Total Lunar Eclipse of 1946 Dec 08

Fred Espenak

Key to Lunar Eclipse Figure (below)

Introduction

The Total Lunar Eclipse of 1946 Dec 08 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • North North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia

The diagram to the right depicts the Moon's path with respect to Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows. Below it is a map showing the geographic regions of eclipse visibility. Click on the figure to enlarge it. For an explanation of the features appearing in the figure, see Key to Lunar Eclipse Figures.

The instant of greatest eclipse takes place on 1946 Dec 08 at 17:48:28 TD (17:48:00 UT1). This is 0.3 days before the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Moon is in the constellation Taurus. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 296.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 134 and is number 23 of 72 eclipses in the series. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s ascending node. The Moon moves southward with respect to the node with each succeeding eclipse in the series and gamma decreases.

The total lunar eclipse of 1946 Dec 08 is preceded two weeks earlier by a partial solar eclipse on 1946 Nov 23.

These eclipses all take place during a single eclipse season.

The eclipse predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., TD = UT1 + ΔT). ΔT has a value of 27.8 seconds for this eclipse.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Total Lunar Eclipse of 1946 Dec 08 .

Eclipse Data: Total Lunar Eclipse of 1946 Dec 08

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 2.13370
Umbral Magnitude 1.16390
Gamma 0.38643
Epsilon 0.3958°
Opposition Times
Event Calendar Date & Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 1946 Dec 08 at 17:48:28.2 TD (17:48:00.5 UT1) 2432163.241672
Ecliptic Opposition 1946 Dec 08 at 17:52:25.3 TD (17:51:57.5 UT1) 2432163.244415
Equatorial Opposition 1946 Dec 08 at 17:56:40.3 TD (17:56:12.6 UT1) 2432163.247368
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
1946 Dec 08 at 17:48:28.2 TD (17:48:00.5 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension16h59m23.8s04h59m03.0s
Declination-22°42'56.8"+23°06'12.2"
Semi-Diameter 16'14.4" 16'44.7"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.9" 1°01'27.3"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l -0.6°
b -0.5°
c -4.5°
Earth's Shadows
Parameter Value
Penumbral Radius 1.3076°
Umbral Radius 0.7663°
Prediction Paramaters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE405
ΔT 27.8 s
Shadow Rule Danjon
Shadow Enlargement 1.010
Saros Series 134 (23/72)

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Data Tables

Eclipse Contacts: Total Lunar Eclipse of 1946 Dec 08

Lunar Eclipse Contacts
Eclipse Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Zenith Latitude Zenith Longitude Position Angle Axis Distance
Penumbral BeginsP115:13:40.215:13:12.422°46.3'N127°56.1'E 272.8° 1.5865°
Partial BeginsU116:11:00.316:10:32.522°53.8'N114°12.5'E 280.6° 1.0453°
Total BeginsU217:19:50.717:19:22.923°02.6'N097°43.8'E 312.7° 0.4872°
Greatest EclipseGreatest17:48:28.217:48:00.523°06.2'N090°52.7'E 348.4° 0.3958°
Total EndsU318:17:06.218:16:38.423°09.8'N084°01.5'E 24.1° 0.4873°
Partial EndsU419:25:56.719:25:28.923°18.1'N067°33.0'E 56.2° 1.0455°
Penumbral EndsP420:23:15.820:22:48.023°24.9'N053°50.0'E 64.0° 1.5869°
Eclipse Durations
Eclipse Phase Duration
Penumbral (P4 - P1)05h09m35.6s
Partial (U4 - U1)03h14m56.4s
Total (U3 - U2)00h57m15.5s

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Contacts Table

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Total Lunar Eclipse of 1946 Dec 08

Polynomial Besselian Elements
1946 Dec 08 at 18:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d f1 f2 f3
0 0.03237 0.41070 -0.3965 1.30765 0.76634 0.27909
1 0.58360 0.12002 -0.0001 0.00007 0.00006 0.00002
2 0.00007 -0.00020 0.0000 -0.00001 -0.00001 -0.00000
3 -0.00001 -0.00000 - - - -

At time t1 (decimal hours), each besselian element is evaluated by:

x = x0 + x1*t + x2*t2 + x3*t3 (or x = Σ [xn*tn]; n = 0 to 3)

where: t = t1 - t0 (decimal hours) and t0 = 18.000

Explanation of Besselian Elements

Eclipse Publications

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For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing


Links for the Total Lunar Eclipse of 1946 Dec 08

Links to Additional Lunar Eclipse Information

• Decade Tables of Lunar Eclipses:
| 1901 - 1910 | 1911 - 1919 | 1921 - 1930 | 1931 - 1940 | 1941 - 1950 |
| 1951 - 1960 | 1961 - 1970 | 1971 - 1980 | 1981 - 1990 | 1991 - 2000 |
| 2001 - 2010 | 2011 - 2020 | 2021 - 2030 | 2031 - 2040 | 2041 - 2050 |
| 2051 - 2060 | 2061 - 2070 | 2071 - 2080 | 2081 - 2090 | 2091 - 2100 |

Lunar Eclipse Publications

Eclipse Predictions

Predictions for the Total Lunar Eclipse of 1946 Dec 08 were generated using the JPL DE405 solar and lunar ephemerides. The lunar coordinates were calculated with respect to the Moon's Center of Mass.

The Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows were calculated using the Danjon methodusing a mean mid-latitude ellipticity to compensate for the opacity of the terrestrial atmosphere.

The predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 27.8 seconds for this eclipse.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this web site is based on the book 21st Century Canon of Lunar Eclipses. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy.

Permission is granted to reproduce eclipse data when accompanied by a link to this page and an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, www.EclipseWise.com"

The use of diagrams and maps is permitted provided that they are NOT altered (except for re-sizing) and the embedded credit line is NOT removed or covered.