January 1954 lunar eclipse


A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Tuesday, January 19, 1954, with an umbral magnitude of 1.0322. 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 6.4 days before apogee, the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over much of North and South America, west Africa, and Europe, seen rising over western North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean and setting over southern and east Africa and much of Asia.

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude2.08525
Umbral Magnitude1.03216
Gamma−0.43573
Sun Right Ascension20h02m25.4s
Sun Declination-20°28'09.9"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'15.3"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension08h01m54.0s
Moon Declination+20°04'36.5"
Moon Semi-Diameter15'26.2"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°56'39.0"
ΔT30.7 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.
January 5
Ascending node
January 19
Descending node
Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 121
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 133

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1954

Saros 133

Tritos series

Inex series

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 annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 140.
January 14, 1945January 25, 1963