Solar eclipse of June 21, 2001

Total eclipse From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Thursday, June 21, 2001,[1] with a magnitude of 1.0495. It was the first solar eclipse of the 21st century. 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 2.25 days before perigee (on June 23, 2001, at 18:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]

Gamma−0.5701
Magnitude1.0495
Duration297 s (4 min 57 s)
Coordinates11.3°S 2.7°E / -11.3; 2.7
Quick facts Gamma, Magnitude ...
Solar eclipse of June 21, 2001
Total eclipse
Totality from Lusaka, Zambia by the Williams College eclipse expedition
Map
Gamma−0.5701
Magnitude1.0495
Maximum eclipse
Duration297 s (4 min 57 s)
Coordinates11.3°S 2.7°E / -11.3; 2.7
Max. width of band200 km (120 mi)
Times (UTC)
(P1) Partial begin9:33:04
(U1) Total begin10:35:59
Greatest eclipse12:04:46
(U4) Total end13:31:37
(P4) Partial end14:35:25
References
Saros127 (57 of 82)
Catalog # (SE5000)9511
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Many people traveled to Africa to watch the eclipse;[3][4][5] the Daily Telegraph reported that "while some tribesmen watch a celestial crocodile eating the sun, the modern African will be counting the cash brought in by thousands of visitors".[6]

Visibility

It was visible from a narrow corridor in the southern Atlantic Ocean and southern Africa, including Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the southern tip of Malawi, and Madagascar. A partial eclipse was seen from the much broader path of the Moon's penumbra, including eastern South America and most of Africa.

Observations

Animated path

Within the path of totality, Angola got the best conditions with the highest solar zenith angle, longest duration and largest chance of clear weather. Sumbe, capital of Cuanza Sul Province, where the path first touched land, was the best in Angola with 4 minutes and 34 seconds of totality. However, the Angolan Civil War[7] prevented many from traveling to the county, and only about 500 people observed the eclipse there. Besides tourists, there were also scientists from the United States, France, Brazil, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Hungary.[8]

Zambia, though inferior to its neighbouring country Angola in the chance of clear weather, attracted many scientists and tourists due to its stable political situation and also the fact that its capital city Lusaka was also located within the path of totality.[7] The Zambian government made it a national holiday with one day off, and ZamPost also issues special postage stamps and first-day covers.[9] Scientists from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, South Korea and China observed it in Zambia.[9] The Chinese Academy of Sciences sent a team of 6 people, carrying 3 gravimeters, 2 nuclear gyromagnetometers, 4 digital acquisition systems and recording systems to study the gravity anomalies recorded by Indian scientists during the total solar eclipse of October 24, 1995, and by Chinese scientists during the total solar eclipse of March 9, 1997, in Mohe County.[10][11] With continuous observation for more than 10 years after that, China obtained the first observational evidence that the gravity field propagates at the speed of light.[12]

Coincidence

Besides the eclipse, the day was also the June solstice (winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere where the path of totality passed) when the sun was at the northernmost limit. It was also the closest approach of Mars since 1988.[13]

Eclipse timing

Places experiencing total eclipse

More information Country or territory, City or place ...
Solar Eclipse of June 21, 2001
(Local Times)
Country or territory City or place Start of partial eclipse Start of total eclipse Maximum eclipse End of total eclipse End of partial eclipse Duration of totality (min:s) Duration of eclipse (hr:min) Maximum magnitude
 AngolaLuena12:17:3113:53:1913:54:5013:56:2015:18:533:013:011.0075
 ZambiaLusaka13:41:4715:09:2915:11:0715:12:4516:27:093:162:451.0134
 ZambiaKabwe13:42:3515:10:5315:11:4915:12:4516:27:411:522:451.0036
References: [1]
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Places experiencing partial eclipse

