Solar Eclipse Prime Page

Total Solar Eclipse of 1979 Feb 26

Fred Espenak

Key to Solar Eclipse Figure (below)

Introduction


The Total Solar Eclipse of 1979 Feb 26 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • Partial Eclipse: North & Central America, northwest Europe
  • Total Eclipse: northwest U.S., central Canada, Greenland

The map to the right depicts the geographic regions of eclipse visibility. Click on the map to enlarge it. For an explanation of the features appearing in the map, see Key to Solar Eclipse Maps.

The instant of greatest eclipse takes place on 1979 Feb 26 at 16:55:06 TD (16:54:16 UT1). This is 0.8 days after the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Sun is in the constellation Aquarius. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 695.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 120 and is number 59 of 71 eclipses in the series. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s descending node. The Moon moves northward with respect to the node with each succeeding eclipse in the series and gamma increases.

The total solar eclipse of 1979 Feb 26 is followed two weeks later by a partial lunar eclipse on 1979 Mar 13.

These eclipses all take place during a single eclipse season.

The eclipse predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 49.7 seconds for this eclipse.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

Eclipse Data: Total Solar Eclipse of 1979 Feb 26

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Eclipse Magnitude 1.03907
Eclipse Obscuration 1.07966
Gamma 0.89811
Conjunction Times
Event Calendar Date and Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 1979 Feb 26 at 16:55:05.7 TD (16:54:16.0 UT1) 2443931.204351
Ecliptic Conjunction 1979 Feb 26 at 16:46:02.6 TD (16:45:12.9 UT1) 2443931.198066
Equatorial Conjunction 1979 Feb 26 at 17:22:11.4 TD (17:21:21.7 UT1) 2443931.223167
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
1979 Feb 26 at 16:55:05.7 TD (16:54:16.0 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension22h36m45.5s22h35m43.5s
Declination-08°45'23.7"-07°52'47.4"
Semi-Diameter 16'09.1" 16'39.8"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.9" 1°01'09.4"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l 1.6°
b -1.2°
c -23.3°
Prediction Parameters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE405
ΔT 49.7 s
k (penumbra) 0.2725076
k (umbra) 0.2722810
Saros Series 120 (59/71)

Explanation of Solar Eclipse Data Tables

Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of 1979 Feb 26

Contacts of Penumbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
First External ContactP114:46:04.014:45:14.319°21.6'N124°56.4'W
Last External ContactP419:03:56.419:03:06.751°23.1'N023°37.0'W
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Penumbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N115:22:13.715:21:24.004°53.8'N136°20.3'W
South Extreme Path Limit 1S118:27:50.718:27:01.037°08.5'N010°11.7'W

Explanation of Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of 1979 Feb 26

Contacts of Umbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
First External ContactU116:08:06.616:07:16.846°22.2'N139°15.4'W
First Internal ContactU216:12:03.216:11:13.548°17.4'N139°35.4'W
Last Internal ContactU317:37:49.217:36:59.577°54.3'N036°53.7'W
Last External ContactU417:41:44.417:40:54.676°29.4'N031°48.1'W
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Umbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N116:11:50.516:11:00.848°23.5'N139°30.0'W
South Extreme Path Limit 1S116:08:20.616:07:30.946°15.6'N139°21.0'W
North Extreme Path Limit 2N217:38:01.917:37:12.277°58.5'N037°18.3'W
South Extreme Path Limit 2S217:41:30.617:40:40.876°24.3'N031°26.3'W

Explanation of Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Central Line Extremes and Duration: Total Solar Eclipse of 1979 Feb 26

Extreme Limits of the Central Line
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
Extreme Central Line Limit 1C116:10:02.816:09:13.147°18.3'N139°25.7'W
Extreme Central Line Limit 2C217:39:48.917:38:59.277°11.8'N034°06.8'W

Explanation of Central Line Extremes Table

Greatest Eclipse and Greatest Duration
Event Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude Sun
Altitude
Sun
Azimuth
Path Width Central
Duration
Greatest Eclipse16:55:05.716:54:16.052°08.4'N094°27.6'W 25.7° 153.4° 297.8 km02m48.96s
Greatest Duration16:54:19.316:53:29.651°56.8'N094°53.3'W 25.7° 152.7° 298.6 km02m48.97s

Explanation of Greatest Eclipse and Greatest Duration

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Total Solar Eclipse of 1979 Feb 26

Polynomial Besselian Elements
1979 Feb 26 at 17:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d l1 l2 μ
0 -0.20600 0.87545 -8.7575 0.53790 -0.00822 71.7530
1 0.55703 0.16252 0.0152 0.00004 0.00004 15.0031
2 -0.00001 0.00000 0.0000 -0.00001 -0.00001 0.0000
3 -0.00001 -0.00000 - - - -
Tan ƒ1 0.0047215
Tan ƒ2 0.0046980

At time t1 (decimal hours), each besselian element is evaluated by:

x = x0 + x1*t + x2*t2 + x3*t3 (or x = Σ [xn*tn]; n = 0 to 3)

where: t = t1 - t0 (decimal hours) and t0 = 17.000

Explanation of Polynomial Besselian Elements

Eclipse Publications

jpeg jpeg
jpeg jpeg
jpeg

For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing

Links for the Total Solar Eclipse of 1979 Feb 26

Links to Additional Solar Eclipse Information

  • Home - home page of EclipseWise with predictions for both solar and lunar eclipses

Decade Tables of Solar Eclipses:
| 1901 - 1910 | 1911 - 1919 | 1921 - 1930 | 1931 - 1940 | 1941 - 1950 |
| 1951 - 1960 | 1961 - 1970 | 1971 - 1980 | 1981 - 1990 | 1991 - 2000 |
| 2001 - 2010 | 2011 - 2020 | 2021 - 2030 | 2031 - 2040 | 2041 - 2050 |
| 2051 - 2060 | 2061 - 2070 | 2071 - 2080 | 2081 - 2090 | 2091 - 2100 |

Solar Eclipse Publications

Eclipse Publications

jpeg jpeg
jpeg jpeg
jpeg jpeg

For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing

Eclipse Predictions

Predictions for the Total Solar Eclipse of 1979 Feb 26 were generated using the JPL DE405 solar and lunar ephemerides. The lunar coordinates were calculated with respect to the Moon's Center of Mass. The predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 49.7 seconds for this eclipse.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this website is based on the books 21st Century Canon of Solar Eclipses and Thousand Year Canon of Solar Eclipses 1501 to 2500. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy.

Permission is granted to reproduce eclipse data when accompanied by a link to this page and an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, www.EclipseWise.com"

The use of diagrams and maps is permitted provided that they are NOT altered (except for re-sizing) and the embedded credit line is NOT removed or concealed.