Solar eclipse of December 4, 2021

A total solar eclipse took place on Saturday, December 4, 2021, when the Moon passed between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. This eclipse was unusual as the path of the total eclipse moved from east to west across West Antarctica, while most eclipse paths move from west to east. This reversal is only possible in polar regions. Its path across Antarctica crossed near Berkner Island, traversed an arc over the continent and passed over Shepard Island.[1][2]

Solar eclipse of December 4, 2021
Totality viewed from Union Glacier Camp, Antarctica
Map
Type of eclipse
NatureTotal
Gamma−0.9526
Magnitude1.0367
Maximum eclipse
Duration114 sec (1 m 54 s)
Coordinates76.8°S 46.2°W / -76.8; -46.2
Max. width of band419 km (260 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse7:34:38
References
Saros152 (13 of 70)
Catalog # (SE5000)9556

Images
  • Animated path
    Animated path
  • NASA's DSCOVR Satellite photo
    NASA's DSCOVR Satellite photo
  • As observed by the Royal Navy (HMS Protector) off South Georgia
    As observed by the Royal Navy (HMS Protector) off South Georgia

Eclipses of 2021

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros cycle

Tritos

Solar Saros 152

Inex

Triad
  • Followed: Solar eclipse of October 5, 2108

Solar eclipses of 2018–2021

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.[4]

Note: Partial solar eclipses on February 15, 2018, and August 11, 2018, occurred during the previous semester series.

Solar eclipse series sets from 2018–2021
Ascending node   Descending node
Saros Map Gamma Saros Map Gamma
117

Partial from Melbourne, Australia		 2018 July 13

Partial		 −1.35423 122

Partial from Nakhodka, Russia		 2019 January 6

Partial		 1.14174
127

La Serena, Chile		 2019 July 2

Total		 −0.64656 132

Jaffna, Sri Lanka		 2019 December 26

Annular		 0.41351
137

Beigang, Yunlin, Taiwan		 2020 June 21

Annular		 0.12090 142

Gorbea, Chile		 2020 December 14

Total		 −0.29394
147

Partial from Halifax, Canada		 2021 June 10

Annular		 0.91516 152

From HMS Protector off South Georgia		 2021 December 4

Total		 −0.95261

Saros 152

Solar saros 152, repeating every about 18 years and 11 days, contains 70 events. The series started with a partial solar eclipse on July 26, 1805. It has total eclipses from November 2, 1967, to September 14, 2490; hybrid eclipses from September 26, 2508, to October 17, 2544; and annular eclipses from October 29, 2562, to June 16, 2941. The series ends at member 70 as a partial eclipse on August 20, 3049. The longest total eclipse will occur on June 9, 2328, at 5 minutes and 15 seconds; the longest annular eclipse will occur on February 16, 2743, at 5 minutes and 20 seconds.[5]

Series members 7–17 occur between 1901 and 2100:
7 8 9

September 30, 1913
October 11, 1931
October 21, 1949
10 11 12

November 2, 1967
November 12, 1985
November 23, 2003
13 14 15

December 4, 2021
December 15, 2039
December 26, 2057
16 17

January 6, 2076
January 16, 2094

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 descending node.

21 eclipse events, progressing from north to south between July 11, 1953 and July 11, 2029
July 10–12 April 29–30 February 15–16 December 4–5 September 21–23
116 118 120 122 124

July 11, 1953
April 30, 1957
February 15, 1961
December 4, 1964
September 22, 1968
126 128 130 132 134

July 10, 1972
April 29, 1976
February 16, 1980
December 4, 1983
September 23, 1987
136 138 140 142 144

July 11, 1991
April 29, 1995
February 16, 1999
December 4, 2002
September 22, 2006
146 148 150 152 154

July 11, 2010
April 29, 2014
February 15, 2018
December 4, 2021
September 21, 2025
156 158 160 162 164

July 11, 2029

Notes
  1. "NASA – Total Solar Eclipse of 2021 December 04".
  2. Rao, Joe (5 December 2021). "Here's what the only total solar eclipse of 2021 was like from a cruise ship near Antarctica". Space.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021.
  3. "Explained: Total lunar eclipse and supermoon – the two celestial events on May 26". The Indian Express. 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  4. 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.
  5. Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses NASA Eclipse Web Site.

References
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