September 1978 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = total

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1978Sep16.png

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

| date = September 16, 1978

| gamma = 0.2951

| magnitude = 1.3268

| saros_ser = 127

| saros_no = 40 of 72

| totality = 78 minutes, 39 seconds

| partiality = 207 minutes, 10 seconds

| penumbral = 323 minutes, 50 seconds

| p1 = 16:22:19

| u1 = 17:20:36

| u2 = 18:24:52

| greatest = 19:04:12

| u3 = 19:43:30

| u4 = 20:47:46

| p4 = 21:46:10

| previous = March 1978

| next = March 1979

}}

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Saturday, September 16, 1978,{{cite web|title=September 16–17, 1978 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1978-september-16|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=4 January 2025}} with an umbral magnitude of 1.3268. 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 2.4 days after perigee (on September 14, 1978, at 10:35 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=1978&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=4 January 2025}}

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over east Africa, eastern Europe, much of Asia, and western Australia, seen rising over eastern South America, western Europe, and west and central Africa and setting over northeast Asia and central and eastern Australia.{{cite web|title=Total Lunar Eclipse of 1978 Sep 16|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1978Sep16T.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=Total Lunar Eclipse of 1978 Sep 16|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1978Sep16Tprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=4 January 2025}}

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|+September 16, 1978 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 2.30598

Umbral Magnitude

| 1.32683

Gamma

| 0.29510

Sun Right Ascension

| 11h36m19.9s

Sun Declination

| +02°33'33.2"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 15'54.7"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.7"

Moon Right Ascension

| 23h35m58.5s

Moon Declination

| -02°16'47.0"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 16'15.0"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°59'38.4"

ΔT

| 49.3 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 September–October 1978

! September 16
Descending node (full moon)
!! October 2
Ascending node (new moon)

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| Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 127

Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 153

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1978 =

A total lunar eclipse on March 24.
A partial solar eclipse on April 7.
A total lunar eclipse on September 16.
A partial solar eclipse on October 2.

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1974
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 6, 1982

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 6, 1971
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 1985

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of September 11, 1969
Followed by: Solar eclipse of September 23, 1987

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 18, 1967
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 17, 1989

= Lunar Saros 127 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 5, 1960
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 27, 1996

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 7, 1949
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 28, 2007

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 16, 1891
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 17, 2065

= Lunar eclipses of 1977–1980 =

= Saros 127 =

= 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 annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 134.

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