Solar eclipse of July 8, 1842


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Friday, July 8, 1842, with a magnitude of 1.0543. 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 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality was visible from parts of modern-day Portugal, Spain, Andorra, France, Monaco, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, southeastern Poland, Ukraine, southeastern Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of Europe, North Africa, Asia, Alaska, Greenland, and northern Canada.

Observations

Francis Baily observed the total solar eclipse from Italy, focusing his attention on the solar corona and prominences and identified them as part of the Sun's atmosphere. The solar eclipse effect now called Baily's beads named in honor of him after his correct explanation of the phenomenon in 1836.

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 Contact1842 July 8 at 04:32:40.3 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1842 July 8 at 05:32:39.4 UTC
First Central Line1842 July 8 at 05:33:50.6 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1842 July 8 at 05:35:02.0 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1842 July 8 at 06:55:35.2 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1842 July 8 at 07:01:31.8 UTC
Greatest Duration1842 July 8 at 07:04:59.2 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1842 July 8 at 07:06:26.9 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1842 July 8 at 08:37:56.8 UTC
Last Central Line1842 July 8 at 08:39:10.0 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1842 July 8 at 08:40:23.1 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1842 July 8 at 09:40:14.0 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.05427
Eclipse Obscuration1.11149
Gamma0.47266
Sun Right Ascension07h07m53.4s
Sun Declination+22°32'34.5"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'43.8"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.6"
Moon Right Ascension07h08m19.7s
Moon Declination+23°00'12.1"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'20.6"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°59'58.8"
ΔT5.5 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.
July 8
Descending node
July 22
Ascending node
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 124		Partial lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 136

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1842

Metonic

Tzolkinex

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 27, 1835
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of August 18, 1849

Half-Saros

Tritos

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 7, 1831
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 6, 1853

Solar Saros 124

Inex

  • Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 27, 1813
  • Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 18, 1871

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1841–1844

The partial solar eclipses on February 21, 1841 and August 16, 1841 occur in the previous lunar year eclipse set, and the partial solar eclipse on November 10, 1844 occurs in the next lunar year eclipse set.

Metonic series

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