February 1970 lunar eclipse
Partial eclipse
Date21 February 1970
Gamma0.96198
Magnitude0.04639
Saros cycle113 (61 of 71)
Partiality52 minutes, 42.4 seconds
Penumbral298 minutes, 37.5 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P106:00:45.3
U108:03:45.1
Greatest08:30:03.4
U408:56:27.5
P410:59:22.8

A partial lunar eclipse took place on Saturday, February 21, 1970. It was the first of two partial lunar eclipses in 1970, the other being on August 17 of the same year. A tiny bite out of the Moon may have been visible at maximum, though just 5% of the Moon was shadowed in a partial eclipse which lasted for 52 minutes and 42 seconds. A shading across the moon from the Earth's penumbral shadow should have been visible at maximum eclipse.

Occurring only 2.4 days after apogee (Apogee on Wednesday, February 18, 1970), the Moon's apparent diameter was 6% smaller than average. The Moon was only 404,163 km (251,135 mi) from the Earth's center.[1]

Visibility

It was completely visible over eastern Asia, Australia, Pacific, Americas, western Europe, seen rising over northwestern Pacific Ocean and setting over the north Atlantic Ocean.

Relation to other lunar eclipses

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 6
 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

Metonic cycle

This is the third of five Metonic lunar eclipses.

The Metonic cycle repeats nearly exactly every 19 years and represents a Saros cycle plus one lunar year. Because it occurs on the same calendar date, the Earth's shadow will in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.

Metonic lunar eclipse sets 1951–2027
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date Type Saros Date Type
103 1951 Feb 21.88 Penumbral 108 1951 Aug 17.13 Penumbral
113 1970 Feb 21.35 Partial 118 1970 Aug 17.14 Partial
123 1989 Feb 20.64 Total 128 1989 Aug 17.13 Total
133 2008 Feb 21.14 Total 138 2008 Aug 16.88 Partial
143 2027 Feb 20.96 Penumbral 148 2027 Aug 17.30 Penumbral

Half-Saros cycle

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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 120.

February 15, 1961 February 26, 1979

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Saros series 113
  2. ↑ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros


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