Timezone / Date

You have not selected a timezone for eclipse timings, so all times are shown in UT (essentially GMT).

Accuracy

Due to the erratic rotation of the Earth, the time and location of the eclipse cannot be forecast perfectly. This eclipse's forecast is estimated to be accurate to within 2km in distance and a few seconds in time.

A partial eclipse of the Sun occurred on Thursday 14 October, 2004 UT, lasting from 00:54–05:04 UT. This was a deep partial eclipse, with 93% of the Sun covered for viewers closest to the center. This provided a significant spectacle for those who saw it in eastern Russia, Japan and north-east China.

The timings of the phases of the overall eclipse worldwide are as follows. In any particular place it would have been seen for a significantly shorter duration as the shadow moved across the Earth:

Partial eclipse began: 00:54:38 UT
Maximum eclipse: 02:59:20 UT
Partial eclipse ended: 05:04:20 UT

During this eclipse the Sun was 0.535° in apparent diameter, 0.3% larger than average. The Moon was just 4 days before perigee, making it relatively large. At maximum eclipse it was 0.531° in apparent diameter, which is around average. This has no real effect on this eclipse, since the Moon's central shadow misses the Earth, making this a partial 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 partial solar eclipse. (Click on it for the full-sized version.)

Eclipse Season and Saros Series

This eclipse season contains 2 eclipses:

This was the 54th eclipse in solar Saros series 124.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:

This Saros series, solar Saros series 124, is linked to lunar Saros series 117. The nearest partner eclipses in that series are:

Eclipse Parameters

UT Date/time (max) 02:59:18 on 14 Oct UT TDT Date/time (max) 03:00:23 on 14 Oct TDT
Saros Series 124 Number in Series 54
Penumbral Magnitiude Central Magnitiude 0.9282
Gamma 1.0348 Path Width (km) 0
Delta T 1m05s Error ± 0m00s (95%)
Penumbral Duration Partial Duration
Total Duration
Partial Rating Total Rating
Sun Distance 149205321 km (43.6%) Moon Distance 375221 km (37.4%)
Sun Diameter 0.535° Moon Diameter 0.531° - 0.531°
Apogee 22:11 on 5 Oct UT Perigee 00:04 on 18 Oct UT
Contact p1 00:54:38 on 14 Oct UT Contact p2
Contact u1 Contact u2
Max eclipse 02:59:20 on 14 Oct UT
Contact u3 Contact u4
Contact p3 Contact p4 05:04:20 on 14 Oct 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.