Solar eclipse of February 15, 1961

Last updated
Solar eclipse of February 15, 1961
1961 Total Solar Eclipse.jpg
Totality of eclipse
SE1961Feb15T.png
Map
Type of eclipse
NatureTotal
Gamma 0.883
Magnitude 1.036
Maximum eclipse
Duration165 s (2 min 45 s)
Coordinates 47°24′N40°00′E / 47.4°N 40°E / 47.4; 40
Max. width of band258 km (160 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse8:19:48
References
Saros 120 (58 of 71)
Catalog # (SE5000) 9422

A total solar eclipse occurred on February 15, 1961. Totality was visible from France, Monaco, Italy, San Marino, SFR Yugoslavia (parts now belonging to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo, North Macedonia), Albania, Bulgaria including the capital city Sofia, Romania including the capital city Bucharest, and the Soviet Union (parts now belonging to Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan). The maximum eclipse was recorded near Novocherkassk (Russian SFSR).

Contents

This was the 51st of 55 umbral eclipses in Solar Saros 120.

Upcoming 4 umbral eclipses

52. 1979 February 26

53. 1997 March 9

54. 2015 March 20

55. 2033 March 30

Observation

A team from the University of Texas observed the total eclipse in Pisa, Italy, mostly studying the solar irradiance with a wavelength below 1 centimeter. At that time, coronagraphs had already allowed coronal observation in the visible light band so it could be observed at any time, not just during total solar eclipses, but instruments allowing millimeter-wave band observations were still lacking. Therefore, it was still necessary to make such observations during a total solar eclipse [1] . Arcetri Observatory in Florence, Italy also made observations [2] .

The scene for the film Barabbas (1961) in which the eclipse was used to recreate the crucifixion darkness Barabba Eclisse 1961.jpg
The scene for the film Barabbas (1961) in which the eclipse was used to recreate the crucifixion darkness

The crucifixion scene in the 1961 film Barabbas was shot during this eclipse. [3]

Solar eclipses of 1961–1964

This eclipse is a member of a semester series. An eclipse in a semester series of solar eclipses repeats approximately every 177 days and 4 hours (a semester) at alternating nodes of the Moon's orbit. [4]

Solar eclipse series sets from 1961 to 1964
Descending node Ascending node
SarosMapGammaSarosMapGamma
120 SE1961Feb15T.png
1961 February 15
Total
0.88302125 SE1961Aug11A.png
1961 August 11
Annular
-0.88594
130 SE1962Feb05T.png
1962 February 05
Total
0.21066135 SE1962Jul31A.png
1962 July 31
Annular
-0.11296
140 SE1963Jan25A.png
1963 January 25
Annular
-0.48984145 SE1963Jul20T.png
1963 July 20
Total
0.65710
150 SE1964Jan14P.png
1964 January 14
Partial
-1.23541155 SE1964Jul09P.png
1964 July 09
Partial
1.36228
Partial solar eclipses of June 10, 1964 and December 4, 1964 belong in the next lunar year set.

Saros 120

This eclipse is a part of Saros cycle 120, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, containing 71 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on May 27, 933 AD, and reached an annular eclipse on August 11, 1059. It was a hybrid event for 3 dates: May 8, 1510, through May 29, 1546, and total eclipses from June 8, 1564, through March 30, 2033. The series ends at member 71 as a partial eclipse on July 7, 2195. The longest duration of totality was 2 minutes, 50 seconds on March 9, 1997. All eclipses in this series occurs at the Moon’s descending node.

Series members 55–65 occur between 1901 and 2100
555657
SE1907Jan14T.png
January 14, 1907
SE1925Jan24T.png
January 24, 1925
SE1943Feb04T.png
February 4, 1943
585960
SE1961Feb15T.png
February 15, 1961
SE1979Feb26T.png
February 26, 1979
SE1997Mar09T.png
March 9, 1997
616263
SE2015Mar20T.png
March 20, 2015
SE2033Mar30T.png
March 30, 2033
SE2051Apr11P.png
April 11, 2051
6465
SE2069Apr21P.png
April 21, 2069
SE2087May02P.png
May 2, 2087

Metonic series

The metonic series repeats eclipses every 19 years (6939.69 days), lasting about 5 cycles. Eclipses occur in nearly the same calendar date. In addition, the octon subseries repeats 1/5 of that or every 3.8 years (1387.94 days). All eclipses in this table occur at the Moon's descending node.

21 eclipse events, progressing from north to south between July 11, 1953 and July 11, 2029
July 10–12April 29–30February 15–16December 4–5September 21–23
116118120122124
SE1953Jul11P.png
July 11, 1953
SE1957Apr30A.png
April 30, 1957
SE1961Feb15T.png
February 15, 1961
SE1964Dec04P.png
December 4, 1964
SE1968Sep22T.png
September 22, 1968
126128130132134
SE1972Jul10T.png
July 10, 1972
SE1976Apr29A.png
April 29, 1976
SE1980Feb16T.png
February 16, 1980
SE1983Dec04A.png
December 4, 1983
SE1987Sep23A.png
September 23, 1987
136138140142144
SE1991Jul11T.png
July 11, 1991
SE1995Apr29A.png
April 29, 1995
SE1999Feb16A.png
February 16, 1999
SE2002Dec04T.png
December 4, 2002
SE2006Sep22A.png
September 22, 2006
146148150152154
SE2010Jul11T.png
July 11, 2010
SE2014Apr29A.png
April 29, 2014
SE2018Feb15P.png
February 15, 2018
SE2021Dec04T.png
December 4, 2021
SE2025Sep21P.png
September 21, 2025
156158160162164
SE2029Jul11P.png
July 11, 2029

See also

Notes

  1. C. W. Tolbert & A. W. Straiton. "Observations of 4.3-MM Radiation during the Solar Eclipse of February 15, 1961". The Astrophysical Journal . 135: 822–826. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019.
  2. "How Italy Saw The Eclipse (1961)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017.
  3. Elley, Derek (2013). The Epic Film: Myth and History. Routledge. p. 94. ISBN   9781317928874.
  4. van Gent, R.H. "Solar- and Lunar-Eclipse Predictions from Antiquity to the Present". A Catalogue of Eclipse Cycles. Utrecht University. Retrieved 6 October 2018.

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References