Solar eclipse of May 9, 1948

Last updated
Solar eclipse of May 9, 1948
SE1948May09A.png
Map
Type of eclipse
NatureAnnular
Gamma 0.4133
Magnitude 0.9999
Maximum eclipse
Duration0 s (0 min 0 s)
Coordinates 39°48′N131°12′E / 39.8°N 131.2°E / 39.8; 131.2
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse2:26:04
References
Saros 137 (32 of 70)
Catalog # (SE5000) 9394

An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit between Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9, 1948, [1] with a magnitude of 0.9999. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide. The Moon's apparent diameter was near the average diameter because it occurred 7 days after apogee (on May 2, 1948, at 2:00 UTC) and 6.7 days before perigee (on May 15, 1948, at 17:10 UTC). [2]

Contents

The moon's apparent diameter was only 0.006% smaller than the Sun's, so this was an annular solar eclipse that occurred on May 9. The path width of this large annular solar eclipse, was about 200 meters and lasted only 0.3 seconds. The large annular eclipse covered over 99% of the Sun, creating a dramatic spectacle for observers in only an extremely narrow strip; however, it was fleeting, lasting just moments at the point of maximum eclipse.

Annularity was visible from Car Nicobar, the northernmost of the Nicobar Islands, and Burma, Siam (now renamed to Thailand) including Bangkok, French Indochina (the part now belonging to Laos), North Vietnam (now belonging to Vietnam), China, South Korea, Rebun Island in Japan, Kuril Islands in the Soviet Union (now belonging to Russia) on May 9, and Alaska on May 8. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Northeast Asia, Alaska, and northwest Canada.

This was the first of four central solar eclipses visible from Bangkok from 1948 to 1958, where it is extremely rare for a large city to witness four central solar eclipses within 10 years.

Observations

During this eclipse, the apex of the moon's umbral cone was very close to the Earth's surface, and the magnitude was very large. The edges of the moon and the sun were very close to each other as seen from the Earth. Baily's beads on the lunar limb, which are usually only visible during a total solar eclipse, could also be seen. Therefore this eclipse was also an excellent opportunity to measure the size and shape of the Earth, as well as the mountains and valleys on the lunar limb. The National Geographic Society sent 7 teams respectively to Myeik in Burma, Bangkok in Siam, Wukang County (now belonging to Deqing County, Zhejiang) in China, Onyang-eup  [ ko ] of Asan-gun  [ ko ] (now Onyang-dong, Asan City) in South Korea, Rebun Island in Japan, Adak Island in Alaska, as well as from the air onboard a Boeing B-29 Superfortress departing from Shemya Island. The scale of this observation was larger than ever before. In the end, the teams from the air and on Rebun Island got the best results with good weather conditions, while the results in Myeik and Bangkok were relatively good, Adak Island still somewhat valuable, Onyang-eup missing many goals, and Wukang with the worst results where there was rain during the eclipse. It was shortly after the end of World War II, and the observation in Japan showed friendship among the science community. [3] Kafuka  [ ja ], one of the two villages on the island, supported the observation team, and a Solar Eclipse Observation Monument was built in 1954 to commemorate it. [4] [5] The monument was first erected in Kitousu, the center of the observation site. It was moved to Itsukushima Shrine in 2003, across the sea facing Rishirifuji. [6]

Prior to it, the two hybrid solar eclipses of April 17, 1912 and April 28, 1930, also belonging to Solar Saros 137, also occurred with a magnitude close to 1. Observations were made near Paris, France and Camptonville, California respectively. There was an opportunity to make similar observations during the annular solar eclipse of May 20, 1966 in Greece and Turkey, also belonging to the same solar Saros cycle. [4]

