Solar eclipse of October 23, 1976

Solar eclipse of October 23, 1976
Map
Type of eclipse
Nature	Total
Gamma	−0.327
Magnitude	1.0572
Maximum eclipse
Duration	286 s (4 min 46 s)
Coordinates	30°00′S 92°18′E / 30°S 92.3°E / -30; 92.3
Max. width of band	199 km (124 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse	5:13:45
References
Saros	133 (43 of 72)
Catalog # (SE5000)	9457

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Saturday, October 23, 1976,^[1] with a magnitude of 1.0572. 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 9 hours before perigee (on October 23, 1976, at 14:00 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.^[2]

This total solar eclipse began at sunrise in Tanzania near the border with Burundi, with the path of totality passing just north of the large Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam. It then crossed the Indian Ocean, passing St. Pierre Island, Providence Atoll and Farquhar Atoll of Seychelles before making landfall in southeastern Australia. The largest city that saw totality was Melbourne. After leaving the Australian mainland, the path of totality left the Earth's surface just north of the north island of New Zealand. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of East Africa, Indonesia, Australia, Antarctica, and western Oceania.