Solar eclipse of August 29, 1886


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Sunday, August 29, 1886, with a magnitude of 1.0735. 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 4 hours after perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality was visible from parts of modern-day Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Grenada, Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Madagascar. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of eastern North America, Central America, the Caribbean, northern South America, and Africa.

Observations

A team of astronomers travelled to the island of Grenada in the Caribbean to observe this eclipse. Their observation station was placed in Fort St. George.

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 Contact1886 August 29 at 10:18:21.0 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1886 August 29 at 11:11:44.6 UTC
First Central Line1886 August 29 at 11:13:12.5 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1886 August 29 at 11:14:40.4 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact1886 August 29 at 12:08:31.9 UTC
Greatest Duration1886 August 29 at 12:52:24.8 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1886 August 29 at 12:54:18.0 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1887 August 29 at 12:55:22.7 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1886 August 29 at 12:58:29.5 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact1886 August 29 at 13:42:08.5 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1886 August 29 at 14:36:03.1 UTC
Last Central Line1886 August 29 at 14:37:30.7 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1886 August 29 at 14:38:58.4 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1886 August 29 at 15:32:23.5 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.07351
Eclipse Obscuration1.15242
Gamma−0.10587
Sun Right Ascension10h31m23.1s
Sun Declination+09°17'26.5"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'50.7"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.7"
Moon Right Ascension10h31m15.9s
Moon Declination+09°11'12.6"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'43.3"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax1°01'22.2"
ΔT-5.9 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. The first and last eclipse in this sequence is separated by one synodic month.
August 14
Descending node
August 29
Ascending node
September 13
Descending node
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 107		Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 133		Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 145

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1886

Metonic

Tzolkinex

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 19, 1879
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 9, 1893

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 133

Inex

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1884–1888

The partial solar eclipses on April 25, 1884 and October 19, 1884 occur in the previous lunar year eclipse set, and the partial solar eclipse on July 9, 1888 occurs in the next lunar year eclipse set.