A total eclipse of the Sun occurred on Tuesday 31 December, 1861 UT (19 Dec, 1861 Old Style), with maximum eclipse at 13:48 UT. The Sun was darkened for 1 minute and 55 seconds by a dramatic total eclipse covering a narrow path at most 74 km wide. This was a sight worth seeing.
The total eclipse lasted for 1 minute and 55 seconds.
Maximum eclipse was at 13:48:58 UT.
During this eclipse the Sun was 0.542° in apparent
diameter, 1.7% larger than average. The Moon was just 2 days past perigee, making it fairly large.
At the start and end of the eclipse the Moon
was 0.544°, and at maximum eclipse 0.552°,
which is 4.0% 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)
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 21st eclipse in solar Saros series 139.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:
This Saros series, solar Saros series 139,
is linked to lunar Saros series 132. The
nearest partner eclipses in that series are:
Eclipse Parameters
| UT Date/time (max) | 13:48:58 on 31 Dec UT |
TDT Date/time (max) | 13:49:06 on 31 Dec TDT |
| Saros Series | 139 |
Number in Series | 21 |
| Penumbral Magnitiude | |
Central Magnitiude | 1.0186 |
| Gamma | 0.5187 |
Path Width (km) | 74 |
| Delta T | 0m08s |
Error | ± 0m00s (95%) |
| Penumbral Duration | |
Partial Duration | |
| Total Duration | 1m55s |
| |
| Partial Rating | |
Total Rating | |
| Sun Distance | 147095873 km (0.0%) |
Moon Distance | 365794 km (18.7%) |
| Sun Diameter | 0.542° |
Moon Diameter | 0.544° - 0.552° |
| Perigee | 13:01 on 29 Dec UT |
Apogee | 07:25 on 10 Jan 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.
