Solar eclipse of June 20, 1974

Summary

A total solar eclipse occurred on June 20, 1974. 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.

Solar eclipse of June 20, 1974
Map
Type of eclipse
NatureTotal
Gamma−0.8239
Magnitude1.0592
Maximum eclipse
Duration309 s (5 min 9 s)
Coordinates32°06′S 103°42′E / 32.1°S 103.7°E / -32.1; 103.7
Max. width of band344 km (214 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse4:48:04
References
Saros146 (25 of 76)
Catalog # (SE5000)9452

The path of totality passed over the Indian Ocean, Amsterdam Island, and Western Australia. The partial eclipse was visible from Madagascar, Indonesia, Australia, and the southwestern coast of South Island, New Zealand.[1]

Related eclipses edit

Eclipses in 1974 edit

Solar eclipses of 1971–1974 edit

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.[2]

Note: Partial solar eclipses on February 25, 1971 and August 20, 1971 occur in the next lunar year set.

Solar eclipse series sets from 1971 to 1974
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Map Gamma Saros Map Gamma
116  
1971 July 22
Partial
1.51298 121  
1972 January 16
Annular
−0.93651
126  
1972 July 10
Total
0.68719 131  
1973 January 4
Annular
−0.26441
136  
1973 June 30
Total
−0.07853 141  
1973 December 24
Annular
0.41710
146  
1974 June 20Total −0.82388 151  
1974 December 13
Partial
1.07974

Saros 146 edit

It is a part of Saros cycle 146, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, containing 76 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on September 19, 1541. It contains total eclipses from May 29, 1938 through October 7, 2154, hybrid eclipses from October 17, 2172 through November 20, 2226, and annular eclipses from December 1, 2244 through August 10, 2659. The series ends at member 76 as a partial eclipse on December 29, 2893. The longest duration of totality was 5 minutes, 21 seconds on June 30, 1992.

Metonic series edit

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).

References edit

  1. ^ Duncombe, Julena S. (June 15, 1973). "Total Solar Eclipse of 20 June 1974". United States Naval Observatory Circular. 144: 2. Bibcode:1973USNOC.144.....D.
  2. ^ 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.

External links edit

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