Solar eclipse of May 6, 1883

A total solar eclipse occurred on May 6, 1883. 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. The path of totality fell across the southern Pacific Ocean with no major landfall. Partiality was visible from far eastern Australia at sunrise, and New Zealand, as well as western South America and southern Mexico near sunset. This eclipse is a member of Solar Saros 136, and its maximum duration was 5 minutes and 58.24 seconds.

Solar eclipse of May 6, 1883
An artist's depiction of the total solar eclipse, observed from Caroline Atoll, Caroline Islands.
Map
Type of eclipse
NatureTotal
Gamma−0.425
Magnitude1.0634
Maximum eclipse
Duration358 s (5 min 58 s)
Coordinates8°06′S 144°36′W / 8.1°S 144.6°W / -8.1; -144.6
Max. width of band229 km (142 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse21:53:49
References
Saros136 (30 of 71)
Catalog # (SE5000)9241

Observations edit

An expedition of American astronomers traveled from Peru to Caroline Island aboard the USS Hartford to observe the total solar eclipse. A French expedition also observed the eclipse from Caroline, and the United States Navy mapped the atoll.[1] Johann Palisa, a member of the expedition, discovered an asteroid later that year which he named Carolina "in remembrance of his visit to [the] island".[2]

Related eclipses edit

Saros 136 edit

Solar Saros 136, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, contains 71 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on June 14, 1360, and reached a first annular eclipse on September 8, 1504. It was a hybrid event from November 22, 1612, through January 17, 1703, and total eclipses from January 27, 1721, through May 13, 2496. The series ends at member 71 as a partial eclipse on July 30, 2622, with the entire series lasting 1262 years. The longest eclipse occurred on June 20, 1955, with a maximum duration of totality at 7 minutes, 7.74 seconds. All eclipses in this series occurs at the Moon's descending node.[3]

Series members 29–43 occur between 1865 and 2117
29 30 31
 
Apr 25, 1865
 
May 6, 1883
 
May 18, 1901
32 33 34
 
May 29, 1919
 
Jun 8, 1937
 
Jun 20, 1955
35 36 37
 
Jun 30, 1973
 
Jul 11, 1991
 
Jul 22, 2009
38 39 40
 
Aug 2, 2027
 
Aug 12, 2045
 
Aug 24, 2063
41 42 43
 
Sep 3, 2081
 
Sep 14, 2099
 
Sep 26, 2117

Notes edit

  1. ^ Bryan, E.H. (1942). American Polynesia and the Hawaiian Chain. Honolulu: Tongg Publishing Company.
  2. ^ Schmadel, L.D. (2000). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (4th ed.). Berlin: Springer-Verlag Telos. ISBN 3-540-66292-8.
  3. ^ SEsaros136 at NASA.gov

References edit