A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Thursday, October 10, 1912, with a magnitude of 1.0229. 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 2.8 days after perigee (on October 7, 1912, at 18:50 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger. Totality was visible from Ecuador, Colombia, northern tip of Peru and Brazil. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Antarctica, and Southern Africa.

Observation

German physicist, mathematician and astronomer Johann Georg von Soldner calculated the gravitational lens effect in an article published in 1801. Albert Einstein got similar values in 1911, and proposed verifying it by observing the stars around the sun. The only feasible way at that time was observing during a total solar eclipse, when the sun is totally blocked. This was the first total solar eclipse after that. Local teams from Brazil and international teams from the United Kingdom, France, the German Empire, Argentina and Chile made attempts in Brazil. However, it rained throughout almost the whole path of totality, and all teams failed.

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 1912

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 142

Inex

Triad

Solar eclipses of 1910–1913

Saros 142

Metonic series

Tritos series

Inex series

Additional reading