The Institute of Astronomy of the Academia Sinica (predecessor of Purple Mountain Observatory), Department of Physics of National Central University and Bureau of Surveying of the Ministry of National Defense also formed a team. The initial plan was to go to Guangdong, far from the observation site of the American team, hoping that the two teams would not be affected by bad weather at the same time. However after checking the weather, traffic and law and order conditions near Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Suzhou, the team finally decided on Cibiwu in Yuhang County. The decision was made based on the fact that meteorological data showed bad conditions generally across the whole Jiangnan in May, within the East Asian rainy season, and funding is limited so travel could not be made for a long distance. Besides, Xujiahui (Zi-Ka-Wei) Observatory estimated that there was 70% hope in Cibiwu, and it is close to the observation site of the American team, allowing the Chinese team to see the equipment of the American team for future reference. [7] Zhang Yuzhe, director of the Institute of Astronomy, visited the United States and Canada to study the spectrum of eclipsing binaries in 1946. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stopped funding him the return trip back to China. He took the opportunity of joining the observation team to return to China in March 1948, [8] and observed it together with Chen Zungui  [ zh ]. [9] In the end, due to the weather conditions, just like the American team which traveled to China, the Chinese team also only measured changes in the luminosity of the sun. The Qingdao Observatory, Sun Yat-sen University Observatory and the Department of Physics of Tongji University also made observations. [10]

Eclipse details

Shown below are two tables displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. The first table outlines times at which the moon's penumbra or umbra attains the specific parameter, and the second table describes various other parameters pertaining to this eclipse. [11]

May 9, 1948 Solar Eclipse Times
EventTime (UTC)
First Penumbral External Contact1948 May 08 at 23:40:23.2 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1948 May 09 at 00:44:35.7 UTC
First Central Line1948 May 09 at 00:45:07.7 UTC
Greatest Duration1948 May 09 at 00:45:07.7 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1948 May 09 at 00:45:39.6 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact1948 May 09 at 02:06:53.9 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1948 May 09 at 02:26:03.6 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1948 May 09 at 02:30:35.8 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1948 May 09 at 02:44:18.7 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact1948 May 09 at 02:44:48.6 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1948 May 09 at 04:06:18.3 UTC
Last Central Line1948 May 09 at 04:06:47.3 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1948 May 09 at 04:07:16.3 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1948 May 09 at 05:11:30.1 UTC
May 9, 1948 Solar Eclipse Parameters
ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude0.99994
Eclipse Obscuration0.99989
Gamma0.41332
Sun Right Ascension03h03m37.8s
Sun Declination+17°18'09.3"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'50.3"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.7"
Moon Right Ascension03h03m01.1s
Moon Declination+17°40'05.5"
Moon Semi-Diameter15'36.6"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°57'17.4"
ΔT28.4 s

Eclipse season

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.

Eclipse season of April–May 1948
April 23
Descending node (full moon)
May 9
Ascending node (new moon)
Lunar eclipse chart close-1948Apr23.png SE1948May09A.png
Partial lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 111
Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 137

Eclipses in 1948

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 137

Inex

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1946–1949

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. [12]

The partial solar eclipses on January 3, 1946 and June 29, 1946 occur in the previous lunar year eclipse set.

Solar eclipse series sets from 1946 to 1949
Ascending node Descending node
SarosMapGammaSarosMapGamma
117 May 30, 1946
SE1946May30P.png
Partial
−1.0711122 November 23, 1946
SE1946Nov23P.png
Partial
1.105
127 May 20, 1947
SE1947May20T.png
Total
−0.3528132 November 12, 1947
SE1947Nov12A.png
Annular
0.3743
137 May 9, 1948
SE1948May09A.png
Annular
0.4133142 November 1, 1948
SE1948Nov01T.png
Total
−0.3517
147 April 28, 1949
SE1949Apr28P.png
Partial
1.2068152 October 21, 1949
SE1949Oct21P.png
Partial
−1.027

Saros 137

This eclipse is a part of Saros series 137, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, and containing 70 events. The series started with a partial solar eclipse on May 25, 1389. It contains total eclipses from August 20, 1533 through December 6, 1695; the first set of hybrid eclipses from December 17, 1713 through February 11, 1804; the first set of annular eclipses from February 21, 1822 through March 25, 1876; the second set of hybrid eclipses from April 6, 1894 through April 28, 1930; and the second set of annular eclipses from May 9, 1948 through April 13, 2507. The series ends at member 70 as a partial eclipse on June 28, 2633. Its eclipses are tabulated in three columns; every third eclipse in the same column is one exeligmos apart, so they all cast shadows over approximately the same parts of the Earth.

