July 1973 lunar eclipse

A penumbral lunar eclipse took place on Sunday, July 15, 1973, the third of four lunar eclipses in 1973. In this extremely marginal eclipse, the Moon barely clipped the edge of the Earth's penumbral shadow. This caused a microscopic darkening of just 10.468% of the Moon's disc for 1 hour, 39 minutes and 8 seconds, which was essentially impossible to see. This event marking the beginning of the 148th saros cycle for a lunar eclipse. The Moon was only 2.6 days after apogee (Apogee on Thursday, July 12, 1973), making it 5.9% smaller than average.

July 1973 lunar eclipse
Penumbral eclipse
Date15 July 1973
Gamma1.51782
Magnitude0.10468
Saros cycle148 (1 of 71)
Penumbral99 minutes, 8 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P110:49:04.0
Greatest11:38:33.4
P412:28:12.0

Visibility

This penumbral eclipse was visible over eastern Asia, Australia, Pacific, western Americas, seen rising over east in Asia, Australia, and setting over the Americas.

Relation to other lunar eclipses

Eclipses in 1973

Lunar year series
Lunar eclipse series sets from 1969–1973
Ascending node   Descending node
Saros Date
Viewing		 Type
Chart		 Gamma Saros Date
Viewing		 Type
Chart		 Gamma
108 1969 Aug 27
 Penumbral
 -1.54066 113 1970 Feb 21
 Partial
 0.96198
118 1970 Aug 17
 Partial
 -0.80534 123 1971 Feb 10
 Total
 0.27413
128 1971 Aug 06
 Total
 -0.07944 133 1972 Jan 30
 Total
 -0.42729
138 1972 Jul 26
 Partial
 0.71167 143 1973 Jan 18
 Penumbral
 -1.08446
148 1973 Jul 15
 Penumbral
 1.51782
Last set 1969 Sep 25 Last set 1969 Apr 2
Next set 1973 Jun 15 Next set 1973 Dec 10

Half-Saros cycle

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[1] This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 155 on the third and fourth columns.

June 17, 1928 June 29, 1946 July 9, 1964 July 20, 1982

See also

Notes
  1. Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros


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