January 1955 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = penumbral

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1955Jan08.png

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

| date = January 8, 1955

| gamma = −1.0907

| magnitude = −0.1421

| saros_ser = 143

| saros_no = 15 of 73

| penumbral = 236 minutes, 2 seconds

| p1 = 10:34:46

| greatest = 12:32:49

| p4 = 14:30:48

| previous = July 1954

| next = June 1955

}}

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, January 8, 1955,{{cite web|title=January 8, 1955 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1955-january-8|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=22 December 2024}} with an umbral magnitude of −0.1421. 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 2.2 days after perigee (on January 6, 1955, at 8:55 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=1955&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=22 December 2024}}

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over east and north Asia, Australia, and northwestern North America, seen rising over much of the western half of Asia and northern Europe and setting over eastern North America and northwestern South America.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1955 Jan 08|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1955Jan08N.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=22 December 2024}}

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Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1955 Jan 08|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1955Jan08Nprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=22 December 2024}}

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|+January 8, 1955 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 0.85553

Umbral Magnitude

| −0.14209

Gamma

| −1.09070

Sun Right Ascension

| 19h15m41.7s

Sun Declination

| -22°18'18.6"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 16'15.9"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.9"

Moon Right Ascension

| 07h14m38.8s

Moon Declination

| +21°14'42.2"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 16'18.2"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°59'50.2"

ΔT

| 31.1 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 December 1954–January 1955

! December 25
Ascending node (new moon)

January 8
Descending node (full moon)

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| Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 131

Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 143

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1955 =

A penumbral lunar eclipse on January 8.
A penumbral lunar eclipse on June 5.
A total solar eclipse on June 20.
A partial lunar eclipse on November 29.
An annular solar eclipse on December 14.

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 23, 1951
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 27, 1958

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 28, 1947
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 19, 1962

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 3, 1946
Followed by: Solar eclipse of January 14, 1964

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 1944
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 8, 1965

= Lunar Saros 143 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 28, 1936
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 18, 1973

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 28, 1926
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 20, 1983

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 8, 1868
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 8, 2041

= Lunar eclipses of 1951–1955 =

= Saros 143 =

= 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 partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 150.

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