Solar eclipse of June 8, 1956 | |
---|---|
Type of eclipse | |
Nature | Total |
Gamma | −0.8934 |
Magnitude | 1.0581 |
Maximum eclipse | |
Duration | 285 s (4 min 45 s) |
Coordinates | 40°48′S 140°42′W / 40.8°S 140.7°W |
Max. width of band | 429 km (267 mi) |
Times (UTC) | |
Greatest eclipse | 21:20:39 |
References | |
Saros | 146 (24 of 76) |
Catalog # (SE5000) | 9412 |
A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit between Friday, June 8 and Saturday, June 9, 1956,[1] with a magnitude of 1.0581. 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 1.3 days before perigee (on June 10, 1956, at 4:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]
It began near sunrise over New Zealand on June 9 (Saturday), and ended west of South America on June 8 (Friday). A partial eclipse was visible for most of Oceania.