Solar eclipse of November 12, 1966

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Solar eclipse of November 12, 1966
Map
Type of eclipse
NatureTotal
Gamma−0.33
Magnitude1.0234
Maximum eclipse
Duration117 s (1 min 57 s)
Coordinates35°36′S 48°12′W / 35.6°S 48.2°W / -35.6; -48.2
Max. width of band84 km (52 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse14:23:28
References
Saros142 (20 of 72)
Catalog # (SE5000)9435
The eclipse as viewed from Gemini XII

A total solar eclipse occurred on Saturday,[1] November 12, 1966. 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. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. The path of totality cut a swath across South America from north of Lima, Peru, passing the northeastern tip of Chile, Bolivia, Northwest of Argentina, southwestern tip of Ñeembucú Department in Paraguay, nearly to the southernmost tip of Brazil.

Observations[edit]

The NASA Gemini XII mission observed this total eclipse from space:

The Canary Island controller greeted the crew in the morning with the news that there would be a second maneuver - 5 meters forward - to line the vehicles up properly. The prospects panned out richly, and the crew reported seeing the eclipse "right on the money at 16:01:44 g.e.t." Although the crew thought for a moment that they were slightly off track, their aim had actually been accurate.[2]

The 28 October 1966 launch of the U.S. Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle 3-2 (OV3-2) was timed such that it could observe ambient charged particle variations before, during, and after the eclipse.[3]

Related eclipses[edit]

Solar eclipses of 1964–1967[edit]

This eclipse is a member of a 1964–1967 series at alternating nodes every 6 synodic months.

Note: Partial solar eclipses on January 14, 1964 and July 9, 1964 belong to the previous lunar year set.

Solar eclipse series sets from 1964 to 1967
Ascending node   Descending node
Saros Map Gamma Saros Map Gamma
117
1964 June 10
Partial
−1.13926 122
1964 December 4
Partial
1.11929
127
1965 May 30
Total
−0.42251 132
1965 November 23
Annular
0.39061
137
1966 May 20
Annular
0.34672 142
1966 November 12
Total
−0.33001
147
1967 May 9
Partial
1.14218 152
1967 November 2
Total (non-central)
−1.00067

Saros series 142[edit]

It is a part of Saros cycle 142, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, containing 72 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on April 17, 1624. It contains one hybrid eclipse on July 14, 1768, and total eclipses from July 25, 1786 through October 29, 2543. The series ends at member 72 as a partial eclipse on June 5, 2904. The longest duration of totality will be 6 minutes, 34 seconds on May 28, 2291. All eclipses in this series occurs at the Moon’s descending node.[4]

Series members 17–41 occur between 1901 and 2359
17 18 19

October 10, 1912

October 21, 1930

November 1, 1948
20 21 22

November 12, 1966

November 22, 1984

December 4, 2002
23 24 25

December 14, 2020

December 26, 2038

January 5, 2057
26 27 28

January 16, 2075

January 27, 2093

February 8, 2111
29 30 31

February 18, 2129

March 2, 2147

March 12, 2165
32 33 34

March 23, 2183

April 4, 2201

April 15, 2219
35 36 37

April 25, 2237

May 7, 2255

May 17, 2273
38 39 40

May 28, 2291

June 9, 2309

June 20, 2327
41

June 30, 2345

Metonic series[edit]

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).

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ https://www.calendar-365.com/1966-calendar.html
  2. ^ "Gemini 12". Archived from the original on 2012-09-22.
  3. ^ "OV3-2". NASA. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  4. ^ http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsaros/SEsaros142.html

References[edit]