Solar eclipse of December 22, 1870
A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Thursday, December 22, 1870, with a magnitude of 1.0248. 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 1.4 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality was visible from parts of modern-day southern Portugal, southern Spain, northern Morocco, northern Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, northwestern Turkey, southeastern Bulgaria, southeastern Ukraine, and western Russia. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of eastern Canada, Europe, North Africa, West Africa, and the Middle East.
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 | 1870 December 22 at 10:13:56.6 UTC |
| First Umbral External Contact | 1870 December 22 at 11:33:35.2 UTC |
| First Central Line | 1870 December 22 at 11:34:27.4 UTC |
| First Umbral Internal Contact | 1870 December 22 at 11:35:20.3 UTC |
| Ecliptic Conjunction | 1870 December 22 at 12:18:47.9 UTC |
| Equatorial Conjunction | 1870 December 22 at 12:19:09.0 UTC |
| Greatest Duration | 1870 December 22 at 12:27:10.9 UTC |
| Greatest Eclipse | 1870 December 22 at 12:27:32.6 UTC |
| Last Umbral Internal Contact | 1870 December 22 at 13:19:52.2 UTC |
| Last Central Line | 1870 December 22 at 13:20:43.5 UTC |
| Last Umbral External Contact | 1870 December 22 at 13:21:34.1 UTC |
| Last Penumbral External Contact | 1870 December 22 at 14:41:15.4 UTC |
| Parameter | Value |
| Eclipse Magnitude | 1.02476 |
| Eclipse Obscuration | 1.05013 |
| Gamma | 0.85849 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 18h02m16.0s |
| Sun Declination | -23°27'15.7" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'15.7" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 18h02m37.0s |
| Moon Declination | -22°35'32.9" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 16'31.5" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 1°00'38.9" |
| ΔT | -0.1 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 22 Descending node | January 6 Ascending node |
| Total solar eclipse Solar Saros 120 | Partial lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 132 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1870
- A total lunar eclipse on January 17.
- A partial solar eclipse on January 31.
- A partial solar eclipse on June 28.
- A total lunar eclipse on July 12.
- A partial solar eclipse on July 28.
- '''A total solar eclipse on December 22.'''
Metonic
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 6, 1867
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 10, 1874
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of November 11, 1863
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 2, 1878
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 17, 1861
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 28, 1879
Tritos
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 23, 1860
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of November 21, 1881
Solar Saros 120
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of December 11, 1852
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of January 1, 1889
Inex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 11, 1842
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of December 3, 1899
Triad
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 20, 1784
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 23, 1957