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solar eclipse of July 11, 2010

{{Short description|Total eclipse}}

{{Infobox solar eclipse|2010Jul11

| previous = Solar eclipse of January 15, 2010

| next = Solar eclipse of January 4, 2011

}}

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit between Sunday, July 11 and Monday, July 12, 2010,{{cite web|title=July 11, 2010 Total Solar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2010-july-11|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=11 August 2024}}{{cite web | title = Total Solar Eclipse of 2010 July 11 | url = http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/TSE2010/TSE2010.html | publisher = NASA | access-date = July 12, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080311033432/http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/TSE2010/TSE2010.html | archive-date = March 11, 2008 }}{{Cite news

| url = https://newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen-chasing-a-moment-in-t/134037702/

| date = 2010-07-11

| page = 12

| title = Chasing a moment in the sun

| newspaper = The Ottawa Citizen

| location =

| via = Newspapers.com

| access-date = 2023-10-25

}}{{Cite news

| url = https://newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-solar-eclipse-fa/134037742/

| date = 2010-07-11

| page = 12

| title = Solar eclipse fans chase moment (out of) sun

| newspaper = The Des Moines Register

| location =

| via = Newspapers.com

| access-date = 2023-10-25

}} with a magnitude of 1.058. 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 1.6 days before perigee (on July 13, 2010, at 12:20 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=2010&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=11 August 2024}}

Visibility

File:SE2010Jul11T.gif

The eclipse on this day was one of the most remote in recorded history. It was visible over much of the southern Pacific Ocean, touching Mangaia (most southerly of the Cook Islands), several atolls in French Polynesia, Easter Island, and Chile and Argentina's Patagonian plains including the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.{{cite news | last = Malik | first = Tariq | title = Total solar eclipse blots out sun, amazes skywatchers | url = http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0712/Total-solar-eclipse-blots-out-sun-amazes-skywatchers | work = The Christian Science Monitor | date = July 12, 2010 | access-date = July 12, 2010}}

Fred Espenak, a NASA astrophysicist, said:

{{quote|"One of the most unique things about this particular eclipse is that it crosses a unique and interesting archaeological site: Easter Island. On Easter Island there are these great statues... There's a lot of mystery about these statues, but in any case, this is the first total eclipse to hit the island in about 1,400 years."{{cite news | title = Solar Eclipse to Darken Easter Island Sunday | url = http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/07/100708-solar-eclipse-july11-vin-video | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100712135922/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/07/100708-solar-eclipse-july11-vin-video | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 12, 2010 | publisher = National Geographic Society | date = July 8, 2010 | access-date = July 12, 2010}}}}

In French Polynesia, the eclipse was seen with 98 percent totality. During that time, the diamond ring effect and the Baily's beads occurred.

It ended at sunset over the southern tips of Argentina and Chile in South America, including the town of El Calafate. The Sun's altitude was only 1° during the 2 minute 47 second total phase, but Argentino Lake offered an adequate line-of-sight to the eclipse hanging just above the rugged Andes skyline.

A 58% partiality occurred at sunset in Santiago, Chile, but it was not visible due to adverse weather conditions. In other cities such as Valparaíso and Coquimbo, clearer skies permitted the event to be witnessed in continental Chile.

Observations

File:Solar eclipse July 11 2010 relative diameters.png of the table above, making for a relatively long eclipse duration of 5 minutes, 20.24 seconds.]]

File:ECLIPSEparcial chile.jpg]]

Total eclipse began {{convert|750|km|mi|sp=us}} southeast of Tonga at approximately 18:15 UTC and reached Easter Island by 20:11 UTC.{{cite news | title = Total solar eclipse crosses South Pacific | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/latin_america/10592671.stm | publisher = BBC News | date = July 11, 2010 | access-date = July 12, 2010}} The global sky photography project The World At Night stationed photographers throughout the eclipse's visibility track. Eclipse chasers photographed the event on board a chartered airplane,{{cite web|url= https://www.wired.com/2010/07/eclipse-chasers/ |title=Longest Eclipse Ever: Airplane Chases the Moon's Shadow|publisher=Wired |first=Lisa |last=Grossman |date= July 22, 2010|access-date= August 21, 2017}} cruise ships, numerous Pacific islands, and in Argentina's Patagonia region. Totality was observed for four minutes and 41 seconds (4:41) on Easter Island, where it was observed for the first time in 1,400 years.{{cite news |title=Solar Eclipse to Darken Easter Island Sunday |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/7/100708-solar-eclipse-july11-vin-video/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031104152/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/7/100708%2Dsolar%2Declipse%2Djuly11%2Dvin%2Dvideo/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |access-date=October 28, 2020 |work=National Geographic |date=July 8, 2010}} Approximately 4,000 observers visited Easter Island for this eclipse, including tourists, scientists, photographers, filmmakers and journalists,[http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/Eclipse-chasing-four-minutes-of-bliss.htm/ Eclipse chasing: four minutes of bliss] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130627083205/http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/eclipse-chasing-four-minutes-of-bliss.htm |date=2013-06-27 }}, Australian Geographic, July 16, 2010 prompting an increase in security at its important moai archeological sites. The eclipse occurred at the same time that the final game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was being played in South Africa, and many soccer fans in Tahiti watched the match instead of observing the partial eclipse with a high percentage of obscuring the sun by over 98%.{{cite news | last = Tee | first = Gillian | title = Solar eclipse predicted at same time as World Cup final | url = http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/07/10/solar.eclipse/ | publisher = CNN | date = July 10, 2010 | access-date = July 12, 2010}} The path of totality of this eclipse barely missed some significant inhabited islands, including passing just about 20 km south of the southern end of Tahiti.