The longest duration of totality was produced by member 11 at 2 minutes, 55 seconds on September 10, 1569, and the longest duration of annularity will be produced by member 59 at 7 minutes, 5 seconds on February 28, 2435. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit. [13]

Series members 24–46 occur between 1801 and 2200:
242526
SE1804Feb11H.png
February 11, 1804
SE1822Feb21A.png
February 21, 1822
SE1840Mar04A.png
March 4, 1840
272829
SE1858Mar15A.png
March 15, 1858
SE1876Mar25A.png
March 25, 1876
SE1894Apr06H.png
April 6, 1894
303132
SE1912Apr17H.png
April 17, 1912
SE1930Apr28H.png
April 28, 1930
SE1948May09A.png
May 9, 1948
333435
SE1966May20A.png
May 20, 1966
SE1984May30A.png
May 30, 1984
SE2002Jun10A.png
June 10, 2002
363738
SE2020Jun21A.png
June 21, 2020
SE2038Jul02A.png
July 2, 2038
SE2056Jul12A.png
July 12, 2056
394041
SE2074Jul24A.png
July 24, 2074
SE2092Aug03A.png
August 3, 2092
SE2110Aug15A.png
August 15, 2110
424344
SE2128Aug25A.png
August 25, 2128
SE2146Sep06A.png
September 6, 2146
SE2164Sep16A.png
September 16, 2164
4546
SE2182Sep27A.png
September 27, 2182
SE2200Oct09A.png
October 9, 2200

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 ascending node.

22 eclipse events between December 13, 1898 and July 20, 1982
December 13–14October 1–2July 20–21May 9February 24–25
111113115117119
SE1898Dec13P.gif
December 13, 1898
SE1906Jul21P.png
July 21, 1906
SE1910May09T.png
May 9, 1910
SE1914Feb25A.png
February 25, 1914
121123125127129
SE1917Dec14A.png
December 14, 1917
SE1921Oct01T.png
October 1, 1921
SE1925Jul20A.png
July 20, 1925
SE1929May09T.png
May 9, 1929
SE1933Feb24A.png
February 24, 1933
131133135137139
SE1936Dec13A.png
December 13, 1936
SE1940Oct01T.png
October 1, 1940
SE1944Jul20A.png
July 20, 1944
SE1948May09A.png
May 9, 1948
SE1952Feb25T.png
February 25, 1952
141143145147149
SE1955Dec14A.png
December 14, 1955
SE1959Oct02T.png
October 2, 1959
SE1963Jul20T.png
July 20, 1963
SE1967May09P.png
May 9, 1967
SE1971Feb25P.png
February 25, 1971
151153155
SE1974Dec13P.png
December 13, 1974
SE1978Oct02P.png
October 2, 1978
SE1982Jul20P.png
July 20, 1982

Tritos series

This eclipse is a part of a tritos cycle, repeating at alternating nodes every 135 synodic months (≈ 3986.63 days, or 11 years minus 1 month). Their appearance and longitude are irregular due to a lack of synchronization with the anomalistic month (period of perigee), but groupings of 3 tritos cycles (≈ 33 years minus 3 months) come close (≈ 434.044 anomalistic months), so eclipses are similar in these groupings.

