A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Tuesday, April 6, 1875, with a magnitude of 1.0547. 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. Occurring about 1.2 days before perigee (on April 7, 1875, at 10:50 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger. The path of totality was visible from parts of the modern-day Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Myanmar, Thailand, northwestern Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and southern Hainan. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of Southern Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.

Observations

Astronomers J. N. Lockyer and Arthur Schuster traveled to observe the eclipse and measure spectral lines to determine the elemental contents of the solar corona.

Eclipse details

Shown below are two tables displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. The first table outlines times at which the moon's penumbra or umbra attains the specific parameter, and the second table describes various other parameters pertaining to this eclipse.

Eclipse season

This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1875

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 127

Inex

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1874–1877

The partial solar eclipse on August 9, 1877 occurs in the next lunar year eclipse set.

Saros 127

Metonic series

Tritos series

Inex series