Key to Solar Eclipse Path Tables

Fred Espenak

Introduction

The following key gives detailed descriptions of each column in the Solar Eclipse Path Tables.

Key to Solar Eclipse Path Tables

Column     Heading     Definition/Description
          
   1      Calendar     Calendar Date at instant of Greatest Eclipse. 
            Date       Gregorian Calendar is used for dates after 1582 Oct 15.  
                       Julian Calendar is used for dates before 1582 Oct 04.   

   2         TD of     Dynamical Time (TD) of Greatest Eclipse, the instant 
           Greatest    when the axis of the Moon's shadow cone passes closest
           Eclipse     to Earth's center.

   3       Eclipse     Eclipse Type of Total, Annular or Hybrid.
            Type         

   4       Central     Central Eclipse Class of: 
           Eclipse       Central - central with two limits
            Class        Central (N) - central with one limit (no northern limit) 
                         Central (S) - central with one limit (no southern limit) 
                         Central (AT) - central hybrid of annular-total class
                         Central (TA) - central hybrid of total-annular class
                         Non-Central (N) - non-central with one limit (no northern limit) 
                         Non-Central (S) - non-central with one limit (no southern limit) 
 
 
   5       Saros      Saros series number of eclipse.
           Series     (Each eclipse in a Saros is separated by an interval
                      of 18 years 11.3 days.)

   6       Gamma      Distance of the shadow cone axis from the center 
                      of Earth (units of equatorial radii) at the 
                      instant of greatest eclipse.

   7       Eclipse     Eclipse magnitude is the fraction of the Sun's 
          Magnitude    diameter obscured by the Moon. For annular, total and 
                       hybrid eclipses, this value is actually the diameter 
                       ratio of Moon/Sun.

   8        Path       Width of the path of totality or annularity
           Width       at greatest eclipse (kilometers).

   9      Central      Central Line Duration of total or annular phase
          Duration     at greatest eclipse (minutes and seconds).
Twenty Year Solar Eclipse Path Tables (w/Google Maps)

Each of the following links displays a table containing 20 years of total, annular and hybrid eclipses. Each eclipse offers links to a global map, shadow animation, interactive Google map, path coordinates table, and saros table.

Twenty Year Solar Eclipse Path Tables (w/Google Maps)
Years
1901-1920 1921-1940 1941-1960 1961-1980 1981-2000
2001-2020 2021-2040 2041-2060 2061-2080 2081-2100
2008 Mar 21