Solar eclipse of April 6, 1875


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Tuesday, April 6, 1875, with a magnitude of 1.0547. 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 about 1.2 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality was visible from parts of the modern-day Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Myanmar, Thailand, northwestern Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and southern Hainan. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of Southern Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.

Observations

Astronomers J. N. Lockyer and Arthur Schuster traveled to observe the eclipse and measure spectral lines to determine the elemental contents of the solar corona.

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 Contact1875 April 6 at 03:58:24.3 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1875 April 6 at 04:53:30.8 UTC
First Central Line1875 April 6 at 04:54:30.3 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1875 April 6 at 04:55:29.9 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact1875 April 6 at 05:51:22.0 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1875 April 6 at 06:30:12.4 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1875 April 6 at 06:36:06.1 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1875 April 6 at 06:37:26.0 UTC
Greatest Duration1875 April 6 at 06:41:48.9 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact1875 April 6 at 07:23:40.2 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1875 April 6 at 08:19:24.7 UTC
Last Central Line1875 April 6 at 08:20:25.7 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1875 April 6 at 08:21:26.7 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1875 April 6 at 09:16:27.4 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.05467
Eclipse Obscuration1.11232
Gamma−0.12915
Sun Right Ascension00h59m10.4s
Sun Declination+06°19'21.5"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'58.4"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.8"
Moon Right Ascension00h59m25.4s
Moon Declination+06°12'27.7"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'33.9"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax1°00'47.6"
ΔT-3.3 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 6, 1875
Ascending node
April 20
Descending node
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 127
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 139

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1875

A total solar eclipse on April 6.

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 6, 1864
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 5, 1886

Solar Saros 127

Inex

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1874–1877

The partial solar eclipse on August 9, 1877 occurs in the next lunar year eclipse set.