January 1972 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = total

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1972Jan30.png

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

| date = January 30, 1972

| gamma = −0.4273

| magnitude = 1.0497

| saros_ser = 133

| saros_no = 24 of 71

| totality = 34 minutes, 48 seconds

| partiality = 203 minutes, 23 seconds

| penumbral = 340 minutes, 19 seconds

| p1 = 8:03:16

| u1 = 9:11:39

| u2 = 10:35:57

| greatest = 10:53:23

| u3 = 11:10:45

| u4 = 12:35:03

| p4 = 13:43:35

| previous = August 1971

| next = July 1972

}}

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Sunday, January 30, 1972,{{cite web|title=January 29–30, 1972 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1972-january-30|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=3 January 2025}} with an umbral magnitude of 1.0497. 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 6.6 days before apogee (on February 6, 1972, at 0:45 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=1972&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=3 January 2025}}

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over northeast Asia, western and central North America, and the central Pacific Ocean, seen rising over much of Asia and Australia and setting over eastern North America and South America.{{cite web|title=Total Lunar Eclipse of 1972 Jan 30|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1972Jan30T.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=3 January 2025}}

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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=Total Lunar Eclipse of 1972 Jan 30|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1972Jan30Tprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=3 January 2025}}

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|+January 30, 1972 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 2.09866

Umbral Magnitude

| 1.04971

Gamma

| −0.42729

Sun Right Ascension

| 20h48m23.2s

Sun Declination

| -17°50'13.7"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 16'14.2"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.9"

Moon Right Ascension

| 08h47m46.4s

Moon Declination

| +17°27'35.5"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 15'28.8"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°56'48.6"

ΔT

| 42.3 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 January 1972

! January 16
Ascending node (new moon)
!! January 30
Descending node (full moon)

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| Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 121

Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 133

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1972 =

An annular solar eclipse on January 16.
A total lunar eclipse on January 30.
A total solar eclipse on July 10.
A partial lunar eclipse on July 26.

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1968
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1975

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 19, 1964
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1979

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 25, 1963
Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 4, 1981

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 2, 1961
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 1982

= Lunar Saros 133 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 19, 1954
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 1990

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 20, 1943
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 2001

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 30, 1885
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 30, 2058

= Lunar eclipses of 1969–1973 =

= 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 (a half saros).Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 140.

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