May 1939 lunar eclipse

{{Short description|Total lunar eclipse May 3, 1939}}

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = total

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1939May03.png

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

| date = May 3, 1939

| gamma = 0.3693

| magnitude = 1.1765

| saros_ser = 130

| saros_no = 30 of 72

| totality = 62 minutes, 23 seconds

| partiality = 207 minutes, 3 seconds

| penumbral = 333 minutes, 31 seconds

| p1 = 12:24:35

| u1 = 13:27:45

| u2 = 14:40:06

| greatest = 15:11:18

| u3 = 15:42:28

| u4 = 16:54:48

| p4 = 17:58:06

| previous = November 1938

| next = October 1939

}}

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, May 3, 1939,{{cite web|title=May 3–4, 1939 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1939-may-3|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=18 December 2024}} with an umbral magnitude of 1.1765. 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 5.2 days after perigee (on April 28, 1939, at 11:05 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=1939&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=18 December 2024}}

This lunar eclipse was the third of an almost tetrad, with the others being on May 14, 1938 (total); November 7, 1938 (total); and October 28, 1939 (partial).