Solar eclipse of September 9, 1904


A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Friday, September 9, 1904, with a magnitude of 1.0709. 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 1.5 hours after perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
Totality was visible from German New Guinea on September 10 and Chile on September 9. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Oceania and Western South America.
The event is mentioned in James Joyce's 1922 novel Ulysses.

Observations

The National Astronomical Observatory of Chile established an observation station in Taltal, Antofagasta, but the eclipse was clouded out and could not be seen. In the capital city Santiago, a partial eclipse was seen just before sunset.

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 Contact1904 September 9 at 18:07:46.2 UTC
First Umbral External Contact1904 September 9 at 19:01:33.0 UTC
First Central Line1904 September 9 at 19:02:57.8 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact1904 September 9 at 19:04:22.7 UTC
First Penumbral Internal Contact1904 September 9 at 19:59:18.7 UTC
Greatest Duration1904 September 9 at 20:42:32.1 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction1904 September 9 at 20:42:41.4 UTC
Greatest Eclipse1904 September 9 at 20:44:20.7 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction1904 September 9 at 20:49:31.5 UTC
Last Penumbral Internal Contact1904 September 9 at 21:29:14.6 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact1904 September 9 at 22:24:15.2 UTC
Last Central Line1904 September 9 at 22:25:39.9 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact1904 September 9 at 22:27:04.6 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact1904 September 9 at 23:20:53.1 UTC

ParameterValue
Eclipse Magnitude1.07094
Eclipse Obscuration1.14691
Gamma−0.16252
Sun Right Ascension11h11m04.6s
Sun Declination+05°15'01.3"
Sun Semi-Diameter15'53.2"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.7"
Moon Right Ascension11h10m52.8s
Moon Declination+05°05'30.9"
Moon Semi-Diameter16'43.6"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax1°01'23.4"
ΔT3.4 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 9
Ascending node 		September 24
Descending node
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 133		Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 145

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1904

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 133

Inex

Triad