Solar eclipse of May 20, 1966
Solar eclipse of May 20, 1966 | |
---|---|
Type of eclipse | |
Nature | Annular |
Gamma | 0.3467 |
Magnitude | 0.9991 |
Maximum eclipse | |
Duration | 5 s (0 min 5 s) |
Coordinates | 39°12′N 26°24′E / 39.2°N 26.4°E |
Max. width of band | 3 km (1.9 mi) |
Times (UTC) | |
Greatest eclipse | 9:39:02 |
References | |
Saros | 137 (33 of 70) |
Catalog # (SE5000) | 9434 |
An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Friday, May 20, 1966, with a magnitude of 0.9991. 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. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide. Annularity was visible from Guinea (including the capital city Conakry), Mali, Algeria, Libya, Greece, Turkey, the Soviet Union (today's Russia and Kazakhstan) and China. The Sun's altitude was 70°.
Observations[edit]
During this eclipse, the apex of the moon's umbral cone was very close to the Earth's surface, and the magnitude was very large. The edges of the moon and the sun were very close to each other as seen from the Earth. Baily's beads on the lunar limb, which are usually only visible during a total solar eclipse, could also be seen. Therefore this eclipse was also an excellent opportunity to measure the size and shape of the Earth, as well as the mountains and valleys on the lunar limb. Many scientists observed the annular eclipse in Greece and Turkey, which are close to the location of maximum eclipse and have better observation conditions. The observation sites in Greece were mainly concentrated in Saronida and Anavyssos south of Athens, while those in Turkey were mainly concentrated in Ayvalik, across the sea facing the Greek island Lesbos.[1]
Similar to the Baily's beads, the corona is generally only visible in a total solar eclipse. Because the magnitude of this annular eclipse was close to 1, some predicted that the corona would be visible. An observation team went to Lesbos Island but only saw the Baily's beads, not the corona.[2]
Prior to it, the two hybrid solar eclipses of April 17, 1912 and April 28, 1930, and another annular solar eclipse of May 9, 1948 also belonging to Solar Saros 137, also occurred with a magnitude close to 1. Observations were made near Paris in France, Camptonville, California and Rebun Island in Japan respectively.[1]
Related eclipses[edit]
Eclipses in 1966[edit]
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on May 4, 1966.
- An annular solar eclipse on May 20, 1966.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on October 29, 1966.
- A total solar eclipse on November 12, 1966.
Metonic[edit]
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 31, 1962
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 7, 1970
Tzolkinex[edit]
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 8, 1959
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 30, 1973
Half-Saros[edit]
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1957
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1975
Tritos[edit]
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of June 20, 1955
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 18, 1977
Solar Saros 137[edit]
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1948
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 30, 1984
Inex[edit]
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of June 8, 1937
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 29, 1995
Triad[edit]
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 19, 1879
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 20, 2053
Solar eclipses of 1964–1967[edit]
This eclipse is a member of a semester series. An eclipse in a semester series of solar eclipses repeats approximately every 177 days and 4 hours (a semester) at alternating nodes of the Moon's orbit.[3]
The partial solar eclipses on January 14, 1964 and July 9, 1964 occur in the previous lunar year eclipse set.
Solar eclipse series sets from 1964 to 1967 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ascending node | Descending node | |||||
Saros | Map | Gamma | Saros | Map | Gamma | |
117 | June 10, 1964![]() Partial |
−1.1393 | 122 | December 4, 1964![]() Partial |
1.1193 | |
127 | May 30, 1965![]() Total |
−0.4225 | 132 | November 23, 1965![]() Annular |
0.3906 | |
137 | May 20, 1966![]() Annular |
0.3467 | 142 | November 12, 1966![]() Total |
−0.33 | |
147 | May 9, 1967![]() Partial |
1.1422 | 152 | November 2, 1967![]() Total (non-central) |
1.0007 |
Saros 137[edit]
This eclipse is a part of Saros series 137, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, and containing 70 events. The series started with a partial solar eclipse on May 25, 1389. It contains total eclipses from August 20, 1533 through December 6, 1695; the first set of hybrid eclipses from December 17, 1713 through February 11, 1804; the first set of annular eclipses from February 21, 1822 through March 25, 1876; the second set of hybrid eclipses from April 6, 1894 through April 28, 1930; and the second set of annular eclipses from May 9, 1948 through April 13, 2507. The series ends at member 70 as a partial eclipse on June 28, 2633. Its eclipses are tabulated in three columns; every third eclipse in the same column is one exeligmos apart, so they all cast shadows over approximately the same parts of the Earth.
