Solar eclipse of November 12, 1985

{{Infobox solar eclipse|1985Nov12

| previous = Solar eclipse of May 19, 1985

| next = Solar eclipse of April 9, 1986

}}

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Tuesday, November 12, 1985,{{cite web|title=November 12, 1985 Total Solar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/1985-november-12|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=9 August 2024}} with a magnitude of 1.0388. 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 2 hours after perigee (on November 12, 1985, at 12:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=1985&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=9 August 2024}} Perigee did occur during the early portion of the eclipse.

Totality was visible only near Antarctica. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of southern South America and Antarctica.

Eclipse details

Shown below are two tables displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. The first table outlines times at which the moon's penumbra or umbra attains the specific parameter, and the second table describes various other parameters pertaining to this eclipse.{{cite web|title=Total Solar Eclipse of 1985 Nov 12|url=https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/1901-2000/SE1985Nov12Tprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=9 August 2024}}

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|+November 12, 1985 Solar Eclipse Times

! Event

! Time (UTC)

First Penumbral External Contact

| 1985 November 12 at 12:09:38.7 UTC

First Umbral External Contact

| 1985 November 12 at 13:47:16.4 UTC

First Central Line

| 1985 November 12 at 13:51:51.3 UTC

First Umbral Internal Contact

| 1985 November 12 at 13:57:51.7 UTC

Greatest Duration

| 1985 November 12 at 14:11:16.8 UTC

Greatest Eclipse

| 1985 November 12 at 14:11:26.9 UTC

Ecliptic Conjunction

| 1985 November 12 at 14:21:15.4 UTC

Equatorial Conjunction

| 1985 November 12 at 14:50:17.6 UTC

Last Umbral Internal Contact

| 1985 November 12 at 14:24:37.2 UTC

Last Central Line

| 1985 November 12 at 14:30:37.7 UTC

Last Umbral External Contact

| 1985 November 12 at 14:35:12.6 UTC

Last Penumbral External Contact

| 1985 November 12 at 16:12:59.3 UTC

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|+November 12, 1985 Solar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Eclipse Magnitude

| 1.03880

Eclipse Obscuration

| 1.07910

Gamma

| −0.97948

Sun Right Ascension

| 15h10m46.7s

Sun Declination

| -17°46'51.7"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 16'09.6"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.9"

Moon Right Ascension

| 15h09m15.4s

Moon Declination

| -18°42'51.3"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 16'44.5"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 1°01'26.6"

ΔT

| 54.8 s

Eclipse season

This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.

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|+ Eclipse season of October–November 1985

! October 28
Ascending node (full moon)
!! November 12
Descending node (new moon)

200px

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| Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 126

Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 152