Solar Eclipse Prime Page

Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20

Fred Espenak

Introduction

The Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • Partial Eclipse: Iceland, Europe, north Africa, north Asia
  • Total Eclipse: north Atlantic, Faeroe Is, Svalbard

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 2015 Mar 20 at 09:46:47 TD (09:45:39 UT1). This is 0.6 days after the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Sun is in the constellation Pisces. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 1141.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 120 and is number 61 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 2015 Mar 20 is followed two weeks later by a total lunar eclipse on 2015 Apr 04.

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 67.6 seconds for this eclipse.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20 .

Eclipse Data: Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Eclipse Magnitude 1.04455
Eclipse Obscuration 1.09109
Gamma 0.94536
Conjunction Times
Event Calendar Date & Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 2015 Mar 20 at 09:46:46.8 TD (09:45:39.2 UT1) 2457101.906704
Ecliptic Conjunction 2015 Mar 20 at 09:37:18.2 TD (09:36:10.5 UT1) 2457101.900122
Equatorial Conjunction 2015 Mar 20 at 10:18:14.1 TD (10:17:06.5 UT1) 2457101.928547
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
2015 Mar 20 at 09:46:46.8 TD (09:45:39.2 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension23h58m01.5s23h56m50.5s
Declination-00°12'50.4"+00°42'08.8"
Semi-Diameter 16'03.7" 16'41.6"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.8" 1°01'15.8"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l 1.2°
b -1.2°
c -24.9°
Prediction Paramaters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE406
ΔT 67.6 s
k (penumbra) 0.2725076
k (umbra) 0.2722810
Saros Series 120 (61/71)

Explanation of Solar Eclipse Data Tables

Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20

Contacts of Penumbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
First External ContactP107:41:59.507:40:51.920°14.0'N023°13.2'W
Last External ContactP411:51:20.411:50:12.856°06.3'N094°03.7'E
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Penumbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N108:12:40.208:11:32.506°19.5'N030°54.0'W
South Extreme Path Limit 1S111:20:43.711:19:36.142°16.3'N101°46.9'E

Explanation of Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20

Contacts of Umbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
First External ContactU109:10:40.309:09:32.751°58.7'N045°11.9'W
First Internal ContactU209:17:19.809:16:12.255°29.2'N046°49.7'W
Last Internal ContactU310:15:51.310:14:43.688°42.9'N052°26.1'W
Last External ContactU410:22:29.910:21:22.287°46.0'N111°14.8'E
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Umbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N109:17:10.709:16:03.055°34.4'N046°47.4'W
South Extreme Path Limit 1S109:10:51.609:09:44.051°52.4'N045°15.0'W
North Extreme Path Limit 2N210:16:00.410:14:52.888°37.9'N053°02.9'W
South Extreme Path Limit 2S210:22:18.710:21:11.087°39.8'N111°30.0'E

Explanation of Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Central Line Extremes and Duration: Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20

Extreme Limits of the Central Line
Contact Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Latitude Longitude
Extreme Central Line Limit 1C109:13:50.909:12:43.353°38.1'N045°58.6'W
Extreme Central Line Limit 2C210:19:19.710:18:12.189°23.3'N097°29.9'E

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 Eclipse09:46:46.809:45:39.264°25.9'N006°55.8'W 18.5° 135.0° 462.6 km02m46.90s
Greatest Duration09:46:24.209:45:16.564°17.0'N006°53.6'W 18.5° 134.6° 463.3 km02m46.91s

Explanation of Greatest Eclipse and Greatest Duration

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20

Polynomial Besselian Elements
2015 Mar 20 at 10:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d l1 l2 μ
0 -0.16829 0.93905 -0.2127 0.53595 -0.01016 328.1068
1 0.55374 0.17865 0.0160 0.00003 0.00003 15.0044
2 0.00001 -0.00005 -0.0000 -0.00001 -0.00001 0.0000
3 -0.00001 -0.00000 - - - -
Tan ƒ1 0.0046950
Tan ƒ2 0.0046717

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 = 10.000

Explanation of Polynomial Besselian Elements

Links for the Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20

Links to Additional Solar Eclipse Information

Eclipse Predictions

Predictions for the Total Solar Eclipse of 2015 Mar 20 were generated using the JPL DE406 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 67.6 seconds for this eclipse.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this website is based on the book 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 covered.