October 1967 lunar eclipse
total
DateOctober 18, 1967
Gamma−0.3653
Magnitude1.1426
Saros ser126
Saros no43 of 72
Totality59 minutes, 45 seconds
Partiality218 minutes, 52 seconds
Penumbral367 minutes, 7 seconds
P 17:11:37
U 18:25:44
U 29:45:17
Greatest10:15:10
U 310:45:02
U 412:04:35
P 413:18:43
PreviousApril 1967
NextApril 1968

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, October 18, 1967,[1][2] with an umbral magnitude of 1.1426. 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 22 hours before apogee (on October 19, 1967, at 8:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[3]

This lunar eclipse was the second of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on April 24, 1967; April 13, 1968; and October 6, 1968.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over northeast Asia, western North America, and the Pacific Ocean, seen rising over Asia and Australia and setting over eastern North America and South America.[4]

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[5]

October 18, 1967 lunar eclipse parameters
ParameterValue
Penumbral magnitude2.23368
Umbral magnitude1.14258
Gamma−0.36529
Sun right ascension13h30m10.8s
Sun declination-09°26'26.5"
Sun semi-diameter16'03.3"
Sun equatorial horizontal parallax08.8"
Moon right ascension01h30m47.5s
Moon declination+09°08'55.1"
Moon semi-diameter14'42.8"
Moon equatorial horizontal parallax0°54'00.0"
ΔT38.1 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 October–November 1967
October 18
Ascending node (full moon)
November 2
Descending node (new moon)
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 126		Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 152

Eclipses in 1967

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 126

Inex

Triad

Metonic series

This eclipse is the third of four Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, April 23–24, each separated by 19 years:

Half-Saros cycle

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[6] This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 133.

October 12, 1958October 23, 1976

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "October 17–18, 1967 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  2. ^ Raopublished, Joe (2021-11-17). "How the Beaver Moon lunar eclipse of Nov. 19 has shades of 1967". Space. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  3. ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  4. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1967 Oct 18". NASA. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1967 Oct 18". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  6. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros