Solar eclipse of July 18, 1860


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Wednesday, July 18, 1860, with a magnitude of 1.0500. 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 2.2 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality was visible from parts of modern-day northwestern Oregon, Washington, northern Idaho, northwestern Montana, Canada, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of North America, Europe, West Asia, North Africa, and West Africa.

Coronal Mass Ejection

The first coronal mass ejection may have been observed as coronal loops progressing during this total eclipse.

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 Contact1860 July 18 at 11:54:56.3 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1860 July 18 at 12:57:13.1 UTC
First Central Line1860 July 18 at 12:58:21.9 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1860 July 18 at 12:59:31.0 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1860 July 18 at 14:09:18.4 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1860 July 18 at 14:20:40.8 UTC
Greatest Duration1860 July 18 at 14:24:54.3 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1860 July 18 at 14:26:24.2 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1860 July 18 at 15:53:26.2 UTC
Last Central Line1860 July 18 at 15:54:37.2 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1860 July 18 at 15:55:48.0 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1860 July 18 at 16:57:54.9 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.05000
Eclipse Obscuration1.10249
Gamma0.54871
Sun Right Ascension07h52m23.3s
Sun Declination+20°56'51.5"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'44.4"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.7"
Moon Right Ascension07h53m03.2s
Moon Declination+21°28'15.4"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'18.0"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°59'49.1"
ΔT7.7 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.
July 18
Descending node
August 1
Ascending node
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 124		Partial lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 136

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1860

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 18, 1849
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 18, 1871

Solar Saros 124

Inex

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1859–1862

The partial solar eclipses on March 4, 1859 and August 28, 1859 occur in the previous lunar year eclipse set, and the partial solar eclipse on November 21, 1862 occurs in the next lunar year eclipse set.