Solar eclipse of December 25, 2000
A partial solar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Monday, December 25, 2000, with a magnitude of 0.7228. It was the first solar eclipse to fall on Christmas since 1954, and will be the last until 2038. 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. This was also the last solar eclipse of the 20th century.
This was the first solar eclipse on Christmas Day since the annular solar eclipse of 1954.
This was the last of four partial solar eclipses in 2000, with the others occurring on February 5, 2000|February 5], July 1, 2000|July 1], and July 31, 2000|July 31].
A partial eclipse was visible for parts of North America and the Caribbean.
Images
Animated pathEclipse 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 | 2000 December 25 at 15:27:44.5 UTC |
| Ecliptic Conjunction | 2000 December 25 at 17:22:41.2 UTC |
| Equatorial Conjunction | 2000 December 25 at 17:27:01.0 UTC |
| Greatest Eclipse | 2000 December 25 at 17:35:56.9 UTC |
| Last Penumbral External Contact | 2000 December 25 at 19:44:16.3 UTC |
| Parameter | Value |
| Eclipse Magnitude | 0.72279 |
| Eclipse Obscuration | 0.62922 |
| Gamma | 1.13669 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 18h18m29.8s |
| Sun Declination | -23°22'12.5" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'15.7" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 18h18m47.5s |
| Moon Declination | -22°20'41.9" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 14'49.1" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°54'22.8" |
| ΔT | 64.1 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 25 Descending node | January 9 Ascending node |
| Partial solar eclipse Solar Saros 122 | Total lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 134 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 2000
- A total lunar eclipse on January 21.
- A partial solar eclipse on February 5.
- A partial solar eclipse on July 1.
- A total lunar eclipse on July 16.
- A partial solar eclipse on July 31.
- '''A partial solar eclipse on December 25.'''
Metonic
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [March 9, 1997]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 14, 2004
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of November 13, 1993
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [February 7, 2008]
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 21, 1991
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 31, 2009
Tritos
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [January 26, 1990]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [November 25, 2011]
Solar Saros 122
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [December 15, 1982]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of January 6, 2019
Inex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 16, 1972
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [December 5, 2029]
Triad
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [February 25, 1914]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [October 26, 2087]