Solar eclipse of December 2, 1956
A partial solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Sunday, December 2, 1956, with a magnitude of 0.8047. 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.
A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Europe, Northeast Africa, and Asia.
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.| Event | Time |
| First Penumbral External Contact | 1956 December 02 at 05:52:09.3 UTC |
| Equatorial Conjunction | 1956 December 02 at 07:54:38.5 UTC |
| Greatest Eclipse | 1956 December 02 at 08:00:35.0 UTC |
| Ecliptic Conjunction | 1956 December 02 at 08:13:02.5 UTC |
| Last Penumbral External Contact | 1956 December 02 at 10:09:08.8 UTC |
| Parameter | Value |
| Eclipse Magnitude | 0.80468 |
| Eclipse Obscuration | 0.73350 |
| Gamma | 1.09229 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 16h34m00.8s |
| Sun Declination | -21°58'22.1" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'13.5" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 16h34m13.1s |
| Moon Declination | -20°57'44.2" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'10.9" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°55'43.2" |
| ΔT | 31.7 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.| November 18 Descending node | December 2 Ascending node |
| Total lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 125 | Partial solar eclipse Solar Saros 151 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1956
- A partial lunar eclipse on May 24.
- A total solar eclipse on June 8.
- A total lunar eclipse on November 18.
- '''A partial solar eclipse on December 2.'''
Metonic
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 14, 1953
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of September 20, 1960
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 21, 1949
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of January 14, 1964
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 28, 1947
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 8, 1965
Tritos
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 3, 1946
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of November 2, 1967
Solar Saros 151
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of November 21, 1938
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of December 13, 1974
Inex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of December 24, 1927
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of November 12, 1985
Triad
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 31, 1870
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 3, 2043