Solar eclipse of May 29, 1938


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Sunday, May 29, 1938, with a magnitude of 1.0552. 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 1.2 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality was mostly on the sea. The only land that was covered was South Orkney Islands of Antarctica, as well as South Georgia except for its northwestern part, Zavodovski Island and Visokoi Island controlled by the United Kingdom. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of southern and central South America and Southern Africa. This was the first of 41 umbral eclipses of Solar Saros 146.

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 contact1938 May 29 at 11:46:36.9 UTC
First umbral external contact1938 May 29 at 13:17:53.5 UTC
First central line1938 May 29 at 13:22:34.9 UTC
First umbral internal contact1938 May 29 at 13:28:10.1 UTC
Equatorial conjunction1938 May 29 at 13:43:32.0 UTC
Greatest eclipse1938 May 29 at 13:50:18.5 UTC
Greatest duration1938 May 29 at 13:50:38.6 UTC
Ecliptic conjunction1938 May 29 at 13:59:56.4 UTC
Last umbral internal contact1938 May 29 at 14:12:30.3 UTC
Last central line1938 May 29 at 14:18:06.8 UTC
Last umbral external contact1938 May 29 at 14:22:49.5 UTC
Last penumbral external contact1938 May 29 at 15:54:00.6 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse magnitude1.05523
Eclipse obscuration1.11351
Gamma−0.96068
Sun right ascension04h22m54.3s
Sun declination+21°34'16.3"
Sun semi-diameter15'46.6"
Sun equatorial horizontal parallax08.7"
Moon right ascension04h23m11.2s
Moon declination+20°36'05.3"
Moon semi-diameter16'34.8"
Moon equatorial horizontal parallax1°00'50.8"
ΔT24.0 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.
May 14
Ascending node 		May 29
Descending node
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 120		Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 146

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1938

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 146

Inex

Triad