March 1979 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = partial

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1979Mar13.png

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

| date = March 13, 1979

| gamma = 0.5254

| magnitude = 0.8538

| saros_ser = 132

| saros_no = 28 of 71

| partiality = 197 minutes, 39 seconds

| penumbral = 350 minutes, 37 seconds

| p1 = 18:12:42

| u1 = 19:29:14

| greatest = 21:08:02

| u4 = 22:46:53

| p4 = 0:03:19

| previous = September 1978

| next = September 1979

}}

A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Tuesday, March 13, 1979,{{cite web|title=March 13–14, 1979 Partial Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1979-march-13|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=4 January 2025}} with an umbral magnitude of 0.8538. 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 3.5 days after apogee (on March 10, 1979, at 10:20 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=1979&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=4 January 2025}}

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over much of Africa, Europe, and the western half of Asia, seen rising over eastern North America, South America, and west Africa and setting over east and northeast Asia and Australia.{{cite web|title=Partial Lunar Eclipse of 1979 Mar 13|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1979Mar13P.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=4 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=Partial Lunar Eclipse of 1979 Mar 13|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1979Mar13Pprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=4 January 2025}}

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|+March 13, 1979 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 1.93496

Umbral Magnitude

| 0.85377

Gamma

| 0.52537

Sun Right Ascension

| 23h33m09.8s

Sun Declination

| -02°53'59.0"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 16'05.4"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.8"

Moon Right Ascension

| 11h33m44.4s

Moon Declination

| +03°21'20.5"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 14'52.9"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°54'36.9"

ΔT

| 49.7 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 1979

! February 26
Descending node (new moon)
!! March 13
Ascending node (full moon)

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| Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 120

Partial lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 132

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1979 =

A total solar eclipse on February 26.
A partial lunar eclipse on March 13.
An annular solar eclipse on August 22.
A total lunar eclipse on September 6.

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1975
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 1982

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1972
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1986

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 7, 1970
Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 18, 1988

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1968
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 1990

= Lunar Saros 132 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 2, 1961
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1997

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1950
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 21, 2008

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 11, 1892
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 11, 2066

= Lunar eclipses of 1977–1980 =

= Saros 132 =

= 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 139.

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