A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Friday, July 8, 1842, with a magnitude of 1.0543. 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 2 days before perigee (on July 10, 1842, at 7:50 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger. The path of totality was visible from parts of modern-day Portugal, Spain, Andorra, France, Monaco, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, southeastern Poland, Ukraine, southeastern Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of Europe, North Africa, Asia, Alaska, Greenland, and northern Canada.

Observations

Francis Baily observed the total solar eclipse from Italy, focusing his attention on the solar corona and prominences and identified them as part of the Sun's atmosphere. The solar eclipse effect now called Baily's beads named in honor of him after his correct explanation of the phenomenon in 1836.

Artistic depictions

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 1842

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 124

Inex

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1841–1844

The partial solar eclipses on February 21, 1841 and August 16, 1841 occur in the previous lunar year eclipse set, and the partial solar eclipse on November 10, 1844 occurs in the next lunar year eclipse set.

Saros 124

Metonic series

All eclipses in this table occur at the Moon's ascending node.

Tritos series

Inex series