| Type: | partial |
| Date: | July 26, 1972 |
| Gamma: | 0.7117 |
| Magnitude: | 0.5427 |
| Saros Ser: | 138 |
| Saros No: | 27 of 83 |
| Partiality: | 160 minutes, 8 seconds |
| Penumbral: | 312 minutes, 27 seconds |
| P1: | 4:39:26 |
| U1: | 5:55:39 |
| Greatest: | 7:15:39 |
| U4: | 8:35:47 |
| P4: | 9:51:52 |
| Previous: | January 1972 |
| Next: | January 1973 |
A partial lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, July 26, 1972,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 0.5427. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when one part of the Moon is in the Earth's umbra, while the other part is in the Earth's penumbra. 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. Occurring about 6.4 days after apogee (on July 19, 1972, at 21:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.[2]
The eclipse was completely visible over much of North and South America and Antarctica, seen rising over Australia, northwestern North America]], and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over northeastern North America, west Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean.[3]
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
| Penumbral Magnitude | 1.56180 | |
| Umbral Magnitude | 0.54271 | |
| Gamma | 0.71167 | |
| Sun Right Ascension | 08h22m46.8s | |
| Sun Declination | +19°24'04.5" | |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'44.9" | |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.7" | |
| Moon Right Ascension | 20h21m51.2s | |
| Moon Declination | -18°45'55.3" | |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'27.2" | |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°56'42.9" | |
| ΔT | 42.8 s |
See also: Eclipse cycle. 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.
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[5] This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 145.