A penumbral eclipse of the Moon occurred on Tuesday 20 January, 1981 UT, with maximum eclipse at 07:49 UT. In a rare total penumbral eclipse, the entire Moon was partially shaded by the Earth (though none of it was in complete shadow), and the shading across the Moon should have been quite visible at maximum eclipse. The penumbral phase lasted for 4 hours and 24 minutes in all, though for most of it, the eclipse was extremely difficult or impossible to see.
The penumbral eclipse lasted for 4 hours and 24 minutes.
Maximum eclipse was at 07:49:57 UT.
During this eclipse the Moon was 5 days after perigee and 7 days before apogee.
At maximum eclipse it was 0.533° in apparent
diameter, which is around average.
The statistics page has information on the ranges of the sizes of
the Sun and Moon, and the Moon data page displays detailed
information on the Moon's key dates.
Interactive Map
This map shows the visibility of the eclipse at maximum eclipse,
when it was visible within the bright area on the map. Note that
the map is approximate, and if you
were near the edge of the area of visibility, the moon was very close
to the horizon and may not have been practically visible.
You can use the zoom controls to zoom in and out, and pan to
see areas of interest. The green marker in the centre shows where
the Moon will be directly overhead at maximum eclipse.
The interactive map is currently not available.
Overview Map
This map sourced from NASA Goddard Space flight Center: GSFC Eclipse Web SiteGSFC Eclipse Web Site
The primary source of all the information on eclipses presented here at Hermit Eclipse. (NASA Goddard Space flight Center)
shows the visibility of the eclipse. (Click on it for the
full-sized version.)
Eclipse Season and Saros Series
This eclipse season contains 2 eclipses:
This was the 57th eclipse in lunar Saros series 114.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:
This Saros series, lunar Saros series 114,
is linked to solar Saros series 121. The
nearest partner eclipses in that series are:
Eclipse Parameters
| UT Date/time (max) | 07:49:57 on 20 Jan UT |
TDT Date/time (max) | 07:50:48 on 20 Jan TDT |
| Saros Series | 114 |
Number in Series | 57 |
| Penumbral Magnitiude | 1.0136 |
Central Magnitiude | -0.0192 |
| Gamma | -1.0141 |
Path Width (km) | |
| Delta T | 0m51s |
Error | ± 0m00s (95%) |
| Penumbral Duration | 4h24m |
Partial Duration | |
| Total Duration | |
| |
| Partial Rating | |
Total Rating | |
| Sun Distance | 147208518 km (2.3%) |
Moon Distance | 379639 km (46.2%) |
| Sun Diameter | 0.542° |
Moon Diameter | 0.524° - 0.533° |
| Perigee | 03:40 on 15 Jan UT |
Apogee | 20:29 on 27 Jan UT |
Note that while all dates and times on this site (except
where noted) are in UT, which is within a second of civil time,
the dates and times shown in NASA's eclipse listingsGSFC Eclipse Web Site
The primary source of all the information on eclipses presented here at Hermit Eclipse. (NASA Goddard Space flight Center)
are in the TDT timescale.
The Sun and Moon distances are shown in km, and as a
percentage of their minimum - maximum distances; hence 0%
is the closest possible (Earth's perihelion, or the
Moon's closest possible perigee) and 100% is
the farthest (aphelion, the farthest apogee).
The statistics page has information on the ranges of sizes
of the Sun and Moon, and the Moon data page displays detailed
information on the Moon's key dates.
Data last updated: 2015-06-21 22:11:46 UTC.
