Solar eclipse of February 21, 1803


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Monday, February 21, 1803, with a magnitude of 1.0492. 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 only about 18 hours before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality was visible from parts of modern-day Norfolk Island, French Polynesia, Mexico, Florida, and the Bahamas. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of eastern Australia, Oceania, North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.

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 Contact1803 February 21 at 18:39:49.4 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1803 February 21 at 19:34:37.6 UTC
First Central Line1803 February 21 at 19:35:27.6 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1803 February 21 at 19:36:17.6 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact1803 February 21 at 20:31:05.3 UTC
Greatest Duration1803 February 21 at 21:14:41.2 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1803 February 21 at 21:18:22.5 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1803 February 21 at 21:18:41.3 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1803 February 21 at 21:18:45.9 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact1803 February 21 at 22:06:27.3 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1803 February 21 at 23:01:13.1 UTC
Last Central Line1803 February 21 at 23:02:04.1 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1803 February 21 at 23:02:55.1 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1803 February 21 at 23:57:40.3 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.04920
Eclipse Obscuration1.10083
Gamma−0.00747
Sun Right Ascension22h17m19.4s
Sun Declination-10°39'01.5"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'09.6"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension22h17m20.3s
Moon Declination-10°39'25.9"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'40.0"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax1°01'10.2"
ΔT12.5 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. The first and last eclipse in this sequence is separated by one synodic month.
February 6
Descending node
February 21
Ascending node
March 8
Descending node
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 101		Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 127		Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 139

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1803

Metonic

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 5, 1799
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of December 10, 1806

Tzolkinex

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 10, 1796
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 4, 1810

Half-Saros

Tritos

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 22, 1792
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of January 21, 1814

Solar Saros 127

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 9, 1785
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 4, 1821

Inex

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 12, 1774
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 1, 1832

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1801–1805

The partial solar eclipses on April 13, 1801 and October 7, 1801 occur in the previous lunar year eclipse set, and the solar eclipses on January 1, 1805 ; June 26, 1805 ; and December 21, 1805 occur in the next lunar year eclipse set.

Metonic series

All eclipses in this table occur at the Moon's ascending node.