at 3:25 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

This lunar eclipse was the second of an almost tetrad, with the others being on May 14, 1938 (total); May 3, 1939 (total); and October 28, 1939 (partial).

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over Africa, Europe, and west and central Asia, seen rising over North and South America and setting over east Asia and western 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]

November 7, 1938 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude2.35850
Umbral Magnitude1.35251
Gamma0.27386
Sun Right Ascension14h49m34.6s
Sun Declination-16°17'56.2"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'08.6"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension02h49m21.3s
Moon Declination+16°33'44.7"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'02.9"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°58'53.8"
ΔT24.1 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 November 1938
November 7
Descending node (full moon)		November 21
Ascending node (new moon)
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 125		Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 151

Eclipses in 1938

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 125

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 132.

November 1, 1929November 12, 1947

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "November 7–8, 1938 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1938 Nov 07". NASA. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1938 Nov 07". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  5. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros