A total eclipse of the Sun occurs on Saturday 5 December, 2048 UT, lasting from 13:00–18:07 UT. A dramatic total eclipse will plunge the Sun into darkness for 3 minutes and 28 seconds at maximum, creating an amazing spectacle for observers in a broad path up to 160 km wide. It will be seen in Chile, Argentina, Tristan da Cunha, Namibia and Botswana. The partial eclipse will be visible from southern South America.
The timings of the phases of the overall eclipse
worldwide are as follows. In any particular
place it will be seen for a significantly shorter
duration as the shadow moves across the Earth:
| Partial eclipse begins: |
13:00:02 UT |
| Total eclipse begins: |
13:58:05 UT |
| Maximum eclipse: |
15:33:41 UT |
| Total eclipse ends: |
17:09:18 UT |
| Partial eclipse ends: |
18:07:18 UT |
During this eclipse the Sun will be 0.541° in apparent
diameter, 1.5% larger than average. The Moon will be at perigee, making it extremely large.
At the start and end of the eclipse the Moon
will be 0.556°, and at maximum eclipse 0.565°,
which is 6.4% larger than average; hence it will cover 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.
South America
The total eclipse begins in the Pacific north of the Pitcairn Islands, and then moves across to Chile, making landfall at Queulat National Park at 15:03 UT. The total eclipse will last an amazing 3 minutes and 16 seconds on the centreline at this point.
The path crosses quickly into Argentina, where Sarmiento is just inside the southern half of the path of totality; it will see a total eclipse lasting 1 minute 34 seconds at 15:11 UT. Farther north, on the centrline, the eclipse will last 3 minutes 21 seconds. The eclipse reaches the coast at 15:14 UT.
The Atlantic
The eclipse crosses the empty Atlantic out of sight of all but lonely mariners; but lucky Tristan da Cunha is right on the centreline. Even though the eclipse is well past maximum at this time, the island will see a total eclipse lasting 2 minutes and 27 seconds at around 16:47 UT.
Africa
The total eclipse reaches Africa in Namibia, at St. Francis Bay, at 17:08 UT. With the eclipse in its last stages, the duration is only 1 minute 32 seconds in the centre, but this is still a sight well worth seeing. The eclipse finally ends on the Namibia / Botswana border.
Interactive Map
This map shows the visibility of the eclipse.
The shaded area will see the total solar eclipse; however, near the edges of
this area, the eclipse will be very short. The bold line shows the centre
of the path, where the eclipse will last longest, so this is where you want to be if possible.
Use the zoom controls to zoom in and out; hover your mouse over any
point on the centreline to see the time and
duration of the eclipse at that point. You can pan and zoom the map to
see detail for any part of the eclipse path.
The interactive map is currently not available.
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 will be seen. (Click on it for the
full-sized version.)
Eclipse Season and Saros Series
This eclipse season contains 2 eclipses:
This is the 47th eclipse in solar Saros series 133.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:
This Saros series, solar Saros series 133,
is linked to lunar Saros series 126. The
nearest partner eclipses in that series are:
Eclipse Parameters
| UT Date/time (max) | 15:33:55 on 5 Dec UT |
TDT Date/time (max) | 15:35:27 on 5 Dec TDT |
| Saros Series | 133 |
Number in Series | 47 |
| Penumbral Magnitiude | |
Central Magnitiude | 1.044 |
| Gamma | -0.3973 |
Path Width (km) | 160 |
| Delta T | 1m32s |
Error | ± 0m28s (95%) |
| Penumbral Duration | |
Partial Duration | |
| Total Duration | 3m28s |
| |
| Partial Rating | |
Total Rating | |
| Sun Distance | 147419560 km (6.7%) |
Moon Distance | 358172 km (3.5%) |
| Sun Diameter | 0.541° |
Moon Diameter | 0.556° - 0.565° |
| Apogee | 18:25 on 23 Nov UT |
Perigee | 07:59 on 6 Dec UT |
| Contact p1 | 13:00:02 on 5 Dec UT |
Contact p2 | |
| Contact u1 | 13:58:05 on 5 Dec UT |
Contact u2 | 13:59:42 on 5 Dec UT |
| Max eclipse | 15:33:41 on 5 Dec UT |
| Contact u3 | 17:07:39 on 5 Dec UT |
Contact u4 | 17:09:18 on 5 Dec UT |
| Contact p3 | |
Contact p4 | 18:07:18 on 5 Dec 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.
