Solar Eclipse Prime Page

Partial Solar Eclipse of 1996 Apr 17

Fred Espenak

Key to Solar Eclipse Figure (below)

Introduction


The Partial Solar Eclipse of 1996 Apr 17 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • Partial Eclipse: New Zealand, south Pacific Ocean

The map to the right depicts the geographic regions of eclipse visibility. Click on the map to enlarge it. For an explanation of the features appearing in the map, see Key to Solar Eclipse Maps.

The instant of greatest eclipse takes place on 1996 Apr 17 at 22:38:12 TD (22:37:10 UT1). This is 6.8 days after the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Sun is in the constellation Aries. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 907.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 148 and is number 20 of 75 eclipses in the series. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s descending node. The Moon moves northward with respect to the node with each succeeding eclipse in the series and gamma increases.

This is a very deep partial eclipse. It has an eclipse magnitude of 0.8799, while Gamma has a value of -1.0580.

The partial solar eclipse of 1996 Apr 17 is preceded two weeks earlier by a total lunar eclipse on 1996 Apr 04.

These eclipses all take place during a single eclipse season.

The eclipse predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 61.8 seconds for this eclipse.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

Eclipse Data: Partial Solar Eclipse of 1996 Apr 17

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Eclipse Magnitude 0.87994
Eclipse Obscuration 0.84058
Gamma-1.05796
Conjunction Times
Event Calendar Date and Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 1996 Apr 17 at 22:38:12.1 TD (22:37:10.3 UT1) 2450191.442481
Ecliptic Conjunction 1996 Apr 17 at 22:49:47.9 TD (22:48:46.1 UT1) 2450191.450534
Equatorial Conjunction 1996 Apr 17 at 22:06:05.6 TD (22:05:03.8 UT1) 2450191.420183
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
1996 Apr 17 at 22:38:12.1 TD (22:37:10.3 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension01h44m43.7s01h45m48.3s
Declination+10°49'43.1"+09°51'28.1"
Semi-Diameter 15'55.6" 15'35.4"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.8" 0°57'13.0"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l 4.7°
b 1.4°
c -22.4°
Prediction Parameters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE405
ΔT 61.8 s
k (penumbra) 0.2725076
k (umbra) 0.2722810
Saros Series 148 (20/75)

Explanation of Solar Eclipse Data Tables

Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Partial Solar Eclipse of 1996 Apr 17

Contacts of Penumbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
First External ContactP120:32:24.820:31:23.056°53.1'S159°01.2'E
Last External ContactP400:44:20.000:43:18.227°19.2'S106°40.3'W
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Penumbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N121:07:38.321:06:36.544°59.4'S144°12.4'E
South Extreme Path Limit 1S100:09:01.000:07:59.215°01.9'S095°06.2'W

Explanation of Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Partial Solar Eclipse of 1996 Apr 17

Polynomial Besselian Elements
1996 Apr 17 at 23:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d l1 l2 μ
0 0.46804 -0.96887 10.8363 0.55229 0.00611 165.1518
1 0.52094 0.14229 0.0142 0.00011 0.00011 15.0036
2 -0.00002 -0.00002 -0.0000 -0.00001 -0.00001 -0.0000
3 -0.00001 -0.00000 - - - -
Tan ƒ1 0.0046564
Tan ƒ2 0.0046332

At time t1 (decimal hours), each besselian element is evaluated by:

x = x0 + x1*t + x2*t2 + x3*t3 (or x = Σ [xn*tn]; n = 0 to 3)

where: t = t1 - t0 (decimal hours) and t0 = 23.000

Explanation of Polynomial Besselian Elements

Eclipse Publications

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For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing

Links for the Partial Solar Eclipse of 1996 Apr 17

Links to Additional Solar Eclipse Information

  • Home - home page of EclipseWise with predictions for both solar and lunar eclipses

Decade Tables of Solar Eclipses:
| 1901 - 1910 | 1911 - 1919 | 1921 - 1930 | 1931 - 1940 | 1941 - 1950 |
| 1951 - 1960 | 1961 - 1970 | 1971 - 1980 | 1981 - 1990 | 1991 - 2000 |
| 2001 - 2010 | 2011 - 2020 | 2021 - 2030 | 2031 - 2040 | 2041 - 2050 |
| 2051 - 2060 | 2061 - 2070 | 2071 - 2080 | 2081 - 2090 | 2091 - 2100 |

Solar Eclipse Publications

Eclipse Publications

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jpeg jpeg
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For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing

Eclipse Predictions

Predictions for the Partial Solar Eclipse of 1996 Apr 17 were generated using the JPL DE405 solar and lunar ephemerides. The lunar coordinates were calculated with respect to the Moon's Center of Mass. The predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 61.8 seconds for this eclipse.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this website is based on the books 21st Century Canon of Solar Eclipses and Thousand Year Canon of Solar Eclipses 1501 to 2500. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy.

Permission is granted to reproduce eclipse data when accompanied by a link to this page and an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, www.EclipseWise.com"

The use of diagrams and maps is permitted provided that they are NOT altered (except for re-sizing) and the embedded credit line is NOT removed or concealed.