Solar eclipse of March 9, 2016


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit between Tuesday, March 8 and Wednesday, March 9, 2016, with a magnitude of 1.045. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's and the apparent path of the Sun and Moon intersect, blocking all direct sunlight and turning daylight into darkness; the Sun appears to be black with a halo around it. 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 1.25 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
Totality was visible from parts of Indonesia and Micronesia. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Southeast Asia, East Asia, Alaska, northwestern Australia, and Hawaii. If viewed from east of the International Date Line, the eclipse took place on March 8 and elsewhere on March 9.
The eclipse was clearly visible in many parts of Indonesia, including Central Sulawesi and Ternate, but obscured by clouds and smokes in Palembang, the largest city on the path of totality. The eclipse coincided with Nyepi, a public holiday in Indonesia and the end of the Balinese saka calendar. Because Nyepi is normally a day of silence, Muslims in Bali had to be given special dispensation to attend special prayer services during the eclipse.

Path of the eclipse

On March 9, 2016, a large area of the Pacific, covering Indonesia, Borneo, but also large parts of Southeast Asia and Australia, witnessed a partial solar eclipse. It was total in multiple islands of Indonesia, three atolls of the Federated States of Micronesia and the central Pacific, starting at sunrise over Sumatra and ending at sunset north of Hawaii. In the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the totality exceeded a duration of more than 4 minutes.
Much of East Asia witnessed more than 50% partial eclipse.
The largest city along the path of totality was Palembang in southern Sumatra.
In order to watch the total solar eclipse, Alaska Airlines adjusted the flight plan for Flight 870. The flight passed through the umbral shadow about north of Hawaii.

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 Contact2016 March 8 at 23:20:28.3 UTC
First Umbral External Contact2016 March 9 at 00:17:05.3 UTC
First Central Line2016 March 9 at 00:17:51.5 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact2016 March 9 at 00:18:37.8 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact2016 March 9 at 01:18:48.1 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction2016 March 9 at 01:55:37.5 UTC
Greatest Duration2016 March 9 at 01:57:59.8 UTC
Greatest Eclipse2016 March 9 at 01:58:19.5 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction2016 March 9 at 02:06:49.1 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact2016 March 9 at 08:37:36.7 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact2016 March 9 at 03:37:53.0 UTC
Last Central Line2016 March 9 at 03:38:40.8 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact2016 March 9 at 03:39:28.6 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact2016 March 9 at 04:36:03.3 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.04499
Eclipse Obscuration1.09200
Gamma0.26092
Sun Right Ascension23h19m17.6s
Sun Declination-04°22'46.4"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'06.5"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension23h18m58.7s
Moon Declination-04°07'40.6"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'33.5"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax1°00'46.2"
ΔT68.1 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.
March 9
Descending node
March 23
Ascending node
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 130		Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 142

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 2016

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 130

Inex

Triad

Inex series