Solar eclipse of April 19, 2004


A partial solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Monday, April 19, 2004, with a magnitude of 0.7367. 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 partial solar eclipse occurs in the polar regions of the Earth when the center of the Moon's shadow misses the Earth.
The eclipse was largely visible over the south Atlantic Ocean and north shores of Antarctica, most prominently the Antarctic Peninsula. The eclipse could also be seen in southern Africa at sunset. Considering the magnitude and the solar altitude, South Africa was the best place to observe this eclipse. In Cape Town, the Sun was about 40% obscured, while in Pretoria the Sun was 29% obscured. Further north, the eclipse remained visible up to Angola, the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania.

Images

Animated eclipse path

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.
EventTime
First Penumbral External Contact2004 April 19 at 11:30:59.6 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction2004 April 19 at 12:30:29.4 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction2004 April 19 at 13:22:15.9 UTC
Greatest Eclipse2004 April 19 at 13:35:05.3 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact2004 April 19 at 15:39:41.1 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude0.73674
Eclipse Obscuration0.65501
Gamma−1.13345
Sun Right Ascension01h50m58.6s
Sun Declination+11°24'41.2"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'55.2"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.8"
Moon Right Ascension01h52m50.5s
Moon Declination+10°28'42.9"
Moon Semi-Diameter15'01.7"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°55'09.3"
ΔT64.6 s

Eclipse season

This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months 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.
April 19
Ascending node
May 4
Descending node
Partial solar eclipse
Solar Saros 119		Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 131

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 2004

A partial solar eclipse on April 19.

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 119

Inex

Triad