A total eclipse of the Sun occurred on Saturday 7 August, 1869 UT (26 Jul, 1869 Old Style), with maximum eclipse at 22:01 UT. A dramatic total eclipse plunged the Sun into darkness for 3 minutes and 48 seconds at maximum, creating an amazing spectacle for observers in a very broad path, 254 km wide at maximum.

The total eclipse lasted for 3 minutes and 48 seconds. Maximum eclipse was at 22:01:04 UT.

During this eclipse the Sun was 0.526° in apparent diameter, 1.3% smaller than average. The Moon was just a day before perigee, making it fairly large. At the start and end of the eclipse the Moon was 0.548°, and at maximum eclipse 0.555°, which is 4.5% larger than average; hence it covered the Sun, making this a total eclipse. The statistics page has information on the ranges of the sizes of the Sun and Moon, and the Moon data page displays detailed information on the Moon's key dates.

Overview Map

This map sourced from NASA Goddard Space flight Center: GSFC Eclipse Web SiteGSFC Eclipse Web Site
The primary source of all the information on eclipses presented here at Hermit Eclipse. (NASA Goddard Space flight Center)
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html
shows the visibility of the total solar eclipse. It also shows the broader area in which a partial eclipse was seen. (Click on it for the full-sized version.)

Eclipse Season and Saros Series

This eclipse season contains 2 eclipses:

This was the 15th eclipse in solar Saros series 143.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:

This Saros series, solar Saros series 143, is linked to lunar Saros series 136. The nearest partner eclipses in that series are:

Eclipse Parameters

UT Date/time (max) 22:01:04 on 7 Aug UT TDT Date/time (max) 22:01:05 on 7 Aug TDT
Saros Series 143 Number in Series 15
Penumbral Magnitiude Central Magnitiude 1.0551
Gamma 0.696 Path Width (km) 254
Delta T 0m01s Error ± 0m00s (95%)
Penumbral Duration Partial Duration
Total Duration 3m48s
Partial Rating Total Rating
Sun Distance 151652471 km (94.3%) Moon Distance 363200 km (13.5%)
Sun Diameter 0.526° Moon Diameter 0.548° - 0.555°
Apogee 12:07 on 28 Jul UT Perigee 13:10 on 9 Aug UT

Note that while all dates and times on this site (except where noted) are in UT, which is within a second of civil time, the dates and times shown in NASA's eclipse listingsGSFC Eclipse Web Site
The primary source of all the information on eclipses presented here at Hermit Eclipse. (NASA Goddard Space flight Center)
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html
are in the TDT timescale.

The Sun and Moon distances are shown in km, and as a percentage of their minimum - maximum distances; hence 0% is the closest possible (Earth's perihelion, or the Moon's closest possible perigee) and 100% is the farthest (aphelion, the farthest apogee). The statistics page has information on the ranges of sizes of the Sun and Moon, and the Moon data page displays detailed information on the Moon's key dates.

Data last updated: 2015-06-21 22:11:46 UTC.