Solar eclipse of December 12, 1871

Solar eclipse of December 12, 1871
Map
Type of eclipse
Nature	Total
Gamma	0.1836
Magnitude	1.0465
Maximum eclipse
Duration	263 s (4 min 23 s)
Coordinates	12°42′S 119°24′E / 12.7°S 119.4°E / -12.7; 119.4
Max. width of band	157 km (98 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse	4:03:38
References
Saros	130 (44 of 73)
Catalog # (SE5000)	9215

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Tuesday, December 12, 1871, with a magnitude of 1.0465. 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 only about 10.5 hours before perigee (on December 12, 1871, at 14:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.^[1]

The path of totality was visible from parts of modern-day India, Indonesia, Australia, and the Solomon Islands. A partial solar eclipse was also visible for parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Oceania.