More information Country or territory, City or place ...
Solar Eclipse of June 21, 2001
(Local Times)
Country or territory City or place Start of partial eclipse Maximum eclipse End of partial eclipse Duration of eclipse (hr:min) Maximum coverage
 BrazilRio de Janeiro06:33:3007:33:5208:41:572:0968.00%
 UruguayMontevideo07:52:21 (sunrise)07:55:1508:37:040:4557.03%
 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaJamestown10:03:4411:35:2913:15:363:1296.52%
 São Tomé and PríncipeSão Tomé10:45:5112:21:1813:52:213:0763.60%
 GabonLibreville11:53:4613:29:1814:58:123:0463.35%
 AngolaLuanda11:56:5113:37:5215:08:363:1296.31%
 NamibiaWindhoek12:08:5513:42:2015:05:412:5768.96%
 Republic of the CongoBrazzaville12:06:4113:44:4315:11:373:0578.58%
 Democratic Republic of the CongoKinshasa12:06:4213:44:4715:11:413:0578.78%
 NamibiaRundu12:16:1713:51:5315:15:092:5985.38%
 LesothoMaseru13:38:5015:00:2516:12:102:3358.53%
 ZambiaMongu13:26:5015:00:5916:21:412:5597.17%
 BotswanaGaborone13:34:3115:01:1616:16:412:4270.10%
 South AfricaJohannesburg13:39:5615:04:0516:17:192:3767.79%
 EswatiniMbabane13:47:0615:09:1216:20:312:3370.94%
 Democratic Republic of the CongoLubumbashi13:40:5715:10:5816:27:282:4793.05%
 MozambiqueMaputo13:50:1415:11:4116:22:182:3273.75%
 ZambiaKitwe13:42:3315:11:5816:27:552:4596.05%
 ZambiaNdola13:43:3915:12:3816:28:142:4596.09%
 ZimbabweHarare13:48:2415:14:4116:28:172:4097.90%
 BurundiGitega13:54:0815:16:1216:26:302:3259.64%
 RwandaKigali13:56:0715:16:2016:25:172:2954.10%
 MozambiqueBeira13:56:4315:19:0716:29:442:3396.40%
 MalawiLilongwe13:56:4515:20:2116:31:342:3592.44%
 TanzaniaDar es Salaam15:15:1416:28:2717:31:432:1657.99%
 ComorosMoroni15:19:0716:31:2417:34:042:1569.22%
 MadagascarAntananarivo15:20:3916:31:5017:21:21 (sunset)2:0188.22%
 MayotteMamoudzou15:21:4916:32:3917:34:172:1269.95%
 RéunionSaint-Denis16:29:0917:34:2917:45:48 (sunset)1:1782.40%
 MauritiusPort Louis16:31:5617:35:2617:39:01 (sunset)1:0776.56%
References: [1]
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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.[14]

More information Event, Time (UTC) ...
June 21, 2001 Solar Eclipse Times
Event Time (UTC)
First Penumbral External Contact 2001 June 21 at 09:34:04.6 UTC
First Umbral External Contact 2001 June 21 at 10:37:00.4 UTC
First Central Line 2001 June 21 at 10:38:10.0 UTC
First Umbral Internal Contact 2001 June 21 at 10:39:19.9 UTC
Ecliptic Conjunction 2001 June 21 at 11:58:49.4 UTC
Equatorial Conjunction 2001 June 21 at 11:58:54.2 UTC
Greatest Eclipse 2001 June 21 at 12:04:46.3 UTC
Greatest Duration 2001 June 21 at 12:07:11.5 UTC
Last Umbral Internal Contact 2001 June 21 at 13:30:14.3 UTC
Last Central Line 2001 June 21 at 13:31:26.2 UTC
Last Umbral External Contact 2001 June 21 at 13:32:37.9 UTC
Last Penumbral External Contact 2001 June 21 at 14:35:26.2 UTC
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More information Parameter, Value ...
June 21, 2001 Solar Eclipse Parameters
Parameter Value
Eclipse Magnitude 1.04954
Eclipse Obscuration 1.10153
Gamma −0.57013
Sun Right Ascension 06h00m46.1s
Sun Declination +23°26'18.2"
Sun Semi-Diameter 15'44.3"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7"
Moon Right Ascension 06h01m00.5s
Moon Declination +22°52'27.2"
Moon Semi-Diameter 16'17.6"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°59'47.9"
ΔT 64.2 s
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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.

More information June 21Ascending node (new moon), July 5Descending node (full moon) ...
Eclipse season of June–July 2001
June 21
Ascending node (new moon)
July 5
Descending node (full moon)
Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 127		Partial lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 139
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Related eclipses

Eclipses in 2001

Metonic

Tzolkinex

Half-Saros

Tritos

Solar Saros 127

Inex

Triad

Solar eclipses of 2000–2003

This eclipse is a member of a semester series. An eclipse in a semester series of solar eclipses repeats approximately every 177 days and 4 hours (a semester) at alternating nodes of the Moon's orbit.[15]

The partial solar eclipses on February 5, 2000 and July 31, 2000 occur in the previous lunar year eclipse set.

More information series sets from 2000 to 2003, Ascending node ...
Solar eclipse series sets from 2000 to 2003
Ascending node   Descending node
Saros Map Gamma Saros Map Gamma
117 July 1, 2000

Partial		 −1.28214 122

Partial projection in Minneapolis, MN, USA		 December 25, 2000

Partial		 1.13669
127

Totality in Lusaka, Zambia		 June 21, 2001

Total		 −0.57013 132

Partial in Minneapolis, MN, USA		 December 14, 2001

Annular		 0.40885
137

Partial in Los Angeles, CA, USA		 June 10, 2002

Annular		 0.19933 142

Totality in Woomera, South Australia		 December 4, 2002

Total		 −0.30204
147

Annularity in Culloden, Scotland		 May 31, 2003

Annular		 0.99598 152
 November 23, 2003

Total		 −0.96381
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Saros 127

This eclipse is a part of Saros series 127, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, and containing 82 events. The series started with a partial solar eclipse on October 10, 991 AD. It contains total eclipses from May 14, 1352 through August 15, 2091. There are no annular or hybrid eclipses in this set. The series ends at member 82 as a partial eclipse on March 21, 2452. Its eclipses are tabulated in three columns; every third eclipse in the same column is one exeligmos apart, so they all cast shadows over approximately the same parts of the Earth.

