March 1951 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = penumbral

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1951Mar23.png

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

| date = March 23, 1951

| gamma = −1.2099

| magnitude = −0.3660

| saros_ser = 141

| saros_no = 20 of 73

| penumbral = 214 minutes, 19 seconds

| p1 = 8:50:00

| greatest = 10:37:04

| p4 = 12:24:19

| previous = February 1951

| next = August 1951

}}

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Friday, March 23, 1951,{{cite web|title=March 22–23, 1951 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1951-march-23|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=21 December 2024}} with an umbral magnitude of −0.3660. 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 3.9 days before perigee (on March 27, 1951, at 8:20 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=1951&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=21 December 2024}}

This eclipse was the second of four penumbral lunar eclipses in 1951, with the others occurring on February 21, August 17, and September 15.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over northeast Asia, eastern Australia, and western North America, seen rising over east and southeast Asia and western Australia and setting over eastern North America and South America.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1951 Mar 23|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1951Mar23N.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=21 December 2024}}

class=wikitable

|300px 300px

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 1951 Mar 23|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1951Mar23Nprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=21 December 2024}}

class="wikitable" align="{{{align|left}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|right|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"

|+March 23, 1951 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 0.64195

Umbral Magnitude

| −0.36599

Gamma

| −1.20994

Sun Right Ascension

| 00h07m18.6s

Sun Declination

| +00°47'32.7"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 16'02.8"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.8"

Moon Right Ascension

| 12h05m01.7s

Moon Declination

| -01°49'23.5"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 15'55.2"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°58'25.6"

ΔT

| 29.6 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.

class="wikitable"

|+ Eclipse season of February–March 1951

! February 21
Descending node (full moon) !! March 7
Ascending node (new moon) !! March 23
Descending node (full moon)

200px

align=center

| Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 103

Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 129

Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 141

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1951 =

A penumbral lunar eclipse on February 21.
An annular solar eclipse on March 7.
A penumbral lunar eclipse on March 23.
A penumbral lunar eclipse on August 17.
An annular solar eclipse on September 1.
A penumbral lunar eclipse on September 15.

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 3, 1947
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 8, 1955

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 1944
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1958

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 16, 1942
Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 27, 1960

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 22, 1940
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 19, 1962

= Lunar Saros 141 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 12, 1933
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1969

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 11, 1922
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 1, 1980

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 21, 1864
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2038

= Lunar eclipses of 1948–1951 =

= Saros 141 =

= 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 148.

class=wikitable