February 1970 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = partial

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1970Feb21.png

| caption = The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left

| date = February 21, 1970

| gamma = 0.9620

| magnitude = 0.0464

| saros_ser = 113

| saros_no = 61 of 71

| partiality = 52 minutes, 40 seconds

| penumbral = 298 minutes, 32 seconds

| p1 = 6:00:46

| u1 = 8:03:45

| greatest = 8:30:03

| u4 = 8:56:26

| p4 = 10:59:18

| previous = September 1969

| next = August 1970

}}

A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, February 21, 1970,{{cite web|title=February 20–21, 1970 Partial Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1970-february-21|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=3 January 2025}} with an umbral magnitude of 0.0464. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when one part of the Moon is in the Earth's umbra, while the other part is in 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 2.4 days after apogee (on February 18, 1970, at 23:05 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=1970&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=3 January 2025}}

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over northeast Asia, North America, and northwestern South America, seen rising over east Asia and Australia and setting over much of South America, western Europe, and west Africa.{{cite web|title=Partial Lunar Eclipse of 1970 Feb 21|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1970Feb21P.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=3 January 2025}}

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Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.{{cite web|title=Partial Lunar Eclipse of 1970 Feb 21|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1970Feb21Pprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=3 January 2025}}

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|+February 21, 1970 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 1.14027

Umbral Magnitude

| 0.04639

Gamma

| 0.96198

Sun Right Ascension

| 22h17m07.7s

Sun Declination

| -10°39'28.9"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 16'10.2"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.9"

Moon Right Ascension

| 10h18m43.4s

Moon Declination

| +11°26'05.5"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 14'47.0"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°54'15.2"

ΔT

| 40.3 s

Eclipse season

This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) 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.

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|+ Eclipse season of February–March 1970

! February 21
Descending node (full moon)
!! March 7
Ascending node (new moon)

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| Partial lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 113

Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 139

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1970 =

A partial lunar eclipse on February 21.
A total solar eclipse on March 7.
A partial lunar eclipse on August 17.
An annular solar eclipse on August 31.

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 4, 1966
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 10, 1973

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 1963
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 1977

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 15, 1961
Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 26, 1979

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1959
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 20, 1981

= Lunar Saros 113 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 11, 1952
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 1988

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1941
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 31, 1999

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 22, 1883
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 22, 2056

= Lunar eclipses of 1969–1973 =

= Metonic series =

= Saros 113 =

= 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 (a half saros).Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 120.

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