The longest duration of totality was produced by member 31 at 5 minutes, 40 seconds on August 30, 1532. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit.[16]

More information Series members 46–68 occur between 1801 and 2200: ...
Series members 46–68 occur between 1801 and 2200:
46 47 48

February 21, 1803
March 4, 1821
March 15, 1839
49 50 51

March 25, 1857
April 6, 1875
April 16, 1893
52 53 54

April 28, 1911
May 9, 1929
May 20, 1947
55 56 57

May 30, 1965
June 11, 1983
June 21, 2001
58 59 60

July 2, 2019
July 13, 2037
July 24, 2055
61 62 63

August 3, 2073
August 15, 2091
August 26, 2109
64 65 66

September 6, 2127
September 16, 2145
September 28, 2163
67 68

October 8, 2181
October 19, 2199
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Metonic series

The metonic series repeats eclipses every 19 years (6939.69 days), lasting about 5 cycles. Eclipses occur in nearly the same calendar date. In addition, the octon subseries repeats 1/5 of that or every 3.8 years (1387.94 days). All eclipses in this table occur at the Moon's ascending node.

More information 21 eclipse events between June 21, 1982 and June 21, 2058, June 21 ...
21 eclipse events between June 21, 1982 and June 21, 2058
June 21 April 8–9 January 26 November 13–14 September 1–2
117 119 121 123 125

June 21, 1982
April 9, 1986
January 26, 1990
November 13, 1993
September 2, 1997
127 129 131 133 135

June 21, 2001
April 8, 2005
January 26, 2009
November 13, 2012
September 1, 2016
137 139 141 143 145

June 21, 2020
April 8, 2024
January 26, 2028
November 14, 2031
September 2, 2035
147 149 151 153 155

June 21, 2039
April 9, 2043
January 26, 2047
November 14, 2050
September 2, 2054
157

June 21, 2058
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Tritos series

This eclipse is a part of a tritos cycle, repeating at alternating nodes every 135 synodic months (≈ 3986.63 days, or 11 years minus 1 month). Their appearance and longitude are irregular due to a lack of synchronization with the anomalistic month (period of perigee), but groupings of 3 tritos cycles (≈ 33 years minus 3 months) come close (≈ 434.044 anomalistic months), so eclipses are similar in these groupings.

More information Series members between 1801 and 2200 ...
Series members between 1801 and 2200

January 1, 1805
(Saros 109)
October 31, 1826
(Saros 111)
August 28, 1848
(Saros 113)

July 29, 1859
(Saros 114)
June 28, 1870
(Saros 115)
May 27, 1881
(Saros 116)
April 26, 1892
(Saros 117)
March 29, 1903
(Saros 118)

February 25, 1914
(Saros 119)
January 24, 1925
(Saros 120)
December 25, 1935
(Saros 121)
November 23, 1946
(Saros 122)
October 23, 1957
(Saros 123)

September 22, 1968
(Saros 124)
August 22, 1979
(Saros 125)
July 22, 1990
(Saros 126)
June 21, 2001
(Saros 127)
May 20, 2012
(Saros 128)

April 20, 2023
(Saros 129)
March 20, 2034
(Saros 130)
February 16, 2045
(Saros 131)
January 16, 2056
(Saros 132)
December 17, 2066
(Saros 133)

November 15, 2077
(Saros 134)
October 14, 2088
(Saros 135)
September 14, 2099
(Saros 136)
August 15, 2110
(Saros 137)
July 14, 2121
(Saros 138)

June 13, 2132
(Saros 139)
May 14, 2143
(Saros 140)
April 12, 2154
(Saros 141)
March 12, 2165
(Saros 142)
February 10, 2176
(Saros 143)

January 9, 2187
(Saros 144)
December 9, 2197
(Saros 145)
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Inex series

This eclipse is a part of the long period inex cycle, repeating at alternating nodes, every 358 synodic months (≈ 10,571.95 days, or 29 years minus 20 days). Their appearance and longitude are irregular due to a lack of synchronization with the anomalistic month (period of perigee). However, groupings of 3 inex cycles (≈ 87 years minus 2 months) comes close (≈ 1,151.02 anomalistic months), so eclipses are similar in these groupings.

More information Series members between 1801 and 2200 ...
Series members between 1801 and 2200

October 20, 1827
(Saros 121)
September 29, 1856
(Saros 122)
September 8, 1885
(Saros 123)

August 21, 1914
(Saros 124)
August 1, 1943
(Saros 125)
July 10, 1972
(Saros 126)

June 21, 2001
(Saros 127)
June 1, 2030
(Saros 128)
May 11, 2059
(Saros 129)

April 21, 2088
(Saros 130)
April 2, 2117
(Saros 131)
March 12, 2146
(Saros 132)

February 21, 2175
(Saros 133)
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Notes

References

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