Solar eclipse of December 12, 1871


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Tuesday, December 12, 1871, with a magnitude of 1.0465. 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 10.5 hours before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality was visible from parts of modern-day India, Indonesia, Australia, and the Solomon Islands. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Oceania.

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 Contact1871 December 12 at 01:26:08.7 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1871 December 12 at 02:21:32.0 UTC
First Central Line1871 December 12 at 02:22:19.2 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1871 December 12 at 02:23:06.3 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact1871 December 12 at 03:20:05.5 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1871 December 12 at 04:00:15.7 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1871 December 12 at 04:01:45.0 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1871 December 12 at 04:03:38.0 UTC
Greatest Duration1871 December 12 at 04:07:16.3 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact1871 December 12 at 04:47:15.4 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1871 December 12 at 05:44:11.2 UTC
Last Central Line1871 December 12 at 05:44:58.8 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1871 December 12 at 05:45:46.5 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1871 December 12 at 06:41:07.5 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.04651
Eclipse Obscuration1.09519
Gamma0.18356
Sun Right Ascension17h15m20.1s
Sun Declination-23°03'31.7"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'14.9"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension17h15m28.6s
Moon Declination-22°52'28.0"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'43.2"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax1°01'21.7"
ΔT-1.0 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.
December 12
Descending node
December 26
Ascending node
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 130		Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 142

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1871

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

  • Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 6, 1862
  • Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 16, 1880

Tritos

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 11, 1861
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of November 10, 1882

Solar Saros 130

Inex

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1870–1873

The partial solar eclipses on January 31, 1870 and July 28, 1870 occurs in the previous lunar year eclipse set.