April 1969 lunar eclipse
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Wednesday, April 2, 1969, with an umbral magnitude of −0.3046. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the Moon's near side passes into the Earth's penumbra. 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. Occurring about 4.2 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
Visibility
The eclipse was completely visible over east Africa, eastern Europe, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica, seen rising over western Europe and west Africa and setting over northeast Asia and the central Pacific Ocean.Eclipse details
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.| Parameter | Value |
| Penumbral Magnitude | 0.70337 |
| Umbral Magnitude | −0.30462 |
| Gamma | −1.17648 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 00h47m14.1s |
| Sun Declination | +05°04'17.9" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'59.8" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.8" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 12h45m02.7s |
| Moon Declination | -06°04'31.4" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'52.2" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°58'14.5" |
| ΔT | 39.5 s |
Eclipse season
This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months 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.| March 18, 1969|March 18] Ascending node | April 2 Descending node |
| Annular solar eclipse Solar Saros 129 | Penumbral lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 141 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1969
- An annular solar eclipse on March 18.A penumbral lunar eclipse on April 2.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on August 27.
- An annular solar eclipse on September 11.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on September 25.
Metonic
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 14, 1965
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 18, 1973
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 19, 1962
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1976
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [March 27, 1960]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 7, 1978
Tritos
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1958
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 1, 1980
Lunar Saros 141
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 23, 1951
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 14, 1987
Inex
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 22, 1940
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1998
Triad
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 1, 1882
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 1, 2056
Half-Saros cycle
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days. This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 148.| March 27, 1960 | April 7, 1978 |