- Source: November 1938 lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Monday, November 7, 1938, with an umbral magnitude of 1.3525. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Occurring about 3.2 days before perigee (on November 11, 1938, at 3:25 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse was the second of an almost tetrad, with the others being on May 14, 1938 (total); May 3, 1939 (total); and October 28, 1939 (partial).
Visibility
The eclipse was completely visible over Africa, Europe, and west and central Asia, seen rising over North and South America and setting over east Asia and western Australia.
Eclipse details
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
Eclipse season
This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.
Related eclipses
= Eclipses in 1938
=A total lunar eclipse on May 14.
A total solar eclipse on May 29.
A total lunar eclipse on November 7.
A partial solar eclipse on November 21.
= Metonic
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 19, 1935
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 26, 1942
= Tzolkinex
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 26, 1931
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 19, 1945
= Half-Saros
=Preceded by: Solar eclipse of November 1, 1929
Followed by: Solar eclipse of November 12, 1947
= Tritos
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 8, 1927
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 7, 1949
= Lunar Saros 125
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 27, 1920
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1956
= Inex
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 27, 1909
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 18, 1967
= Triad
=Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 7, 1852
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 7, 2025
= Lunar eclipses of 1937–1940
== Half-Saros cycle
=A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros). This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 132.
See also
List of lunar eclipses
List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links
1938 Nov 07 chart Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC