Solar eclipse of January 15, 2010
Solar eclipse of January 15, 2010 | |
---|---|
Annularity from Bangui, Central African Republic | |
![]() Map | |
Type of eclipse | |
Nature | Annular |
Gamma | 0.4002 |
Magnitude | 0.919 |
Maximum eclipse | |
Duration | 668 sec (11 m 8 s) |
Coordinates | 1°36′N 69°18′E / 1.6°N 69.3°E |
Max. width of band | 333 km (207 mi) |
Times (UTC) | |
(P1) Partial begin | 4:05:28 |
(U1) Total begin | 5:13:55 |
Greatest eclipse | 7:07:39 |
(U4) Total end | 8:59:04 |
(P4) Partial end | 10:07:35 |
References | |
Saros | 141 (23 of 70) |
Catalog # (SE5000) | 9529 |
An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of the orbit on January 15, 2010, with a magnitude of 0.91903. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide. It was the longest annular solar eclipse of the millennium,[1] and the longest until December 23, 3043, with the length of maximum eclipse of 11 minutes, 7.8 seconds, and the longest duration of 11 minutes, 10.7 seconds.[2] This is about 4 minutes longer than total solar eclipses could ever get. (The solar eclipse of January 4, 1992, was longer, at 11 minutes, 40.9 seconds, occurring in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.)[3]
Lasting 11 minutes and 7.8 seconds, and eclipse magnitude of only 0.91903, this was the longest and smallest annular solar eclipse of the 21st century. It was an annular solar eclipse on January 15, 2010.
The eclipse was visible as only a partial eclipse in much of Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It was seen as an annular eclipse within a narrow stretch of 300 km (190 mi) width across Central Africa, Maldives, South Kerala (India), South Tamil Nadu (India), Sri Lanka and parts of Bangladesh, Burma and China.
The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Annular Solar Eclipse of January 15, 2010[]
Eclipse Magnitude: 0.91903
Eclipse Obscuration: 0.84462
Gamma: 0.40016
Saros Series: 141st (23 of 70)
Sun Right Ascension: 19.8
Moon Right Ascension: 19.79
Sun Declination: -21.1
Moon Declination: -20.8
Sun Diameter: 1951.0 arcseconds
Moon Diameter: 1768.6 arcseconds
Radius of the Penumbral Shadow: 7,322.7 km (4,550.1 mi)
Radius of the Antumbral Shadow: 361.7 km (224.8 mi)
Path Width: 333.1 km (207 mi)
Greatest Eclipse: 2010 January 15 at 07:06:33.2 UTC
Apogee at 2010 January 17 at 01:41 UTC (406433 km (252,546 mi))
Event | UTC time |
First Penumbral External Contact | 2010 Jan 15 at 04:05:27.6 UTC |
First Umbral External Contact | 2010 Jan 15 at 05:13:55.0 UTC |
First Central Line | 2010 Jan 15 at 05:17:34.8 UTC |
First Umbral Internal Contact | 2010 Jan 15 at 05:21:15.9 UTC |
First Penumbral Internal Contact | 2010 Jan 15 at 06:50:06.9 UTC |
Greatest Eclipse | 2010 Jan 15 at 07:06:33.2 UTC |
Last Penumbral Internal Contact | 2010 Jan 15 at 07:22:37.8 UTC |
Last Umbral Internal Contact | 2010 Jan 15 at 08:51:40.5 UTC |
Last Central Line | 2010 Jan 15 at 08:55:22.8 UTC |
Last Umbral External Contact | 2010 Jan 15 at 08:59:03.9 UTC |
Last Penumbral External Contact | 2010 Jan 15 at 10:07:35.3 UTC |
Visibility of the eclipse[]
The eclipse started in the Central African Republic near the border with Chad, traversed DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya, passed through the northern tip of Tanzania, southwestern Somalia and three islands of Seychelles (Bird, Denis and Aride), before entered the Indian Ocean, where it reached its greatest visibility. It then passed through Maldives. The annular eclipse at Malé, the capital city of the country, started at 12:20:17 and ended at 12:31:02 local time (UTC+5), lasted for 10 minutes and 45 seconds (645 seconds). This was also the longest duration of any eclipse with an international airport in its track.[4]
At approximately 13:20 IST, the annular solar eclipse entered India at Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the capital of Kerala and exited India at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
The eclipse was viewable for 10 minutes in India. After Rameswaram, it entered Sri Lanka at Delft Island, exited at Jaffna in Sri Lanka, crossed the Bay of Bengal and re-entered India in Mizoram.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Eclipse5.jpg/220px-Eclipse5.jpg)
Thiruvananthapuram, which was the entry point of the eclipse in India, was equipped with telescopes and announced facilities for the public to view the eclipse.[5] Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, situated in Trivandrum, analysed the atmospheric-ionospheric parameters during the eclipse.[6] Many scientists camped in the city to witness and study the eclipse.[7]
At Rameswaram, the sunrise was not visible due to thick clouds, but it started getting clear at around 9 am local time and became almost totally clear by the time the eclipse began. The sky had a thin layer of cirrus clouds till 2:30 pm. Among the eclipse-watchers was Sky Watchers' Association of North Bengal (SWAN) from Siliguri at the foothills of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Astronomical Association.
Dhanushkodi, which falls on the central line of the eclipse, was a good place to view the eclipse. The northernmost limit of shadow in India was Cuddalore, Neyveli, Erode, Kodaikanal, and Madurai. Other prime viewing locations in Tamil Nadu include Thoothukudi and Cape Comorin, 22 km north of the center line. The exact location of the line is between the NH end and the Dhanushkodi ruins. Dhanushkodi is about 2 km east of the central line. The degree difference is about 0.2 between the central line – with Kodandaramar Temple and Dhanushkodi ruins vice versa. Dhanushkodi is about 5 km from the Kodandaramar Temple.
After South Asia, antumbra passed through the southern tip of Bangladesh, Myanmar and China before leaving the Earth.
Gallery[]
Photographic equipment may allow the planet Venus to be shown about 1.5 degrees west and south of the annular ring of the sun.
Animation of path
Satellite image showing the moon's antumbra falling over India and the Bay of Bengal
Degania A, Israel, 5:41 UTC
Bangalore, India, 7:20 UTC
Jaffna, Sri Lanka, 7:56 UTC
Sanda, Hyogo, 7:59 UTC
Bandar Pusat Jengka, Malaysia, 8:05 UTC
Akashi, Hyogo, 8:05 UTC
Chennai, India, 8:10 UTC
Reflection of the eclipse from Pallipalayam, India
Stages of annular eclipse from Thiruvananthapuram, India
Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, 8:28 UTC
Hanoi, Vietnam, 8:36 UTC
Central, Hong Kong, 8:40 UTC
Jinan, China, 8:54 UTC
Taichung, Taiwan, 9:19 UTC
Related eclipses[]
Eclipses of 2010[]
- An annular solar eclipse on January 15.
- A partial lunar eclipse on June 26.
- A total solar eclipse on July 11.
- A total lunar eclipse on December 21.
Tzolkinex[]
- Preceded: Solar eclipse of December 4, 2002
- Followed: Solar eclipse of February 26, 2017
Half-Saros cycle[]
- Preceded: Lunar eclipse of January 9, 2001
- Followed: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2019
Tritos[]
- Preceded: Solar eclipse of February 16, 1999
- Followed: Solar eclipse of December 14, 2020
Solar Saros 141[]
- Preceded: Solar eclipse of January 4, 1992
- Followed: Solar eclipse of January 26, 2028
Inex[]
- Preceded: Solar eclipse of February 4, 1981
- Followed: Solar eclipse of December 26, 2038
Triad[]
- Preceded: Solar eclipse of March 17, 1923
- Followed: Solar eclipse of November 15, 2096
Solar eclipses 2008–2011[]
This eclipse is a member of a semester series. An eclipse in a semester series of solar eclipses repeats approximately every 177 days and 4 hours (a semester) at alternating nodes of the Moon's orbit.[8]
Solar eclipse series sets from 2008–2011 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ascending node | Descending node | |||||
Saros | Map | Gamma | Saros | Map | Gamma | |
121![]() Partial from Christchurch, NZ |
2008 February 07![]() Annular |
-0.9570 | 126![]() Novosibirsk, Russia |
2008 August 01![]() Total |
0.8307 | |
131![]() Partial from Riversdal |
2009 January 26![]() Annular |
-0.2819 | 136![]() Kurigram, Bangladesh |
2009 July 22![]() Total |
0.0698 | |
141 Bangui, Central African Republic |
2010 January 15![]() Annular |
0.4002 | 146 Hao, French Polynesia |
2010 July 11![]() Total |
-0.6787 | |
151![]() Partial from Vienna, Austria |
2011 January 04![]() Partial (north) |
1.0626 | 156 | 2011 July 01![]() Partial (south) |
-1.4917 | |
Partial solar eclipses on June 1, 2011, and November 25, 2011, occur on the next lunar year eclipse set. |
Saros 141[]
Solar saros 141, repeating every about 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours, contains 70 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on May 19, 1613. It contains 41 annular eclipses from August 4, 1739, to October 14, 2460. There are no total eclipses in this series. The series ends at member 70 as a partial eclipse on June 13, 2857. The longest annular eclipse occurred on December 14, 1955, with maximum duration of annularity at 12 minutes and 9 seconds. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s ascending node.[9]
Series members 17–36 occur between 1901 and 2259 | ||
---|---|---|
17 | 18 | 19 |
![]() November 11, 1901 |
![]() November 22, 1919 |
![]() December 2, 1937 |
20 | 21 | 22 |
![]() December 14, 1955 |
![]() December 24, 1973 |
![]() January 4, 1992 |
23 | 24 | 25 |
![]() January 15, 2010 |
![]() January 26, 2028 |
![]() February 5, 2046 |
26 | 27 | 28 |
![]() February 17, 2064 |
![]() February 27, 2082 |
![]() March 10, 2100 |
29 | 30 | 31 |
![]() March 22, 2118 |
![]() April 1, 2136 |
![]() April 12, 2154 |
32 | 33 | 34 |
![]() April 23, 2172 |
![]() May 4, 2190 |
![]() May 15, 2208 |
35 | 36 | |
![]() May 27, 2226 |
![]() June 6, 2244 |
Metonic series[]
The metonic series repeats eclipses every 19 years (6939.69 days), lasting about 5 cycles. Eclipses occur in nearly the same calendar date. In addition, the octon subseries repeats 1/5 of that or every 3.8 years (1387.94 days). All eclipses in this table occur at the Moon's ascending node.
21 eclipse events, progressing from south to north between June 10, 1964, and August 21, 2036 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
June 10–11 | March 27–29 | January 15–16 | November 3 | August 21–22 |
117 | 119 | 121 | 123 | 125 |
![]() June 10, 1964 |
![]() March 28, 1968 |
![]() January 16, 1972 |
![]() November 3, 1975 |
![]() August 22, 1979 |
127 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 135 |
![]() June 11, 1983 |
![]() March 29, 1987 |
![]() January 15, 1991 |
![]() November 3, 1994 |
![]() August 22, 1998 |
137 | 139 | 141 | 143 | 145 |
![]() June 10, 2002 |
![]() March 29, 2006 |
![]() January 15, 2010 |
![]() November 3, 2013 |
![]() August 21, 2017 |
147 | 149 | 151 | 153 | 155 |
![]() June 10, 2021 |
![]() March 29, 2025 |
![]() January 14, 2029 |
![]() November 3, 2032 |
![]() August 21, 2036 |
Notes[]
- ^ NASA – Solar Eclipse Search Engine
- ^ Espenak, Fred. "Besselian Elements for Annular Solar Eclipse of 2010 Jan 15". NASA Eclipse Web Site.
- ^ Annular Solar Eclipse Occurs on January 15, 2010
- ^ NASA: Eclipses During 2010: Annular Solar Eclipse of January 15
- ^ Facilities to view the solar eclipse in Trivandrum
- ^ VSSC expects insights from eclipse
- ^ City Bureau (January 15, 2010). "Celestial treat, a day away". The Hindu. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010.
- ^ van Gent, R.H. "Solar- and Lunar-Eclipse Predictions from Antiquity to the Present". A Catalogue of Eclipse Cycles. Utrecht University. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses NASA Eclipse Web Site.
References[]
- NASA: Annular Solar Eclipse of 2010 January 15
- Earth visibility chart and eclipse statistics Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC
- NASA: Eclipses During 2010: Annular Solar Eclipse of January 15
- Eclipse.org.uk: Annular eclipse of the Sun: 2010 January 15
- www.sciencemaldives.org: January 15th 2010 Solar Eclipse, Maldives
- Hermit.org Visibility graphics
- www.eclipser.ca: Jay Anderson 2010 January 15 Annular Solar Eclipse
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Solar eclipse of 2010 January 15. |
- Annular Solar Eclipse of Dali, Yunnan, China
- SpaceWeather.com: January 15, 2010 solar eclipse
- Eclipse over the Temple of Poseidon, APOD 1/18/2010, partial eclipse of Sounion, Greece
- Millennium Annular Solar Eclipse, APOD 1/22/2010, annularity of Kanyakumari, India, the same picture chosen as APOD again on 5/19/2012, Annular Solar Eclipse
- Eclipses in the Shade, APOD 1/23/2010, from Alif Alif Atoll, Maldives
- Annular Eclipse Over Myanmar, APOD 1/26/2010, annularity of Ananda Temple, Bagan, Myanmar
- 2010 Annular Eclipse January 15, 2010, from India by Jay Pasachoff
- Solar Eclipse animation of January 15, 2010
- ShadowAndSubstance.com: January 15, 2010, solar eclipse animations for geographical locations
- Eclipse photography taken from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India
- Eclipse-Chasers: January 15, 2010 annular solar eclipse
- SWAN Website
- Annular solar eclipses
- 2010 in science
- 21st-century solar eclipses
- January 2010 events