May 1956 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = partial

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1956May24.png

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

| date = May 24, 1956

| gamma = −0.4726

| magnitude = 0.9647

| saros_ser = 120

| saros_no = 55 of 84

| partiality = 204 minutes, 27 seconds

| penumbral = 348 minutes, 32 seconds

| p1 = 12:37:06

| u1 = 13:49:05

| greatest = 15:31:20

| u4 = 17:13:32

| p4 = 18:25:38

| previous = November 1955

| next = November 1956

}}

A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Thursday, May 24, 1956,{{cite web|title=May 24–25, 1956 Partial Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1956-may-24|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=25 December 2024}} with an umbral magnitude of 0.9647. 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 4.3 days before apogee (on May 28, 1956, at 22:10 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=1956&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=25 December 2024}}

This lunar eclipse was the first of an almost tetrad, with the others being on November 18, 1956 (total); May 13, 1957 (total); and November 7, 1957 (total).

This was the first eclipse of the last partial set in Lunar Saros 120.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over east Asia, Australia, and Antarctica, seen rising over central and east Africa, eastern Europe, and the western half of Asia and setting over the eastern Pacific Ocean.{{cite web|title=Partial Lunar Eclipse of 1956 May 24|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1956May24P.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=25 December 2024}}

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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 1956 May 24|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1956May24Pprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=25 December 2024}}

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|+May 24, 1956 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 2.01740

Umbral Magnitude

| 0.96473

Gamma

| −0.47260

Sun Right Ascension

| 04h05m33.5s

Sun Declination

| +20°50'30.4"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 15'47.4"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.7"

Moon Right Ascension

| 16h05m23.2s

Moon Declination

| -21°16'24.6"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 15'00.0"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°55'03.0"

ΔT

| 31.6 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.

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|+ Eclipse season of May–June 1956

! May 24
Ascending node (full moon)

June 8
Descending node (new moon)

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| Partial lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 120

Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 146

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1956 =

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 5, 1952
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1960

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1949
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 6, 1963

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 20, 1947
Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 30, 1965

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1945
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1967

= Lunar Saros 120 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 14, 1938
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 1974

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 1927
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 4, 1985

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 23, 1869
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 25, 2043

= Lunar eclipses of 1955–1958 =

= Saros 120 =

= 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 127.

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