September 1979 lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse took place on Thursday, September 6, 1979, the second of two lunar eclipses in 1979. A shallow total eclipse saw the Moon in relative darkness for 44 minutes and 24.7 seconds. The Moon was 9.358% of its diameter into the Earth's umbral shadow, and should have been significantly darkened. The partial eclipse lasted for 3 hours, 11 minutes and 54.1 seconds in total.[1]

September 1979 lunar eclipse
Total eclipse
Date6 September 1979
Gamma−0.43050
Magnitude1.09358
Saros cycle137 (25 of 80)
Totality44 minutes, 24.7 seconds
Partiality191 minutes, 54.2 seconds
Penumbral305 minutes, 15.4 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P108:21:34.5
U109:18:14.6
U210:31:59.4
Greatest10:54:11.9
U311:16:24.1
U412:30:08.8
P413:26:49.9

This event followed the annular solar eclipse of August 22, 1979.

Visibility

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Eclipses in 1979

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Lunar year series

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 1977–1980
Ascending node   Descending node
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
Gamma Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
Gamma
112 1977 Apr 04
 
Partial
 
−0.91483 117 1977 Sep 27
 
Penumbral
 
1.07682
122 1978 Mar 24
 
Total
 
−0.21402 127 1978 Sep 16
 
Total
 
0.29510
132 1979 Mar 13
 
Partial
 
0.52537 137 1979 Sep 06
 
Total
 
−0.43050
142 1980 Mar 01
 
Penumbral
 
1.22701 147 1980 Aug 26
 
Penumbral
 
−1.16082
Last set 1976 May 13 Last set 1976 Nov 06
Next set 1981 Jan 20 Next set 1980 Jul 27

Saros series

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It is part of Saros series 137.

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).[2] This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 144.

August 31, 1970 September 11, 1988
   

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Hermit Eclipse: Saros cycle 137
  2. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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