January 1963 lunar eclipse


A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, January 9, 1963, with an umbral magnitude of −0.0184. It was a relatively rare total penumbral lunar eclipse, with the Moon passing entirely within the penumbral shadow without entering the darker umbral shadow. 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 5.6 days after perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over northeastern North America, Europe, Africa, and the western half of Asia, seen rising over North and South America and setting over east and southeast Asia and western Australia.

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude1.01802
Umbral Magnitude−0.01844
Gamma−1.01282
Sun Right Ascension19h22m13.4s
Sun Declination-22°05'52.3"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'15.9"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension07h22m02.8s
Moon Declination+21°07'35.9"
Moon Semi-Diameter15'41.5"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°57'35.5"
ΔT34.5 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.
January 9
Ascending node
January 25
Descending node
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 114
Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 140

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1963

A penumbral lunar eclipse on January 9.

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Lunar Saros 114

Inex

Triad

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 121.
January 5, 1954January 16, 1972