A total
solar eclipse
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six month ...
occurred at the Moon's ascending node of the orbit on Saturday, October 23, 1976. A
solar eclipse
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six month ...
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.
This total solar eclipse began at sunrise in
Tanzania near the border with
Burundi
Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...
, with the path of totality passing just north of the large Tanzanian city of
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam (; from ar, دَار السَّلَام, Dâr es-Selâm, lit=Abode of Peace) or commonly known as Dar, is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania. It is also the capital of Dar es Salaam Region. With a population of over s ...
. It then crossed the
Indian Ocean, passing
St. Pierre Island,
Providence Atoll
The Providence Atoll is part of the Farquhar Group of islands in the Seychelles that are part of the Outer Islands, with a distance of southwest of the capital, Victoria, on Mahé Island.
History
The atoll was discovered in 1501 by Joao da ...
and
Farquhar Atoll
The Farquhar Atoll is part of the Farquhar Group of islands in the Seychelles that are part of the Outer Islands. It is located southwest of the capital, Victoria, on Mahé Island.
History
The atoll was named in honor of Robert Townsend Fa ...
of
Seychelles
Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, ...
before making landfall in southeastern
Australia. The largest city that saw totality was
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...
. After leaving the Australian mainland, the path of totality left the Earth's surface just north of the north island of
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
.
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1976
*
An annular solar eclipse on Thursday, 29 April 1976.
*
A partial lunar eclipse on Thursday, 13 May 1976.
* A total solar eclipse on Saturday, 23 October 1976.
*
A penumbral lunar eclipse on Saturday, 6 November 1976.
Solar eclipses of 1975–1978
Saros 133
Metonic series
References
External links
1976 10 23
1976 10 23
1976 in science
October 1976 events
{{Solar-eclipse-stub