Solar eclipse of December 23, 1908
A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Wednesday, December 23, 1908, with a magnitude of 1.0024. It was a hybrid event, with only a fraction of its path as total, and longer sections at the start and end as an annular eclipse. 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 3.1 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
Annularity was visible from Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil, while totality was visible only from southern Atlantic Ocean with no land. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of northern South America, most of North America, the Caribbean, West Africa, North Africa, and Western Europe.
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 | 1908 December 23 at 09:06:26.9 UTC |
| First Umbral External Contact | 1908 December 23 at 10:10:43.8 UTC |
| First Central Line | 1908 December 23 at 10:11:10.4 UTC |
| Greatest Duration | 1908 December 23 at 10:11:10.4 UTC |
| First Umbral Internal Contact | 1908 December 23 at 10:11:37.1 UTC |
| Greatest Eclipse | 1908 December 23 at 11:44:27.5 UTC |
| Equatorial Conjunction | 1908 December 23 at 11:49:14.3 UTC |
| Ecliptic Conjunction | 1908 December 23 at 11:49:45.9 UTC |
| Last Umbral Internal Contact | 1908 December 23 at 13:17:16.8 UTC |
| Last Central Line | 1908 December 23 at 13:17:40.9 UTC |
| Last Umbral External Contact | 1908 December 23 at 13:18:04.9 UTC |
| Last Penumbral External Contact | 1908 December 23 at 14:22:20.6 UTC |
| Parameter | Value |
| Eclipse Magnitude | 1.00243 |
| Eclipse Obscuration | 1.00486 |
| Gamma | –0.49845 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 18h05m35.3s |
| Sun Declination | -23°26'42.1" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'15.7" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 18h05m23.9s |
| Moon Declination | -23°55'54.7" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 16'04.3" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°58'59.0" |
| ΔT | 9.1 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 7 Ascending node | December 23 Descending node |
| Penumbral lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 114 | Hybrid solar eclipse Solar Saros 140 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1908
- Solar eclipse of [January 3, 1908|A total solar eclipse on January 3].
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on January 18.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on June 14.
- An annular solar eclipse on June 28.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on July 13.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on December 7.
- '''A hybrid solar eclipse on December 23.'''
Metonic
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 6, 1905
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [October 10, 1912]
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of November 11, 1901
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [February 3, 1916]
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 17, 1899
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 28, 1917
Tritos
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [January 22, 1898]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [November 22, 1919]
Solar Saros 140
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of December 12, 1890
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of January 3, 1927
Inex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [January 11, 1880]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of December 2, 1937
Triad
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [February 21, 1822]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 24, 1995
Solar eclipses of 1906–1909