December 1964 lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Saturday, December 19, 1964, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1748. 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 8.5 hours before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The eclipse afforded astrophysicist J. M. Saari the opportunity to make infrared pyrometric scans of the lunar surface with improved equipment, following up on Richard W. Shorthill's discovery of "hot spots" in the Tycho crater during the March 13, 1960 eclipse.
Visibility
The eclipse was completely visible over North and South America, west Africa, Europe, and north Asia, seen rising over the eastern Pacific Ocean and setting over southern and east Africa and the western half of Asia.Eclipse details
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.| Parameter | Value |
| Penumbral Magnitude | 2.14609 |
| Umbral Magnitude | 1.17483 |
| Gamma | 0.38008 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 17h47m56.6s |
| Sun Declination | -23°24'54.1" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'15.4" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 05h47m44.4s |
| Moon Declination | +23°48'04.8" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 16'44.3" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 1°01'25.8" |
| ΔT | 35.8 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.| December 4 Descending node | December 19 Ascending node |
| Partial solar eclipse Solar Saros 122 | Total lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 134 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1964
- A partial solar eclipse on January 14.
- A partial solar eclipse on June 10.
- A total lunar eclipse on June 25.
- A partial solar eclipse on July 9.
- A partial solar eclipse on December 4.
- '''A total lunar eclipse on December 19.'''
Metonic
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 2, 1961
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 6, 1968
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 7, 1957
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1972
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of December 14, 1955
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of December 24, 1973
Tritos
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 19, 1954
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1975
Lunar Saros 134
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 8, 1946
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 1982
Inex
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 8, 1936
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1993
Triad
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 17, 1878
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 19, 2051
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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 141.| December 14, 1955 | December 24, 1973 |