May 1453 lunar eclipse

Eclipse seen during the Fall of Constantinople

Partial eclipseDate22 May 1453Gamma−0.6067Magnitude0.7446Saros cycle102 (56 of 84)Partiality178 minutes, 43 secondsPenumbral315 minutes, 27 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P114:38:07
U115:46:39
Greatest17:15:49
U418:44:54
P419:53:34
← November 1452
November 1453 →

A partial lunar eclipse occurred on 22 May 1453.

Observations

It was seen during the Fall of Constantinople (the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire), during the siege that lasted from Thursday, 5 April 1453 until Tuesday, 29 May 1453), after which the city fell to the Ottomans. The lunar eclipse was considered to be fulfilling a prophecy for the city's demise, which says a blood moon took place during the eclipse.

Visibility


The partial eclipse was visible from Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

References

  • NASA: Lunar Eclipses of Historical Interest
  • NASA graphics

External links

  • www.economist.com The fall of Constantinople, Dec 23rd 1999
  • www.wordinfo.info: A Lunar Eclipse that Contributed to the Fall of Constantinople
  • v
  • t
  • e
Lunar eclipses
Lists of lunar eclipsesLunar eclipses
by era
Lunar eclipses
by saros seriesAugust 2017 lunar eclipse
Partial eclipses
May 2022 lunar eclipse
Total eclipses
February 2017 lunar eclipse
Penumbral eclipses
Partial
Total
Related
  • Category
  • symbol denotes next eclipse in series