July 1973 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = penumbral

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1973Jul15.png

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

| date = July 15, 1973

| gamma = 1.5178

| magnitude = −0.9581

| saros_ser = 148

| saros_no = 1 of 71

| penumbral = 99 minutes, 5 seconds

| p1 = 10:49:07

| greatest = 11:38:35

| p4 = 12:28:12

| previous = June 1973

| next = December 1973

}}

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Sunday, July 15, 1973,{{cite web|title=July 15, 1973 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1973-july-15|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=3 January 2025}} with an umbral magnitude of −0.9581. 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 3 days after apogee (on July 12, 1973, at 22:45 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=1973&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=3 January 2025}}

This eclipse was the third of four lunar eclipses in 1973, with the others occurring on January 18 (penumbral), June 15 (penumbral), and December 10 (partial).

This was the first lunar eclipse of Saros series 148.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over Australia, western North America, and Antarctica, seen rising over east Asia and setting over central North America and western South America.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1973 Jul 15|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1973Jul15N.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=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1973 Jul 15|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1973Jul15Nprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=3 January 2025}}

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|+July 15, 1973 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 0.10468

Umbral Magnitude

| −0.95805

Gamma

| 1.51782

Sun Right Ascension

| 07h38m36.3s

Sun Declination

| +21°30'35.7"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 15'44.1"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.7"

Moon Right Ascension

| 19h37m04.9s

Moon Declination

| -20°10'55.9"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 14'48.4"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°54'20.5"

ΔT

| 43.9 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. The first and last eclipse in this sequence is separated by one synodic month.

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|+ Eclipse season of June–July 1973

! June 15
Ascending node (full moon)
!! June 30
Descending node (new moon)
!! July 15
Ascending node (full moon)

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| Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 110

Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 136

Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 148

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1973 =

An annular solar eclipse on January 4.
A penumbral lunar eclipse on January 18.
A penumbral lunar eclipse on June 15.
A total solar eclipse on June 30.
A penumbral lunar eclipse on July 15.
A partial lunar eclipse on December 10.
An annular solar eclipse on December 24.

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 25, 1969

= Tzolkinex =

Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 26, 1980

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 9, 1964
Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 20, 1982

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 15, 1962
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 13, 1984

= Lunar Saros 148 =

Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1991

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 4, 1944
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 24, 2002

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 13, 1886

= Lunar eclipses of 1969–1973 =

= Saros 148 =

= Tritos series =

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!colspan=10| Series members between 1801 and 2060

colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1809 Oct 23
(Saros 133)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1820 Sep 22
(Saros 134)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1831 Aug 23
(Saros 135)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1842 Jul 22
(Saros 136)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1853 Jun 21
(Saros 137)

colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1864 May 21
(Saros 138)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1875 Apr 20
(Saros 139)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1886 Mar 20
(Saros 140)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1897 Feb 17
(Saros 141)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1908 Jan 18
(Saros 142)

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colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1918 Dec 17
(Saros 143)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1929 Nov 17
(Saros 144)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1940 Oct 16
(Saros 145)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1951 Sep 15
(Saros 146)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1962 Aug 15
(Saros 147)

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colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1973 Jul 15
(Saros 148)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1984 Jun 13
(Saros 149)

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"|

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colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"|

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"|

|colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 2060 Nov 08
(Saros 156)

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= 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 155.

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