This eclipse was the first one to happen over French Polynesia in 350 years. An estimated 5,000 tourists visited various islands in the archipelago to observe the event. Nearly 120,000 pairs of special glasses were distributed for observers.{{cite news | title = French Polynesia awaits first solar eclipse in 350 years | url = http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201007/2950167.htm | publisher = Australia Network | date = July 10, 2010 | access-date = July 12, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100713124436/http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201007/2950167.htm | archive-date = July 13, 2010 }} Eclipse chasers were also able to observe the eclipse at El Calafate, near the southern tip of Argentina, before the sun set just two minutes later.

Several hours after the eclipse was observed in continental Chile, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck in the Antofagasta Region. There were no major injuries or damage in the nearby cities of Calama, Chile and San Pedro de Atacama.{{cite news | title = 6.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Chile Hours After Solar Eclipse | url = http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7019254737 | agency = All Headline News | date = July 12, 2010 | access-date = July 12, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100714172019/http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7019254737 | archive-date = July 14, 2010 }}

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 2010 Jul 11|url=https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/2001-2100/SE2010Jul11Tprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=11 August 2024}}

class="wikitable" align="{{{align|left}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|left|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"

|+July 11, 2010 Solar Eclipse Times

! Event

! Time (UTC)

First Penumbral External Contact

| 2010 July 11 at 17:10:44.0 UTC

First Umbral External Contact

| 2010 July 11 at 18:16:18.5 UTC

First Central Line

| 2010 July 11 at 18:17:56.9 UTC

First Umbral Internal Contact

| 2010 July 11 at 18:19:36.2 UTC

Greatest Duration

| 2010 July 11 at 19:32:32.2 UTC

Greatest Eclipse

| 2010 July 11 at 19:34:37.9 UTC

Ecliptic Conjunction

| 2010 July 11 at 19:41:33.7 UTC

Equatorial Conjunction

| 2010 July 11 at 19:52:01.5 UTC

Last Umbral Internal Contact

| 2010 July 11 at 20:49:26.0 UTC

Last Central Line

| 2010 July 11 at 20:51:07.2 UTC

Last Umbral External Contact

| 2010 July 11 at 20:52:47.5 UTC

Last Penumbral External Contact

| 2010 July 11 at 21:58:20.8 UTC

class="wikitable" align="{{{align|right}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|right|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"

|+July 11, 2010 Solar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Eclipse Magnitude

| 1.05805

Eclipse Obscuration

| 1.11946

Gamma

| −0.67877

Sun Right Ascension

| 07h23m57.6s

Sun Declination

| +22°02'11.0"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 15'43.9"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.7"

Moon Right Ascension

| 07h23m15.8s

Moon Declination

| +21°22'29.3"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 16'26.6"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 1°00'20.9"

ΔT

| 66.2 s

{{clear}}

Eclipse season

{{See also|Eclipse cycle}}

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.

class="wikitable"

|+ Eclipse season of June–July 2010

! June 26
Ascending node (full moon)
!! July 11
Descending node (new moon)

200px200px
align=center

| Partial lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 120

Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 146

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 2010 =

= Metonic =

= Tzolkinex =

= Half-Saros =

= Tritos =

= Solar Saros 146 =

= Inex =

= Triad =

= Solar eclipses of 2008–2011 =

{{Solar eclipse set 2008–2011}}

= Saros 146 =

{{Solar Saros series 146}}

= Metonic series =

{{Solar Metonic series 1953–2029}}

= Tritos series =

{{Solar Tritos series 2010 July 11}}

= Inex series =

{{Solar Inex series 2010 July 11}}

Notes

{{Reflist|30em}}

References

{{Commons category|Solar eclipse of 2010 July 11}}

{{Solar eclipse NASA reference|2001/SE2010Jul11T|20100711}}

  • [http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OHfigures/OH2010-Fig03.pdf NASA pdf map]
  • [http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/TSE2010/TSE2010.html NASA homepage for July 11 2010 total solar eclipse]
  • [http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html#SE2010Jul11T NASA: Eclipses During 2010: Total Solar Eclipse of July 11]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20090722072729/http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~jander/tot2010/tse10intro.htm Eclipser: 2010 July 11 Total Solar Eclipse]
  • [http://www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/0312010/ Eclipse.org.uk: Total Eclipse of the Sun: 2010 July 11] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309204427/http://www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/0312010/ |date=2010-03-09 }}
  • [http://www.spaceweather.com/eclipses/gallery_11jul10.htm www.spaceweather.com]
  • [http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100714.html Easter Island Eclipse], APOD 7/14/2010
  • [http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100715.html Andes Sunset Eclipse], APOD 7/15/2010, totality from 400 meters above Argentino Lake
  • [http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100721.html The Crown of the Sun], APOD 7/21/2010, totality from Easter Island
  • [http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100724.html Diamond Ring and Shadow Bands], APOD 7/24/2010, totality from Hao, French Polynesia
  • [http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100730.html Eclipse on the Beach], APOD 7/30/2010, totality from Anakena Beach, Easter Island
  • [http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100804.html Eclipse Shadow Cone Over Patagonia], APOD 8/4/2010, totality from Patagonia, Argentina

{{Solar eclipses}}

2010 07 11

Category:2010 in science

2010 07 11

Category:History of the Pacific Ocean

Category:July 2010

Category:2010 in Argentina

Category:2010 in Chile