Series members between 1801 and 2200
SE1806Jun16T.png
June 16, 1806
(Saros 124)
SE1817May16A.gif
May 16, 1817
(Saros 125)
Saros126 37van72 SE1828Apr14H.jpg
April 14, 1828
(Saros 126)
SE1839Mar15T.gif
March 15, 1839
(Saros 127)
SE1850Feb12A.gif
February 12, 1850
(Saros 128)
SE1861Jan11A.gif
January 11, 1861
(Saros 129)
SE1871Dec12T.png
December 12, 1871
(Saros 130)
SE1882Nov10A.gif
November 10, 1882
(Saros 131)
SE1893Oct09A.gif
October 9, 1893
(Saros 132)
SE1904Sep09T.png
September 9, 1904
(Saros 133)
SE1915Aug10A.png
August 10, 1915
(Saros 134)
SE1926Jul09A.png
July 9, 1926
(Saros 135)
SE1937Jun08T.png
June 8, 1937
(Saros 136)
SE1948May09A.png
May 9, 1948
(Saros 137)
SE1959Apr08A.png
April 8, 1959
(Saros 138)
SE1970Mar07T.png
March 7, 1970
(Saros 139)
SE1981Feb04A.png
February 4, 1981
(Saros 140)
SE1992Jan04A.png
January 4, 1992
(Saros 141)
SE2002Dec04T.png
December 4, 2002
(Saros 142)
SE2013Nov03H.png
November 3, 2013
(Saros 143)
SE2024Oct02A.png
October 2, 2024
(Saros 144)
SE2035Sep02T.png
September 2, 2035
(Saros 145)
SE2046Aug02T.png
August 2, 2046
(Saros 146)
SE2057Jul01A.png
July 1, 2057
(Saros 147)
SE2068May31T.png
May 31, 2068
(Saros 148)
SE2079May01T.png
May 1, 2079
(Saros 149)
SE2090Mar31P.png
March 31, 2090
(Saros 150)
SE2101Feb28A.png
February 28, 2101
(Saros 151)
Saros152 18van70 SE2112Jan29T.jpg
January 29, 2112
(Saros 152)
Saros153 15van70 SE2122Dec28A.jpg
December 28, 2122
(Saros 153)
Saros154 13van71 SE2133Nov26A.jpg
November 26, 2133
(Saros 154)
Saros155 13van71 SE2144Oct26T.jpg
October 26, 2144
(Saros 155)
Saros156 09van69 SE2155Sep26A.jpg
September 26, 2155
(Saros 156)
SE2166Aug25A.png
August 25, 2166
(Saros 157)
Saros158 07van70 SE2177Jul25P.jpg
July 25, 2177
(Saros 158)
Saros159 04van70 SE2188Jun24P.jpg
June 24, 2188
(Saros 159)
Saros160 02van71 SE2199May24P.jpg
May 24, 2199
(Saros 160)

Inex series

This eclipse is a part of the long period inex cycle, repeating at alternating nodes, every 358 synodic months (≈ 10,571.95 days, or 29 years minus 20 days). Their appearance and longitude are irregular due to a lack of synchronization with the anomalistic month (period of perigee). However, groupings of 3 inex cycles (≈ 87 years minus 2 months) comes close (≈ 1,151.02 anomalistic months), so eclipses are similar in these groupings.

Series members between 1801 and 2200
SE1803Aug17A.png
August 17, 1803
(Saros 132)
SE1832Jul27T.gif
July 27, 1832
(Saros 133)
SE1861Jul08A.gif
July 8, 1861
(Saros 134)
SE1890Jun17A.gif
June 17, 1890
(Saros 135)
SE1919May29T.png
May 29, 1919
(Saros 136)
SE1948May09A.png
May 9, 1948
(Saros 137)
SE1977Apr18A.png
April 18, 1977
(Saros 138)
SE2006Mar29T.png
March 29, 2006
(Saros 139)
SE2035Mar09A.png
March 9, 2035
(Saros 140)
SE2064Feb17A.png
February 17, 2064
(Saros 141)
SE2093Jan27T.png
January 27, 2093
(Saros 142)
SE2122Jan08A.png
January 8, 2122
(Saros 143)
SE2150Dec19A.png
December 19, 2150
(Saros 144)
SE2179Nov28T.png
November 28, 2179
(Saros 145)

