An annular eclipse of the Sun occurred on Monday 16 March, 1885 UT (4 Mar, 1885 Old Style), with maximum eclipse at 17:45 UT. A large annular eclipse covered 98% of the Sun, creating a dramatic spectacle for observers in a path up to 132 km wide; it lasted 1 minute and 55 seconds at the point of maximum eclipse.

The annular eclipse lasted for 1 minute and 55 seconds. Maximum eclipse was at 17:45:49 UT.

During this eclipse the Sun was 0.536° in apparent diameter, 0.5% larger than average. The Moon was 7 days after apogee and 7 days before perigee. At maximum eclipse it was 0.524° in apparent diameter, which is 1.4% smaller 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)
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html
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 61st eclipse in solar Saros series 118.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:

This Saros series, solar Saros series 118, is linked to lunar Saros series 111. The nearest partner eclipses in that series are:

Eclipse Parameters

UT Date/time (max) 17:45:49 on 16 Mar UT TDT Date/time (max) 17:45:43 on 16 Mar TDT
Saros Series 118 Number in Series 61
Penumbral Magnitiude Central Magnitiude 0.9778
Gamma 0.803 Path Width (km) 132
Delta T -1m-6s Error ± 0m00s (95%)
Penumbral Duration Partial Duration
Total Duration 1m55s
Partial Rating Total Rating
Sun Distance 148933217 km (38.0%) Moon Distance 383872 km (54.6%)
Sun Diameter 0.536° Moon Diameter 0.519° - 0.524°
Apogee 20:19 on 9 Mar UT Perigee 21:08 on 23 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)
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.