Solar eclipse of November 12, 1966


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Saturday, November 12, 1966, with a magnitude of 1.0234. 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 2.25 days after perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
The path of totality cut a swath across South America from north of Lima, Peru, passing the northeastern tip of Chile, Bolivia, Northwest of Argentina, southwestern tip of Ñeembucú Department in Paraguay, nearly to the southernmost tip of Brazil. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Antarctica, and Southern Africa.

Observations

The NASA Gemini XII mission observed this total eclipse from space:

The Canary Island controller greeted the crew in the morning with the news that there would be a second maneuver - 5 meters forward - to line the vehicles up properly. The prospects panned out richly, and the crew reported seeing the eclipse "right on the money at 16:01:44 g.e.t." Although the crew thought for a moment that they were slightly off track, their aim had actually been accurate.

The 28 October 1966 launch of the U.S. Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle 3-2 was timed such that it could observe ambient charged particle variations before, during, and after the eclipse.

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 Contact1966 November 12 at 11:43:29.6 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1966 November 12 at 12:43:07.1 UTC
First Central Line1966 November 12 at 12:43:20.6 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1966 November 12 at 12:43:34.2 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact1966 November 12 at 13:50:12.8 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1966 November 12 at 14:23:27.6 UTC
Greatest Duration1966 November 12 at 14:24:40.6 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1966 November 12 at 14:26:56.5 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1966 November 12 at 14:37:07.7 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact1966 November 12 at 14:56:22.2 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1966 November 12 at 16:03:15.2 UTC
Last Central Line1966 November 12 at 16:03:26.4 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1966 November 12 at 16:03:37.7 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1966 November 12 at 17:03:24.9 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.02336
Eclipse Obscuration1.04727
Gamma−0.33001
Sun Right Ascension15h09m12.8s
Sun Declination-17°40'44.2"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'09.6"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension15h08m42.7s
Moon Declination-17°59'03.2"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'16.8"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°59'44.7"
ΔT37.3 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 29
Ascending node
November 12
Descending node
Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 116		Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 142

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1966

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 142

Inex

Triad