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November 1938 lunar eclipse

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]

November 1938 lunar eclipse
Total eclipse
The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left
DateNovember 7, 1938
Gamma0.2739
Magnitude1.3525
Saros cycle125 (44 of 72)
Totality81 minutes, 26 seconds
Partiality210 minutes, 11 seconds
Penumbral331 minutes, 28 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P119:40:32
U120:41:14
U221:45:36
Greatest22:26:18
U323:07:02
U40:11:25
P41:12:00

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

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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

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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]

November 7, 1938 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 2.35850
Umbral Magnitude 1.35251
Gamma 0.27386
Sun Right Ascension 14h49m34.6s
Sun Declination -16°17'56.2"
Sun Semi-Diameter 16'08.6"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.9"
Moon Right Ascension 02h49m21.3s
Moon Declination +16°33'44.7"
Moon Semi-Diameter 16'02.9"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°58'53.8"
ΔT 24.1 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 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
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Eclipses in 1938

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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 125

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Inex

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Triad

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Lunar eclipses of 1937–1940

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 1937–1940
Ascending node   Descending node
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
110 1937 May 25
 
Penumbral
 
115 1937 Nov 18
 
Partial
 
120 1938 May 14
 
Total
 
125 1938 Nov 07
 
Total
 
130 1939 May 03
 
Total
 
135 1939 Oct 28
 
Partial
 
140 1940 Apr 22
 
Penumbral
 
145 1940 Oct 16
 
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 annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 132.

November 1, 1929 November 12, 1947
   

See also

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Notes

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  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" (PDF). 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
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