An annular eclipse of the Sun occurred on Wednesday 4 March, 1840 UT (21 Feb, 1840 Old Style), with maximum eclipse at 03:58 UT. A large annular eclipse covered over 99% of the Sun, creating a dramatic spectacle for observers in only a tiny path, just 2 km wide; however, it was fleeting, lasting a very brief 3 seconds at the point of maximum eclipse.
The annular eclipse lasted for 3 seconds.
Maximum eclipse was at 03:58:17 UT.
During this eclipse the Sun was 0.537° in apparent
diameter, 0.8% larger than average. The Moon was just 4 days before perigee, making it relatively large.
At maximum eclipse it was 0.537° in
apparent diameter, which is 1.1% larger than average; this was not
large enough to cover the Sun, which is why this
was an annular 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)
shows the visibility of the annular 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 26th eclipse in solar Saros series 137.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:
This Saros series, solar Saros series 137,
is linked to lunar Saros series 130. The
nearest partner eclipses in that series are:
Eclipse Parameters
| UT Date/time (max) | 03:58:17 on 4 Mar UT |
TDT Date/time (max) | 03:58:22 on 4 Mar TDT |
| Saros Series | 137 |
Number in Series | 26 |
| Penumbral Magnitiude | |
Central Magnitiude | 0.9995 |
| Gamma | 0.6728 |
Path Width (km) | 2 |
| Delta T | 0m05s |
Error | ± 0m01s (95%) |
| Penumbral Duration | |
Partial Duration | |
| Total Duration | 0m03s |
| |
| Partial Rating | |
Total Rating | |
| Sun Distance | 148450701 km (28.0%) |
Moon Distance | 375332 km (37.6%) |
| Sun Diameter | 0.537° |
Moon Diameter | 0.530° - 0.537° |
| Apogee | 23:54 on 24 Feb UT |
Perigee | 01:13 on 8 Mar 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)
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.
