A total eclipse of the Sun occurs on Friday 12 September, 2053 UT, lasting from 06:51–12:13 UT. A dramatic total eclipse will plunge the Sun into darkness for 3 minutes and 4 seconds at maximum, creating an amazing spectacle for observers in a path up to 116 km wide. It will be seen in southern Spain and northern Morocco, Gibraltar, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, the Maldives, and Indonesia. The partial eclipse will be visible across most of Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and most of Asia.
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: |
06:51:20 UT |
| Total eclipse begins: |
07:50:36 UT |
| Maximum eclipse: |
09:32:17 UT |
| Total eclipse ends: |
11:14:03 UT |
| Partial eclipse ends: |
12:13:24 UT |
During this eclipse the Sun will be 0.530° in apparent
diameter, 0.6% smaller than average. The Moon will be just 3 days past perigee, making it relatively large.
At the start and end of the eclipse the Moon
will be 0.538°, and at maximum eclipse 0.547°,
which is 3.0% 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.
Europe and North-West Africa
The total eclipse begins in the Atlantic and moves west, reaching the mouth of the Mediterranean around 07:59 UT. The centre line of the path of totality passes between the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. On land, the longest eclipse will be seen closest to the centreline, at Tarifa in Spain, and in the north-western tip of Morocco, both of which will see a total eclipse lasting 1 minute 35 seconds. Tangier will see 1 minute 16 seconds of totality; Algeciras and Gibraltar, 1 minute 25 seconds.
After this, the eclipse oves east into the Med, barely clipping land north of Melilla; at the extreme tip of the Cap des Trois Fourches, the total eclipse will last 53 seconds at 08:01 UT.
The total eclipse fully enters Africa at Oran; although the city is slightly north of centre, it will see a total eclipse lasting 1 minute 34 seconds at 08:04 UT. Zahana, slightly south and on the centreline, will see 1 minute 45 seconds of totality. Sidi Bel Abbes is too far south for the best duration, and will see 54 seconds of totality.
As the eclipse crosses Algeria, Tiaret will see a superb total eclipse at 08:06 UT; totality is up to 1 minute 47 seconds at this point. Biskra will see a total eclipse lasting 1 minute 49 seconds at 08:10 UT; with the eclipse building towards maximum, the duration slightly farther south is as high as 1 minute 58 seconds.
The path of the total eclipse passes into Tunisia at Chott el Fejej, south of the main cities. While Sfax will see a dramatic partial eclipse, covering 98% of the Moon, the city of Gabès will see a much more spectacular total eclipse lasting over 2 minutes, at 08:16 UT.
The eclipse passes over the Med, the path of totality just clipping Tripoli, which will see around 1 minute 27 seconds of totality at 08:21 UT; but at 08:33 UT it enters Libya fully, south of Benghazi, where the duration on the centreline will be up to 2 minutes 31 seconds. Benghazi itself is north of the path, and will only see a 99% partial eclipse.
North-East Africa
Crossing Libya, the eclipse enters Egypt at 08:43 UT, and reahes the Nile around Bani Sanad at about 08:58 UT. The duration on the centreline is close to 3 minutes at this point, but cities from Al Habalsah to Sohag will see a spectacular total eclipse. Quena, too, will see a great eclipse, at 09:04 UT. Luxor is just south of the path of totality.
The Middle East
The total eclipse crosses the Red Sea and reaches Saudi Arabia at Mastoorah, just north of Rabigh, at 09:22 UT. The eclipse is close to maximum at this point; Mastoorah will see 3 minutes 3 seconds of total eclipse, and Rabigh 2 minutes 51 seconds. Yanbu, to the north, is on the edge of the path and will see just over 1 minute; and Thuwal is too far south to see a total eclipse at all.
The total eclipse passes north-east of Mecca, and crosses into Yemen at 09:53 UT; it has passed maximum by this point, but the centreline duration is still close to 3 minutes, a very spectacular eclipse. The path of totality crosses the country north and east of Tarim, and reaches the ocean at 10:06 UT.
South Asia
The total eclipse reaches the Maldives at 10:56 UT, passing over Northern Maalhosmadulu (Raa) Atoll, Southern Miladhunmadulu (Noonu) Atoll, and Lhaviyani Atoll. The duration on the centreline is 1 minute 47 seconds by this point, and the path of totality is 92 km (57.2 miles) wide.
The eclipse is now in its last stages as it crosses the Indian Ocean and makes landfall in Nias, off Sumatra, at 11:13 UT. Observers in the centre of the path will see a still-impressive 57 seconds of total eclipse just as the Sun sets, if they have a good view of the horizon. The eclipse finishes in Sumatra, south of Padang Sidempuan.
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 24th eclipse in solar Saros series 145.The surrounding eclipses in this Saros series are:
This Saros series, solar Saros series 145,
is linked to lunar Saros series 138. The
nearest partner eclipses in that series are:
Eclipse Parameters
| UT Date/time (max) | 09:32:29 on 12 Sep UT |
TDT Date/time (max) | 09:34:09 on 12 Sep TDT |
| Saros Series | 145 |
Number in Series | 24 |
| Penumbral Magnitiude | |
Central Magnitiude | 1.0328 |
| Gamma | 0.314 |
Path Width (km) | 116 |
| Delta T | 1m40s |
Error | ± 0m33s (95%) |
| Penumbral Duration | |
Partial Duration | |
| Total Duration | 3m04s |
| |
| Partial Rating | |
Total Rating | |
| Sun Distance | 150568897 km (71.8%) |
Moon Distance | 369801 km (26.6%) |
| Sun Diameter | 0.530° |
Moon Diameter | 0.538° - 0.547° |
| Perigee | 15:23 on 9 Sep UT |
Apogee | 11:31 on 21 Sep UT |
| Contact p1 | 06:51:20 on 12 Sep UT |
Contact p2 | |
| Contact u1 | 07:50:36 on 12 Sep UT |
Contact u2 | 07:51:37 on 12 Sep UT |
| Max eclipse | 09:32:17 on 12 Sep UT |
| Contact u3 | 11:13:07 on 12 Sep UT |
Contact u4 | 11:14:03 on 12 Sep UT |
| Contact p3 | |
Contact p4 | 12:13:24 on 12 Sep 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.
