Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1951 Sep 15

Fred Espenak

Key to Lunar Eclipse Figure (below)

Introduction

The Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1951 Sep 15 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • Asia, Australia, Pacific, western North America

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 1951 Sep 15 at 12:27:05 TD (12:26:35 UT1). This is 3.7 days after the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Moon is in the constellation Pisces. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 355.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 146 and is number 7 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 penumbral lunar eclipse of 1951 Sep 15 is preceded two weeks earlier by a annular solar eclipse on 1951 Sep 01.

Another lunar eclipse occurs one synodic month before the 1951 Sep 15 eclipse. It is the penumbral lunar eclipse of 1951 Aug 17.

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 29.8 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 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1951 Sep 15 .

Eclipse Data: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1951 Sep 15

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 0.80351
Umbral Magnitude-0.19267
Gamma 1.11865
Epsilon 1.0924°
Opposition Times
Event Calendar Date & Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 1951 Sep 15 at 12:27:05.2 TD (12:26:35.4 UT1) 2433905.018466
Ecliptic Opposition 1951 Sep 15 at 12:38:51.2 TD (12:38:21.4 UT1) 2433905.026637
Equatorial Opposition 1951 Sep 15 at 13:33:43.0 TD (13:33:13.3 UT1) 2433905.064737
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
1951 Sep 15 at 12:27:05.2 TD (12:26:35.4 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension11h30m04.6s23h27m58.3s
Declination+03°13'56.1"-02°16'28.5"
Semi-Diameter 15'54.4" 15'58.0"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.7" 0°58'36.0"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l 4.8°
b -1.4°
c -21.7°
Earth's Shadows
Parameter Value
Penumbral Radius 1.2539°
Umbral Radius 0.7238°
Prediction Paramaters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE405
ΔT 29.8 s
Shadow Rule Danjon
Shadow Enlargement 1.010
Saros Series 146 ( 7/72)

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Data Tables

Eclipse Contacts: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1951 Sep 15

Lunar Eclipse Contacts
Eclipse Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Zenith Latitude Zenith Longitude Position Angle Axis Distance
Penumbral BeginsP110:29:41.110:29:11.402°48.9'S159°53.2'W 287.1° 1.5211°
Greatest EclipseGreatest12:27:05.212:26:35.402°16.5'S171°41.2'E 331.2° 1.0924°
Penumbral EndsP414:24:22.114:23:52.301°44.1'S143°17.1'E 15.2° 1.5190°
Eclipse Durations
Eclipse Phase Duration
Penumbral (P4 - P1)03h54m40.9s

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Contacts Table

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1951 Sep 15

Polynomial Besselian Elements
1951 Sep 15 at 12:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d f1 f2 f3
0 -0.73984 0.83998 0.0565 1.25414 0.72394 0.26617
1 0.47398 0.26037 -0.0003 -0.00041 -0.00042 -0.00011
2 -0.00019 -0.00014 -0.0000 -0.00000 -0.00000 -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 = 12.000

Explanation of Besselian Elements

Eclipse Publications

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For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing


Links for the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1951 Sep 15

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 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1951 Sep 15 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 29.8 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.