Solar eclipse of August 7, 1869

Solar eclipse of August 7, 1869
Totality photographed by Morton's party in Iowa
Map
Type of eclipse
Nature	Total
Gamma	0.696
Magnitude	1.0551
Maximum eclipse
Duration	228 s (3 min 48 s)
Coordinates	59°06′N 133°12′W / 59.1°N 133.2°W / 59.1; -133.2
Max. width of band	254 km (158 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse	22:01:05
References
Saros	143 (15 of 72)
Catalog # (SE5000)	9209

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit between Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8, 1869, with a magnitude of 1.0551. 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 1.6 days before perigee (on August 9, 1869, at 13:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.^[1]

The path of totality was visible from parts of modern-day eastern Russia, Alaska, western Canada, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of Northeast Asia, North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.