Solar eclipse of June 20, 1974
A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Thursday, June 20, 1974, with a magnitude of 1.0592. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the view 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 1.4 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality passed over the Indian Ocean, Amsterdam Island, and Western Australia. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of the Malagasy Republic, Indonesia, Australia, and the southwestern coast of South Island, New Zealand.
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 | 1974 June 20 at 02:33:32.2 UTC |
| First Umbral External Contact | 1974 June 20 at 03:47:06.1 UTC |
| First Central Line | 1974 June 20 at 03:49:24.2 UTC |
| First Umbral Internal Contact | 1974 June 20 at 03:51:46.3 UTC |
| Greatest Duration | 1974 June 20 at 04:47:57.2 UTC |
| Greatest Eclipse | 1974 June 20 at 04:48:04.4 UTC |
| Equatorial Conjunction | 1974 June 20 at 04:55:25.3 UTC |
| Ecliptic Conjunction | 1974 June 20 at 04:56:24.3 UTC |
| Last Umbral Internal Contact | 1974 June 20 at 05:44:15.8 UTC |
| Last Central Line | 1974 June 20 at 05:46:39.4 UTC |
| Last Umbral External Contact | 1974 June 20 at 05:48:59.2 UTC |
| Last Penumbral External Contact | 1974 June 20 at 07:02:30.3 UTC |
| Parameter | Value |
| Eclipse Magnitude | 1.05919 |
| Eclipse Obscuration | 1.12189 |
| Gamma | −0.82388 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 05h53m26.3s |
| Sun Declination | +23°26'00.3" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'44.3" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.7" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 05h53m07.9s |
| Moon Declination | +22°36'22.0" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 16'30.9" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 1°00'36.8" |
| ΔT | 44.9 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.| June 4 Ascending node | June 20 Descending node |
| Partial lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 120 | Total solar eclipse Solar Saros 146 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1974
- A partial lunar eclipse on June 4.A total solar eclipse on June 20.
- A total lunar eclipse on November 29.
- A partial solar eclipse on December 13.
Metonic
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 31, 1970
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 7, 1978
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1967
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 31, 1981
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 14, 1965
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1983
Tritos
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 20, 1963
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 19, 1985
Solar Saros 146
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of June 8, 1956
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 30, 1992
Inex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 9, 1945
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 31, 2003
Triad
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 19, 1887
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 20, 2061