Solar eclipse of November 12, 1966

Solar eclipse of November 12, 1966
Map
Type of eclipse
Nature	Total
Gamma	−0.33
Magnitude	1.0234
Maximum eclipse
Duration	117 s (1 min 57 s)
Coordinates	35°36′S48°12′W / 35.6°S 48.2°W / -35.6; -48.2
Max. width of band	84 km (52 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse	14:23:28
References
Saros	142 (20 of 72)
Catalog # (SE5000)	9435

The eclipse as viewed from Gemini XII

A total solar eclipse occurred on Saturday, ^[1] November 12, 1966. 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 path of totality cut a swath across South America from north of Lima, Peru, passing the northeastern tip of Chile, Bolivia, Northwest of Argentina, southwestern tip of Ñeembucú Department in Paraguay, nearly to the southernmost tip of Brazil.

Observations

The NASA Gemini XII mission observed this total eclipse from space:

The Canary Island controller greeted the crew in the morning with the news that there would be a second maneuver - 5 meters forward - to line the vehicles up properly. The prospects panned out richly, and the crew reported seeing the eclipse "right on the money at 16:01:44 g.e.t." Although the crew thought for a moment that they were slightly off track, their aim had actually been accurate. ^[2]

The 28 October 1966 launch of the U.S. Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle 3-2 (OV3-2) was timed such that it could observe ambient charged particle variations before, during, and after the eclipse. ^[3]

Related eclipses

Solar eclipses of 1964–1967

This eclipse is a member of a 1964–1967 series at alternating nodes every 6 synodic months.

Note: Partial solar eclipses on January 14, 1964 and July 9, 1964 belong to the previous lunar year set.

Solar eclipse series sets from 1964 to 1967
Ascending node				Descending node
Saros	Map	Gamma		Saros	Map	Gamma
117	1964 June 10 Partial	−1.13926		122	1964 December 4 Partial	1.11929
127	1965 May 30 Total	−0.42251		132	1965 November 23 Annular	0.39061
137	1966 May 20 Annular	0.34672		142	1966 November 12 Total	−0.33001
147	1967 May 9 Partial	1.14218		152	1967 November 2 Total (non-central)	−1.00067

Saros series 142

It is a part of Saros cycle 142, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, containing 72 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on April 17, 1624. It contains one hybrid eclipse on July 14, 1768, and total eclipses from July 25, 1786 through October 29, 2543. The series ends at member 72 as a partial eclipse on June 5, 2904. The longest duration of totality will be 6 minutes, 34 seconds on May 28, 2291. All eclipses in this series occurs at the Moon’s descending node. ^[4]

Series members 17–41 occur between 1901 and 2359
17	18	19
October 10, 1912	October 21, 1930	November 1, 1948
20	21	22
November 12, 1966	November 22, 1984	December 4, 2002
23	24	25
December 14, 2020	December 26, 2038	January 5, 2057
26	27	28
January 16, 2075	January 27, 2093	February 8, 2111
29	30	31
February 18, 2129	March 2, 2147	March 12, 2165
32	33	34
March 23, 2183	April 4, 2201	April 15, 2219
35	36	37
April 25, 2237	May 7, 2255	May 17, 2273
38	39	40
May 28, 2291	June 9, 2309	June 20, 2327
41
June 30, 2345

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).

22 eclipse events, progressing from north to south between April 8, 1902 and August 31, 1989:
April 7–8	January 24–25	November 12	August 31-September 1	June 19–20
108			114	116
April 8, 1902			August 31, 1913	June 19, 1917
118	120	122	124	126
April 8, 1921	January 24, 1925	November 12, 1928	August 31, 1932	June 19, 1936
128	130	132	134	136
April 7, 1940	January 25, 1944	November 12, 1947	September 1, 1951	June 20, 1955
138	140	142	144	146
April 8, 1959	January 25, 1963	November 12, 1966	August 31, 1970	June 20, 1974
148	150	152	154
April 7, 1978	January 25, 1982	November 12, 1985	August 31, 1989

Notes

1. https://www.calendar-365.com/1966-calendar.html
2. "Gemini 12". Archived from the original on 2012-09-22.
3. "OV3-2". NASA. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
4. http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsaros/SEsaros142.html

References

• Earth visibility chart and eclipse statistics Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC
  • Google interactive map
  • Besselian elements