December 1573 lunar eclipse

Total eclipseDateDecember 8, 1573Gamma0.1620^[1]Magnitude1.5597^[1]Saros cycle118^[1] (27^[1])Totality1h33m31s^[1]Partiality03h33m15s^[1]Penumbral5h30m46s^[1]

Contacts (UTC)
P1	16:28:44 UTC[1]
U1	17:27:25 UTC[1]
U2	18:27:18 UTC[1]
Greatest	19:14:03:8 UTC[1]
U3	20:00:49 UTC[1]
U4	21:00:40 UTC[1]
P4	21:59:29 UTC[1]

A total lunar eclipse occurred on December 8, 1573.

It was predicted and then observed by a young Tycho Brahe (assisted by his sister Sophia) at Knutstorp Castle. He said "I cannot but be very surprised that even at this youthful age of 26 years, I was able to get such accurate results."^[2]

• Eclipse visibility diagrams
• 
  It was visible across all of Africa, Europe, and Asia and most of Australia.
• 
  The moon passed west to east through the center of the earth's umbral shadow causing a very dark red eclipse
• 
  Diagram of the appearance of the eclipse from Tycho Brahe's De nova stella
• 
  Diagram of the solar system at the time of the eclipse from Tycho Brahe's De nova stella

See also

• List of 16th-century lunar eclipses

References

External links

• Curriculum vitae of Tycho Brahe Tycho observes a lunar eclipse together with his 17-year-old sister Sophie. From the observation he finds the perigee of the Sun.
• Sophie Brahe, 1556-1643
• Brahe, Tycho, Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography
• NASA graphics