Solar eclipse of November 1, 1948


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Monday, November 1, 1948, with a magnitude of 1.0231. 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 2.4 days after perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
Totality was visible from Belgian Congo, Uganda Protectorate including the capital city Kampala, British Kenya including the capital city Nairobi, British Seychelles, and British Mauritius. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of East Africa, Southern Africa, Antarctica, and Australia.
During this eclipse, comet C/1948 V1, also known as the Eclipse Comet of 1948, was discovered shining near the Sun.

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 Contact1948 November 01 at 03:19:27.1 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1948 November 01 at 04:19:32.4 UTC
First Central Line1948 November 01 at 04:19:46.0 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1948 November 01 at 04:19:59.5 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact1948 November 01 at 05:28:35.7 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1948 November 01 at 05:59:17.9 UTC
Greatest Duration1948 November 01 at 06:00:10.8 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1948 November 01 at 06:03:01.1 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1948 November 01 at 06:16:14.5 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact1948 November 01 at 06:29:35.7 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1948 November 01 at 07:38:28.6 UTC
Last Central Line1948 November 01 at 07:38:39.8 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1948 November 01 at 07:38:51.1 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1948 November 01 at 08:39:07.0 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.02312
Eclipse Obscuration1.04677
Gamma−0.35172
Sun Right Ascension14h25m22.0s
Sun Declination-14°24'53.4"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'07.1"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension14h24m46.3s
Moon Declination-14°43'55.8"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'14.2"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°59'35.3"
ΔT28.6 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.
October 18
Ascending node 		November 1
Descending node
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 116		Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 142

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1948

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 142

Inex

Triad