A total lunar eclipse took place at the Moon's descending node of the orbit on Wednesday, February 10, 1971, the first of two total lunar eclipses in 1971. It had an umbral magnitude of 1.30819. The Moon narrowly missed the center of the Earth's shadow due its gamma being >0.2725 at 0.27413. The Moon was plunged into darkness for 1 hour, 22 minutes and 11.4 seconds, in a deep total eclipse which saw the Moon 30.819% 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, 44 minutes and 42.9 seconds and in total. Occurring only 2.7 days before apogee (Apogee on Saturday, February 13, 1971), the Moon's apparent diameter was 5.9% smaller than average.

Visibility

It was completely visible from North America, rising from Eastern Asia, Australia, and setting over South America, Europe and Africa.

Related eclipses

Lunar year series

Saros series

It last occurred on January 29, 1953 and will next occur on February 20, 1989.

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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 130.