| Solar eclipse of June 19, 1936 | |
|---|---|
 Map | |
| Type of eclipse | |
| Nature | Total |
| Gamma | 0.5389 |
| Magnitude | 1.0329 |
| Maximum eclipse | |
| Duration | 151 s (2 min 31 s) |
| Coordinates | 56°06′N 104°42′E / 56.1°N 104.7°E |
| Max. width of band | 132 km (82 mi) |
| Times (UTC) | |
| Greatest eclipse | 5:20:31 |
| References | |
| Saros | 126 (43 of 72) |
| Catalog # (SE5000) | 9367 |
A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Friday, June 19, 1936,[1] with a magnitude of 1.0329. 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 3.3 days after perigee (on June 15, 1936, at 22:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]
The path of totality crossed Greece, Turkey, USSR, China and the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The maximum eclipse was near Bratsk and lasted about 2.5 minutes. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Europe, Northeast Africa, Asia, and northern North America.
The Evening Standard reported that the "preparations for to-day's eclipse have been going forward for the past two years", and that a British expedition led by amateur astronomer R. L. Waterfield saw "excellent atmospheric conditions" from its observation point on Cap Sunium.[3] Similar observations were made by teams in Hokkaido, some hours later, allowing their observations of the Sun's corona to be compared "to find out whether any changes in shape or in detail of the corona have taken place in this interval".[3] A Russian team in Krasnoyarsk reported successful observation from a high-altitude balloon, where scientists "hoped to make observations at a height of some 15 miles".[3] There were also observers in the south of Greece, from Greece, Italy and Poland, the latter of which were "successful in obtaining cinematograph pictures of the eclipse".[3] Several long prominences (more than a million miles long) were observed, as well as the planet Venus.[3]
A United States expedition in Siberia conducted experiments on the ionosphere, with the Associated Press reporting that "indications that the earth's electrified roof, which, many miles above the surface of the globe, reflects back radio impulses, is formed mostly as a result of ultra-violet sun radiations appeared in preliminary results of the solar eclipse observations".[4]
- ^ "June 19, 1936 Total Solar Eclipse". timeanddate. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference
Evening Standard 1936-06-19 p14was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
The Buffalo News 1936-06-20 p2was invoked but never defined (see the help page).