Solar eclipse of October 2, 1978
A partial solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Monday, October 2, 1978, with a magnitude of 0.6905. 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 partial solar eclipse occurs in the polar regions of the Earth when the center of the Moon's shadow misses the Earth.
A partial eclipse was visible for parts of North Asia and East Asia.
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.| Event | Time |
| First Penumbral External Contact | 1978 October 2 at 04:31:44.0 UTC |
| Equatorial Conjunction | 1978 October 2 at 05:46:52.4 UTC |
| Greatest Eclipse | 1978 October 2 at 06:28:43.3 UTC |
| Ecliptic Conjunction | 1978 October 2 at 06:41:27.8 UTC |
| Last Penumbral External Contact | 1978 October 2 at 08:25:57.0 UTC |
| Parameter | Value |
| Eclipse Magnitude | 0.69055 |
| Eclipse Obscuration | 0.60402 |
| Gamma | 1.16164 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 12h32m00.9s |
| Sun Declination | -03°27'16.5" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'58.8" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.8" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 12h33m20.1s |
| Moon Declination | -02°25'05.3" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'20.8" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°56'19.5" |
| ΔT | 49.3 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.| September 16 Descending node | October 2 Ascending node |
| Total lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 127 | Partial solar eclipse Solar Saros 153 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1978
- A total lunar eclipse on March 24.
- Solar eclipse of [April 7, 1978|A partial solar eclipse on April 7].
- A total lunar eclipse on September 16.
- '''A partial solar eclipse on October 2.'''
Metonic
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [December 13, 1974]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 20, 1982
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [November 12, 1985]
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 25, 1969
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 7, 1987
Tritos
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of November 2, 1967
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of August 31, 1989
Solar Saros 153
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [September 20, 1960]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 12, 1996
Inex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 21, 1949
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [September 11, 2007]
Triad
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of [December 1, 1891]
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of [August 2, 2065]
Solar eclipses of 1975–1978