A total eclipse of the Sun occurred on Wednesday 23 October, 1957 UT, with maximum eclipse at 04:53 UT. A fleeting total eclipse covered only an extremely narrow strip and lasted for just moments at the point of maximum eclipse.

Maximum eclipse was at 04:53:30 UT.

During this eclipse the Sun was 0.536° in apparent diameter, 0.5% larger than average. The Moon was just a day past perigee, making it relatively large. At the start and end of the eclipse the Moon was 0.548°, and at maximum eclipse 0.548°, which is 3.2% 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 50th eclipse in solar Saros series 123.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:

This Saros series, solar Saros series 123, is linked to lunar Saros series 116. The nearest partner eclipses in that series are:

Eclipse Parameters

UT Date/time (max) 04:53:30 on 23 Oct UT TDT Date/time (max) 04:54:02 on 23 Oct TDT
Saros Series 123 Number in Series 50
Penumbral Magnitiude Central Magnitiude 1.0013
Gamma -1.0022 Path Width (km) 0
Delta T 0m32s Error ± 0m00s (95%)
Penumbral Duration Partial Duration
Total Duration
Partial Rating Total Rating
Sun Distance 148815414 km (35.6%) Moon Distance 363392 km (13.9%)
Sun Diameter 0.536° Moon Diameter 0.548° - 0.548°
Perigee 13:11 on 21 Oct UT Apogee 11:30 on 2 Nov 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.