A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit between Tuesday, June 8 and Wednesday, June 9, 1937, with a magnitude of 1.0751. A solar eclipse 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. Occurring about 16 hours after perigee (on June 8, 1937, at 4:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
With a maximum eclipse of 7 minutes and 4.06 seconds, this was the longest total solar eclipse since July 1, 1098, which lasted 7 minutes and 5.34 seconds. A longer total solar eclipse occurred on June 20, 1955.
The path of totality crossed the Pacific Ocean starting in Gilbert and Ellice Islands (now belonging to Tuvalu and Kiribati) on June 9 (Wednesday), and ending at sunset in Peru on June 8 (Tuesday). At sunrise totality lasted 3 minutes, 6.8 seconds and at sunset totality lasted 3 minutes, 5.1 seconds. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Oceania, Hawaii, southern North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and western South America. American astronomy professor Ethelwynn Rice Beckwith traveled to Peru to see this eclipse, and described the event in detail for the Oberlin Alumnae Magazine in 1937, in an article titled "Three Minutes in Peru."
Observations Scientists from the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand observed the total eclipse in Canton Island, Phoenix Islands. The American expedition was organized by the National Geographic Society and assisted by the United States Navy. This total solar eclipse was memorable for three reasons: first, the duration of totality was particularly long with the longest point in eastern Pacific exceeding 7 minutes; second, despite being in the tropics, weather was good for all observation sites; third, broadcasts were made through radio before, during and after the eclipse through long distances so people could hear the details.
Eclipse details Shown below are two tables displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. The first table outlines times at which the Moon's penumbra or umbra attains the specific parameter, and the second table describes various other parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+June 8, 1937 Solar Eclipse Times Event Time (UTC) First Penumbral External Contact 1937 June 8 at 18:04:51.1 UTC First Umbral External Contact 1937 June 8 at 18:59:01.4 UTC First Central Line 1937 June 8 at 19:00:34.9 UTC First Umbral Internal Contact 1937 June 8 at 19:02:08.4 UTC First Penumbral Internal Contact 1937 June 8 at 19:58:44.5 UTC Greatest Duration 1937 June 8 at 20:40:34.6 UTC Greatest Eclipse 1937 June 8 at 20:41:01.5 UTC Equatorial Conjunction 1937 June 8 at 20:41:09.6 UTC Ecliptic Conjunction 1937 June 8 at 20:43:19.5 UTC Last Penumbral Internal Contact 1937 June 8 at 21:23:18.0 UTC Last Umbral Internal Contact 1937 June 8 at 22:19:55.6 UTC Last Central Line 1937 June 8 at 22:21:28.3 UTC Last Umbral External Contact 1937 June 8 at 22:23:00.9 UTC Last Penumbral External Contact 1937 June 8 at 23:17:13.7 UTC
+June 8, 1937 Solar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Eclipse Magnitude 1.07513 Eclipse Obscuration 1.15590 Gamma −0.22532 Sun Right Ascension 05h06m06.4s Sun Declination +22°52'06.5" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'45.2" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 05h06m06.1s Moon Declination +22°38'22.0" Moon Semi-Diameter 16'39.4" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°01'08.0" ΔT 23.9 s
Eclipse season
This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.
+ Eclipse season of May–June 1937 May 25Ascending node (full moon) June 8Descending node (new moon) Penumbral lunar eclipseLunar Saros 110 Total solar eclipseSolar Saros 136
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1937 A penumbral lunar eclipse on May 25. A total solar eclipse on June 8. A partial lunar eclipse on November 18. An annular solar eclipse on December 2.
Metonic Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 21, 1933 Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 27, 1941
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 28, 1930 Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 20, 1944
Half-Saros Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 3, 1928 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 14, 1946
Tritos Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 9, 1926 Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1948
Solar Saros 136 Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 29, 1919 Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 20, 1955
Inex Preceded by: Solar eclipse of June 28, 1908 Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 20, 1966
Triad Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 7, 1850 Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024
Solar eclipses of 1935–1938
Saros 136
Metonic series
Tritos series
Inex series
See also - describing events where a Pacific island disputed between the UK and the US was used to view the eclipse
Notes
References
Fotos of Solar Corona June 8, 1937