The longest duration of totality was produced by member 11 at 2 minutes, 55 seconds on September 10, 1569, and the longest duration of annularity will be produced by member 59 at 7 minutes, 5 seconds on February 28, 2435. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit.[4]
Series members 24–46 occur between 1801 and 2200: | ||
---|---|---|
24 | 25 | 26 |
![]() February 11, 1804 |
![]() February 21, 1822 |
![]() March 4, 1840 |
27 | 28 | 29 |
![]() March 15, 1858 |
![]() March 25, 1876 |
![]() April 6, 1894 |
30 | 31 | 32 |
![]() April 17, 1912 |
![]() April 28, 1930 |
![]() May 9, 1948 |
33 | 34 | 35 |
![]() May 20, 1966 |
![]() May 30, 1984 |
![]() June 10, 2002 |
36 | 37 | 38 |
![]() June 21, 2020 |
![]() July 2, 2038 |
![]() July 12, 2056 |
39 | 40 | 41 |
![]() July 24, 2074 |
![]() August 3, 2092 |
![]() August 15, 2110 |
42 | 43 | 44 |
![]() August 25, 2128 |
![]() September 6, 2146 |
![]() September 16, 2164 |
45 | 46 | |
![]() September 27, 2182 |
![]() October 9, 2200 |
Metonic series[edit]
The metonic series repeats eclipses every 19 years (6939.69 days), lasting about 5 cycles. Eclipses occur in nearly the same calendar date. In addition, the octon subseries repeats 1/5 of that or every 3.8 years (1387.94 days). All eclipses in this table occur at the Moon's ascending node.
22 eclipse events between December 24, 1916 and July 31, 2000 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
December 24–25 | October 12–13 | July 31-Aug 1 | May 18–20 | March 7–8 |
91 | 93 | 95 | 97 | 99 |
December 23, 1878 | October 12, 1882 | July 31, 1886 | May 18, 1890 | March 7, 1894 |
101 | 103 | 105 | 107 | 109 |
December 23, 1897 | October 12, 1901 | August 1, 1905 | May 19, 1909 | March 8, 1913 |
111 | 113 | 115 | 117 | 119 |
![]() December 24, 1916 |
October 12, 1920 | ![]() July 31, 1924 |
![]() May 19, 1928 |
![]() March 7, 1932 |
121 | 123 | 125 | 127 | 129 |
![]() December 25, 1935 |
![]() October 12, 1939 |
![]() August 1, 1943 |
![]() May 20, 1947 |
![]() March 7, 1951 |
131 | 133 | 135 | 137 | 139 |
![]() December 25, 1954 |
![]() October 12, 1958 |
![]() July 31, 1962 |
![]() May 20, 1966 |
![]() March 7, 1970 |
141 | 143 | 145 | 147 | 149 |
![]() December 24, 1973 |
![]() October 12, 1977 |
![]() July 31, 1981 |
![]() May 19, 1985 |
![]() March 7, 1989 |
151 | 153 | 155 | 157 | 159 |
![]() December 24, 1992 |
![]() October 12, 1996 |
![]() July 31, 2000 |
May 19, 2004 | March 7, 2008 |
161 | 163 | 165 | 167 | 169 |
December 24, 2011 | October 13, 2015 | August 1, 2019 | May 19, 2023 | March 8, 2027 |
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b Xavier M. Jubier. "Eclipse annulaire de Soleil du 20 mai 1966 depuis la Grèce ou la Turquie (Annular Solar Eclipse of 1966 May 20 in Greece or Turkey)". Archived from the original on 22 January 2020.
- ^ Hunt, H. C. (May 1966). "Solar eclipse report 1966 May 20" (PDF). The Astronomer. 3: B11–B12.
- ^ van Gent, R.H. "Solar- and Lunar-Eclipse Predictions from Antiquity to the Present". A Catalogue of Eclipse Cycles. Utrecht University. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ "NASA - Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 137". eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov.
References[edit]
- Earth visibility chart and eclipse statistics Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC