October 1966 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = penumbral

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1966Oct29.png

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

| date = October 29, 1966

| gamma = −1.0600

| magnitude = −0.1249

| saros_ser = 116

| saros_no = 55 of 73

| penumbral = 273 minutes, 41 seconds

| p1 = 7:55:27

| greatest = 10:12:16

| p4 = 12:29:08

| previous = May 1966

| next = April 1967

}}

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Saturday, October 29, 1966,{{cite web|title=October 28–29, 1966 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1966-october-29|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=2 January 2025}} with an umbral magnitude of −0.1249. 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 4 days after apogee (on October 25, 1966, at 9:55 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=1966&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=2 January 2025}}

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over northeast Asia, much of North America, and the Pacific Ocean, seen rising over east and southeast Asia and Australia and setting over eastern North America and South America.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1966 Oct 29|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1966Oct29N.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=2 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 1966 Oct 29|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1966Oct29Nprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=2 January 2025}}

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|+October 29, 1966 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 0.95172

Umbral Magnitude

| −0.12488

Gamma

| −1.05999

Sun Right Ascension

| 14h12m57.7s

Sun Declination

| -13°22'20.9"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 16'06.2"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.9"

Moon Right Ascension

| 02h14m38.8s

Moon Declination

| +12°29'37.7"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 14'57.5"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°54'53.8"

ΔT

| 37.2 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 October–November 1966

! October 29
Ascending node (full moon)
!! November 12
Descending node (new moon)

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| Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 116

Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 142

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1966 =

A penumbral lunar eclipse on May 4.
An annular solar eclipse on May 20.
A penumbral lunar eclipse on October 29.
A total solar eclipse on November 12.

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 1963
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 17, 1970

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 17, 1959
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 10, 1973

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 23, 1957
Followed by: Solar eclipse of November 3, 1975

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1955
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 27, 1977

= Lunar Saros 116 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 18, 1948
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 8, 1984

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1937
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 8, 1995

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 28, 1879
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 29, 2053

= Lunar eclipses of 1966–1969 =

= Metonic series =

= Saros 116 =

= 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 solar eclipses of Solar Saros 123.

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