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March 1978 lunar eclipse

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March 1978 lunar eclipse
Total eclipse
Date24 March 1978
Gamma−0.21402
Magnitude1.45179
Saros cycle122 (54 of 75)
Totality90 minutes, 40.2 seconds
Partiality218 minutes, 34.5 seconds
Penumbral345 minutes, 2.2 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P113:29:47.4
U114:33:05.8
U215:37:02.5
Greatest16:22:21.7
U317:07:42.7
U418:11:40.3
P419:14:49.6

A total lunar eclipse took place on Friday, March 24, 1978, the first of two total lunar eclipses in 1978. The moon passed through the center of the Earth's shadow. The Moon was plunged into darkness for 1 hour, 30 minutes and 40.2 seconds, in a deep total eclipse which saw the Moon 45.179% of its diameter inside the Earth's umbral shadow. The visual effect of this depends on the state of the Earth's atmosphere, but the Moon may have been stained a deep red colour. The partial eclipse lasted for 3 hours, 38 minutes and 34.5 seconds in total.[1]

This is the 54th member of Lunar Saros 122. The previous event is the March 1960 lunar eclipse. The next event is the April 1996 lunar eclipse.

Visibility

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It was seen completely over Asia and Australia, and rising over Africa and Europe. It was seen setting over Pacific Ocean on the morning of Friday 24 March, 1978.

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Eclipses in 1978

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Lunar year series

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 1977–1980
Ascending node   Descending node
Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
Gamma Saros Date
viewing
Type
chart
Gamma
112 1977 Apr 04
Partial
−0.91483 117 1977 Sep 27
Penumbral
1.07682
122 1978 Mar 24
Total
−0.21402 127 1978 Sep 16
Total
0.29510
132 1979 Mar 13
Partial
0.52537 137 1979 Sep 06
Total
−0.43050
142 1980 Mar 01
Penumbral
1.22701 147 1980 Aug 26
Penumbral
−1.16082
Last set 1976 May 13 Last set 1976 Nov 06
Next set 1981 Jan 20 Next set 1980 Jul 27

Tritos series

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The tritos series repeats 31 days short of 11 years at alternating nodes. Sequential events have incremental Saros cycle indices.

This series produces 20 total eclipses between April 24, 1967 and August 11, 2185, only being partial on November 19, 2021.

Tritos eclipse series (subset 1901–2087)
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date
Viewing
Type
chart
Saros Date
Viewing
Type
chart
115 1901 Oct 27
Partial
116 1912 Sep 26
Partial
117 1923 Aug 26
Partial
118 1934 Jul 26
Partial
119 1945 Jun 25
Partial
120 1956 May 24
Partial
121 1967 Apr 24
Total
122 1978 Mar 24
Total
123 1989 Feb 20
Total
124 2000 Jan 21
Total
125 2010 Dec 21
Total
126 2021 Nov 19
Partial
127 2032 Oct 18
Total
128 2043 Sep 19
Total
129 2054 Aug 18
Total
130 2065 Jul 17
Total
131 2076 Jun 17
Total
132 2087 May 17
Total
133 2098 Apr 15
Total

Half-Saros cycle

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A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[2] This lunar eclipse is related to two solar eclipses of Solar Saros 129.

March 18, 1969 March 29, 1987

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Hermit Eclipse: Saros cycle 122
  2. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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