Solar Eclipse Prime Page

Total Solar Eclipse of 1988 Mar 18

Fred Espenak

Key to Solar Eclipse Figure (below)

Introduction


The Total Solar Eclipse of 1988 Mar 18 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • Partial Eclipse: east Asia, East Indies, Australia, Alaska
  • Total Eclipse: Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Pacific

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 1988 Mar 18 at 01:58:56 TD (01:58:00 UT1). This is 1.2 days after the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Sun is in the constellation Pisces. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 807.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 139 and is number 28 of 71 eclipses in the series. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s ascending node. The Moon moves southward with respect to the node with each succeeding eclipse in the series and gamma decreases.

The total solar eclipse of 1988 Mar 18 is preceded two weeks earlier by a penumbral lunar eclipse on 1988 Mar 03.

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 55.9 seconds for this eclipse.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

Eclipse Data: Total Solar Eclipse of 1988 Mar 18

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Eclipse Magnitude 1.04640
Eclipse Obscuration 1.09496
Gamma 0.41879
Conjunction Times
Event Calendar Date and Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 1988 Mar 18 at 01:58:56.4 TD (01:58:00.5 UT1) 2447238.581950
Ecliptic Conjunction 1988 Mar 18 at 02:03:15.6 TD (02:02:19.7 UT1) 2447238.584950
Equatorial Conjunction 1988 Mar 18 at 02:23:10.7 TD (02:22:14.8 UT1) 2447238.598783
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
1988 Mar 18 at 01:58:56.4 TD (01:58:00.5 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension23h51m32.0s23h50m42.6s
Declination-00°55'03.0"-00°32'52.0"
Semi-Diameter 16'04.1" 16'33.4"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.8" 1°00'45.8"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l 2.4°
b -0.5°
c -21.9°
Prediction Parameters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE405
ΔT 55.9 s
k (penumbra) 0.2725076
k (umbra) 0.2722810
Saros Series 139 (28/71)

Explanation of Solar Eclipse Data Tables

Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of 1988 Mar 18

Contacts of Penumbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
First External ContactP123:24:58.423:24:02.513°22.4'S100°48.3'E
First Internal ContactP201:38:59.501:38:03.636°29.6'N068°12.1'E
Last Internal ContactP302:18:20.102:17:24.284°51.6'N067°53.3'E
Last External ContactP404:32:47.604:31:51.745°05.0'N156°49.5'W
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Penumbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N101:29:09.601:28:13.644°32.9'N070°53.4'E
South Extreme Path Limit 1S100:16:05.100:15:09.236°07.6'S087°33.3'E
North Extreme Path Limit 2N202:28:01.502:27:05.677°11.9'N059°16.2'E
South Extreme Path Limit 2S203:41:55.203:40:59.322°20.9'N143°36.0'W

Explanation of Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of 1988 Mar 18

Contacts of Umbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
First External ContactU100:23:32.600:22:36.704°34.2'S086°18.6'E
First Internal ContactU200:25:22.600:24:26.704°08.7'S085°51.6'E
Last Internal ContactU303:32:16.803:31:20.954°17.0'N142°03.3'W
Last External ContactU403:34:04.303:33:08.453°52.1'N142°29.0'W
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Umbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N100:24:50.600:23:54.703°51.0'S085°59.9'E
South Extreme Path Limit 1S100:24:05.300:23:09.404°51.9'S086°10.1'E
North Extreme Path Limit 2N203:32:47.903:31:52.054°34.1'N142°11.8'W
South Extreme Path Limit 2S203:33:32.703:32:36.853°34.9'N142°20.3'W

Explanation of Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Central Line Extremes and Duration: Total Solar Eclipse of 1988 Mar 18

Extreme Limits of the Central Line
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
Extreme Central Line Limit 1C100:24:27.600:23:31.704°21.5'S086°05.1'E
Extreme Central Line Limit 2C203:33:10.603:32:14.754°04.4'N142°16.2'W

Explanation of Central Line Extremes Table

Greatest Eclipse and Greatest Duration
Event Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude Sun
Altitude
Sun
Azimuth
Path Width Central
Duration
Greatest Eclipse01:58:56.401:58:00.520°42.5'N139°57.9'E 65.1° 148.9° 168.6 km03m46.45s
Greatest Duration01:57:26.101:56:30.220°16.5'N139°35.1'E 65.1° 146.8° 168.9 km03m46.48s

Explanation of Greatest Eclipse and Greatest Duration

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Total Solar Eclipse of 1988 Mar 18

Polynomial Besselian Elements
1988 Mar 18 at 02:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d l1 l2 μ
0 -0.19469 0.37093 -0.9181 0.53825 -0.00787 207.9684
1 0.50396 0.28035 0.0158 0.00006 0.00006 15.0043
2 -0.00000 -0.00002 0.0000 -0.00001 -0.00001 0.0000
3 -0.00001 -0.00000 - - - -
Tan ƒ1 0.0046970
Tan ƒ2 0.0046736

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 = 2.000

Explanation of Polynomial Besselian Elements

Eclipse Publications

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For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing

Links for the Total Solar Eclipse of 1988 Mar 18

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 Total Solar Eclipse of 1988 Mar 18 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 55.9 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.