Notes

  1. "May 8–9, 1948 Total Solar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  2. "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  3. Kinney, William A., Moore, W. Robert, Williams, Maynard Owen, William A. Kinney, W. Robert Moore and Maynard Owen Williams. "Operation Eclipse: 1948". National Geographic Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. 1 2 Xavier M. Jubier. "Eclipse annulaire de Soleil du 9 mai 1948 depuis le Japon (Annular Solar Eclipse of 1948 May 9 in Japan)". Archived from the original on 27 August 2019.
  5. "1948年5月9日 - 礼文島でたった1秒の金環日食" (in Japanese). 日食ナビ. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  6. "礼文島における金環日蝕観測" (in Japanese). Hokkaido Museum Association. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020.
  7. Chen Zungui (1948). "餘杭觀測日食經過". 宇宙 (in Chinese): 84–85.
  8. "张钰哲" (in Chinese). 闽都文化研究会. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019.
  9. "大事记(1912-1982)" (in Chinese). Chinese Astronomical Society. Archived from the original on 15 May 2020.
  10. Bai Shouyi. "《中国通史》第十二卷 近代后编(1919-1949)(下册)·第四节 日食观测" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 10 November 2019.
  11. "Annular Solar Eclipse of 1948 May 09". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  12. 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.
  13. "NASA - Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 137". eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov.

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An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, December 14, 1955, with a magnitude of 0.9176. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar eclipse of May 20, 1966</span> 20th-century annular solar eclipse

An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Friday, May 20, 1966, with a magnitude of 0.9991. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide. Annularity was visible from Guinea, Mali, Algeria, Libya, Greece, Turkey, the Soviet Union and China. The Sun's altitude was 70°.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar eclipse of September 23, 1987</span> 20th-century annular solar eclipse

An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Wednesday, September 23, 1987, with a magnitude of 0.9634. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide. Annularity was visible in the Soviet Union, China, southwestern Mongolia, Okinawa Islands of Japan except Kume Island and the southwestern tip of Kerama Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Rotuma Islands of Fiji, Wallis Islands and West Samoa. Occurring only 5 days after apogee, the Moon's apparent diameter was relatively small.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar eclipse of September 22, 1968</span> Total eclipse

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Sunday, September 22, 1968, with a magnitude of 1.0099. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. Totality was visible from the Soviet Union and Xinjiang in Northwestern China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar eclipse of April 8, 1959</span> 20th-century annular solar eclipse

An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Wednesday, April 8, 1959, with a magnitude of 0.9401. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide. Annularity was visible from Australia, southeastern tip of Milne Bay Province in the Territory of Papua New Guinea, British Solomon Islands, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Tokelau, and Swains Island in American Samoa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar eclipse of April 30, 1957</span> 20th-century annular solar eclipse

An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Tuesday, April 30, 1957, with a magnitude of 0.9799. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide. This annular solar eclipse was non-central. Instead, over half of the antumbral shadow fell off into space throughout the eclipse. Gamma had a value of 0.9992. Annularity was visible from northern Soviet Union and Bear Island, the southernmost island of Svalbard, Norway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar eclipse of August 20, 1952</span> 20th-century annular solar eclipse

An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Wednesday, August 20, 1952, with a magnitude of 0.942. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide. Annularity was visible from Peru including the capital city Lima, northeastern Chile, Bolivia including the constitutional capital Sucre and seat of government La Paz, Argentina, Paraguay, southern Brazil and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar eclipse of February 4, 1943</span> Total eclipse

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit between Thursday, February 4 and Friday, February 5, 1943, with a magnitude of 1.0331. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. Occurring only about 22 hours after perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar eclipse of April 28, 1930</span> Total eclipse

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Monday, April 28, 1930, with a magnitude of 1.0003. It was a hybrid event, with only a fraction of its path as total, and longer sections at the start and end as an annular eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. The Moon's apparent diameter was near the average diameter because it occurred 7.2 days after apogee and 6 days before perigee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar eclipse of April 17, 1912</span> Total eclipse

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, April 17, 1912, with a magnitude of 1.0003. It was a hybrid event, starting and ending as an annular eclipse, with only a small portion of totality. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. Occurring 7.4 days after apogee and 5.5 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.

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