Solar eclipse of October 12, 1958


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Sunday, October 12, 1958, with a magnitude of 1.0608. 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 5.5 hours before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
Totality was visible in Tokelau, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Chile and Argentina. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Eastern Australia, Oceania, and western South America.

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 Contact1958 October 12 at 18:20:31.5 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1958 October 12 at 19:15:58.5 UTC
First Central Line1958 October 12 at 19:17:11.0 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1958 October 12 at 19:18:23.5 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact1958 October 12 at 20:18:33.1 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1958 October 12 at 20:52:27.4 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1958 October 12 at 20:55:28.0 UTC
Greatest Duration1958 October 12 at 20:57:26.1 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1958 October 12 at 21:04:31.8 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact1958 October 12 at 21:32:08.7 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1958 October 12 at 22:32:25.5 UTC
Last Central Line1958 October 12 at 22:33:38.3 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1958 October 12 at 22:34:51.1 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1958 October 12 at 23:30:19.6 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.06084
Eclipse Obscuration1.12539
Gamma−0.29506
Sun Right Ascension13h10m12.6s
Sun Declination-07°27'01.0"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'01.8"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.8"
Moon Right Ascension13h09m51.7s
Moon Declination-07°44'19.9"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'43.7"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax1°01'23.7"
ΔT32.6 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 12
Ascending node
October 27
Descending node
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 133		Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 145

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1958

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 133

Inex

Triad