Solar Eclipse Prime Page

Total Solar Eclipse of -0243 Dec 31 (0244 Dec 31 BCE)

Fred Espenak

Introduction

eclipse map


The Total Solar Eclipse of -0243 Dec 31 (0244 Dec 31 BCE) is visible from the geographic regions shown on the map to the right. 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 -0243 Dec 31 at 15:35:02 TD (11:54:24 UT1). This is 0.5 days before the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Sun is in the constellation Capricornus. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of -26777.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 47 and is number 60 of 72 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.

This total eclipse is very unusual in that it is NON-CENTRAL and does NOT have a central line nor a southern path limit. Instead , over half of the umbral shadow falls off into space throughout the eclipse. Gamma has a value of -0.9992.

The total solar eclipse of -0243 Dec 31 is followed two weeks later by a total lunar eclipse on -0242 Jan 15.

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 13238.0 seconds for this eclipse. The uncertainty in ΔT is 340.1 seconds corresponding to a standard error in longitude of the eclipse path of ± 1.42°.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Total Solar Eclipse of -0243 Dec 31 .


Eclipse Data: Total Solar Eclipse of -0243 Dec 31

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Eclipse Magnitude 1.01040
Eclipse Obscuration -
Gamma-0.99922
Conjunction Times
Event Calendar Date and Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse -0243 Dec 31 at 15:35:01.8 TD (11:54:23.8 UT1) 1632666.996109
Ecliptic Conjunction -0243 Dec 31 at 15:24:58.2 TD (11:44:20.2 UT1) 1632666.989123
Equatorial Conjunction -0243 Dec 31 at 15:19:27.9 TD (11:38:49.9 UT1) 1632666.985299
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
-0243 Dec 31 at 15:35:01.8 TD (11:54:23.8 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension18h30m04.0s18h30m44.1s
Declination-23°32'37.6"-24°33'02.8"
Semi-Diameter 16'14.2" 16'42.3"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.9" 1°01'18.4"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l -1.0°
b 1.3°
c -1.7°
Prediction Paramaters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE406
ΔT 13238.0 s
k (penumbra) 0.2725076
k (umbra) 0.2722810
Saros Series 47 (60/72)

Explanation of Solar Eclipse Data Tables

Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of -0243 Dec 31

Contacts of Penumbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
First External ContactP113:34:29.509:53:51.543°59.3'S081°32.5'W
Last External ContactP417:35:39.513:55:01.529°05.9'S077°05.1'E
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Penumbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N113:55:41.010:15:03.033°04.7'S078°27.2'W
South Extreme Path Limit 1S117:14:27.413:33:49.417°37.9'S076°18.7'E

Non-Central Total Solar Eclipse

Explanation of Penumbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes: Total Solar Eclipse of -0243 Dec 31

Contacts of Umbral Shadow with Earth
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
First External ContactU115:24:14.211:43:36.266°19.4'S179°25.6'E
Last External ContactU415:46:00.412:05:22.462°31.5'S147°22.0'E
Extreme Northern and Southern Path Limits of Umbra
Contact Event Contact Time
TD
Time
UT1
Latitude Longitude
North Extreme Path Limit 1N115:33:39.511:53:01.566°29.3'S163°29.5'E
South Extreme Path Limit 1S115:36:34.511:55:56.565°56.4'S158°59.1'E

Non-Central Total Solar Eclipse

Explanation of Umbral Shadow Contacts and Extremes Tables

Non-Central Total Solar Eclipse

Explanation of Central Line Extremes Table

Non-Central Total Solar Eclipse

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Total Solar Eclipse of -0243 Dec 31

Polynomial Besselian Elements
-0243 Dec 31 at 16:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d l1 l2 μ
0 0.38865 -0.95181 -23.5405 0.53861 -0.00751 58.3455
1 0.57524 0.08709 0.0020 -0.00005 -0.00005 14.9965
2 -0.00004 0.00023 0.0000 -0.00001 -0.00001 0.0000
3 -0.00001 -0.00000 - - - -
Tan ƒ1 0.0047462
Tan ƒ2 0.0047226

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 = 16.000

Explanation of Polynomial Besselian Elements

Links for the Total Solar Eclipse of -0243 Dec 31 (0244 Dec 31 BCE)

Links to Additional Solar Eclipse Information

Calendar

The Gregorian calendar (also called the Western calendar) is internationally the most widely used civil calendar. It is named for Pope Gregory XIII, who introduced it in 1582. On this website, the Gregorian calendar is used for all calendar dates from 1582 Oct 15 onwards. Before that date, the Julian calendar is used. For more information on this topic, see Calendar Dates.

The Julian calendar does not include the year 0. Thus the year 1 BCE is followed by the year 1 CE (See: BCE/CE Dating Conventions). This is awkward for arithmetic calculations. Years in this catalog are numbered astronomically and include the year 0. Historians should note there is a difference of one year between astronomical dates and BCE dates. Thus, the astronomical year 0 corresponds to 1 BCE, and astronomical year -1 corresponds to 2 BCE, etc..

Eclipse Predictions

Predictions for the Total Solar Eclipse of -0243 Dec 31 were generated using the JPL DE406 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 13238.0 seconds for this eclipse. The uncertainty in ΔT is 340.1 seconds corresponding to a standard error in longitude of the eclipse path of ± 1.42°.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this website is based on the book 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 covered.