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A partial solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Friday, April 7, 1978,[1] with a magnitude of 0.7883. 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 partial solar eclipse occurs in the polar regions of the Earth when the center of the Moon's shadow misses the Earth.
A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Antarctica, southern South America, and Southern Africa.
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.[2]
| Event | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|
| First Penumbral External Contact | 1978 April 7 at 13:02:42.8 UTC |
| Equatorial Conjunction | 1978 April 7 at 14:26:21.8 UTC |
| Greatest Eclipse | 1978 April 7 at 15:03:46.6 UTC |
| Ecliptic Conjunction | 1978 April 7 at 15:15:57.9 UTC |
| Last Penumbral External Contact | 1978 April 7 at 17:05:13.3 UTC |
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Eclipse Magnitude | 0.78828 |
| Eclipse Obscuration | 0.72528 |
| Gamma | −1.10812 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 01h04m17.8s |
| Sun Declination | +06°50'43.3" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'58.5" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.8" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 01h05m31.3s |
| Moon Declination | +05°50'22.8" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'32.4" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°57'02.1" |
| ΔT | 48.8 s |
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.
| March 24 Ascending node (full moon) | April 7 Descending node (new moon) |
|---|---|
| Total lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 122 | Partial solar eclipse Solar Saros 148 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1978
- A total lunar eclipse on March 24.
- A partial solar eclipse on April 7.
- A total lunar eclipse on September 16.
- A partial solar eclipse on October 2.
Metonic
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of June 20, 1974
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of January 25, 1982
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 19, 1985
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1969
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 14, 1987
Tritos
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1967
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 7, 1989
Solar Saros 148
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 27, 1960
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 17, 1996
Inex
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 28, 1949
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 19, 2007
Triad
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of June 6, 1891
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 5, 2065
References
- ^ "April 7, 1978 Partial Solar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Partial Solar Eclipse of 1978 Apr 07". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 8 August 2024.