Solar eclipse of July 11, 2010
Encyclopedia
The total solar eclipse of July 11, 2010, occurred over the southern Pacific Ocean.
, touching several atoll
s in French Polynesia
, the Cook Islands
, Easter Island
, and Argentina's Patagonia
n plains.
Fred Espenak
, a NASA astrophysicist, said:
It ended at sunset over the southern tips of Argentina
and Chile
in South America, including the town of El Calafate
. The Sun's altitude was only 1° during the 2 minute 47 second total phase, but Argentino Lake offered an adequate line-of-sight to the eclipse hanging just above the rugged Andes skyline.
A 58% partiality occurred at sunset in Santiago, Chile
, but it was not visible due to adverse weather conditions. In other cities such as Valparaíso
and Coquimbo
, clearer skies permitted the event to be witnessed in continent
al Chile
.
at approximately 18:15 UTC
and reached Easter Island
by 20:11 UTC. The global sky photography project The World At Night
stationed photographers throughout the eclipse's visibility track. Eclipse chasers photographed the event onboard a chartered airplane, cruise ships, numerous Pacific islands, and in Argentina's Patagonia
region. Totality was observed for four minutes and 41 seconds (4:41) on Easter Island
, where it was observed for the first time in 1,400 years. Approximately 4,000 observers visited Easter Island for this eclipse, including tourists, scientists, photographers, filmmakers and journalists, prompting an increase in security at its important moai
archeological sites. The eclipse occurred at the same time that the final game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
was being played in South Africa
, and many soccer fans in Tahiti
watched the match instead of observing the partial eclipse with a high percentage of obscuring the sun by about 98 percent. The path of totality of this eclipse barely missed some significant inhabited islands, including passing just about 20 km north of the northern end of Tahiti
.
This eclipse was the first one to happen over French Polynesia
in 350 years. An estimated 5,000 tourists visited various islands in the archipelago to observe the event. Nearly 120,000 pairs of special glasses were distributed for observers. Eclipse chasers were also able to observe the eclipse at El Calafate
, near the southern tip of Argentina, before the sun set just two minutes later.
Several hours after the eclipse was observed in continental Chile, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck in the Antofagasta Region
. There were no major injuries or damage in the nearby cities of Calama, Chile
and San Pedro de Atacama
.
Visibility
The eclipse was one of the most remote in recorded history. It was visible over much of the southern Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, touching several atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
s in French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
, the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
, Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
, and Argentina's Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
n plains.
Fred Espenak
Fred Espenak
Fred Espenak is an American astrophysicist. He works at the Goddard Space Flight Center. He is best known for his work on eclipse predictions....
, a NASA astrophysicist, said:
It ended at sunset over the southern tips of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in South America, including the town of El Calafate
El Calafate
- Population :In the last census 6,143 permanent residents were counted . This represents a 20.1% increase compared with the 1991 census. However, due to the expansion of tourism, the population was estimated at 8,000 people in 2005.- Wildlife :...
. The Sun's altitude was only 1° during the 2 minute 47 second total phase, but Argentino Lake offered an adequate line-of-sight to the eclipse hanging just above the rugged Andes skyline.
A 58% partiality occurred at sunset in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, but it was not visible due to adverse weather conditions. In other cities such as Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
and Coquimbo
Coquimbo
Coquimbo is a port city, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo lies in a valley south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with more than 400,000 inhabitants. The commune spans an area around the...
, clearer skies permitted the event to be witnessed in continent
Continent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
al Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Observations
Total eclipse began 700 kilometres (435 mi) southeast of TongaTonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
at approximately 18:15 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
and reached Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
by 20:11 UTC. The global sky photography project The World At Night
The World At Night
The World At Night is an international project to produce and present a collection of high-quality photos, videos, and virtual reality images of the night sky taken at various natural, cultural, and historic locations worldwide....
stationed photographers throughout the eclipse's visibility track. Eclipse chasers photographed the event onboard a chartered airplane, cruise ships, numerous Pacific islands, and in Argentina's Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
region. Totality was observed for four minutes and 41 seconds (4:41) on Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
, where it was observed for the first time in 1,400 years. Approximately 4,000 observers visited Easter Island for this eclipse, including tourists, scientists, photographers, filmmakers and journalists, prompting an increase in security at its important moai
Moai
Moai , or mo‘ai, are monolithic human figures carved from rock on the Chilean Polynesian island of Easter Island between the years 1250 and 1500. Nearly half are still at Rano Raraku, the main moai quarry, but hundreds were transported from there and set on stone platforms called ahu around the...
archeological sites. The eclipse occurred at the same time that the final game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
was being played in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and many soccer fans in Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
watched the match instead of observing the partial eclipse with a high percentage of obscuring the sun by about 98 percent. The path of totality of this eclipse barely missed some significant inhabited islands, including passing just about 20 km north of the northern end of Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
.
This eclipse was the first one to happen over French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
in 350 years. An estimated 5,000 tourists visited various islands in the archipelago to observe the event. Nearly 120,000 pairs of special glasses were distributed for observers. Eclipse chasers were also able to observe the eclipse at El Calafate
El Calafate
- Population :In the last census 6,143 permanent residents were counted . This represents a 20.1% increase compared with the 1991 census. However, due to the expansion of tourism, the population was estimated at 8,000 people in 2005.- Wildlife :...
, near the southern tip of Argentina, before the sun set just two minutes later.
Several hours after the eclipse was observed in continental Chile, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck in the Antofagasta Region
Antofagasta Region
The II Antofagasta Region is one of Chile's fifteen first-order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Antofagasta, El Loa and Tocopilla...
. There were no major injuries or damage in the nearby cities of Calama, Chile
Calama, Chile
Calama is a city and commune in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. It is the capital of El Loa Province, part of the Antofagasta Region. Calama is one of the driest cities in the world with average annual precipitation of just . The River Loa, Chile's longest, flows through the city...
and San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro de Atacama is a Chilean town and commune in El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region. It is located east of Antofagasta, some 106 km southeast of Calama and the Chuquicamata copper mine, overlooking the Licancabur volcano. It features a significant archeological museum, the R. P...
.
Related eclipses
- It was preceded two weeks earlier by the partial lunar eclipse on June 26, 2010June 2010 lunar eclipseThe partial lunar eclipse of June 26, 2010 was the first of two lunar eclipses in 2010. At maximum eclipse 53.7% of the moon was covered by the earth's shadow.This eclipse preceded by two weeks the total Solar eclipse of July 11, 2010 over the South Pacific....
. - In Saros cycleSaros cycleThe saros is a period of 223 synodic months , that can be used to predict eclipses of the Sun and Moon. One saros after an eclipse, the Sun, Earth, and Moon return to approximately the same relative geometry, and a nearly identical eclipse will occur, in what is referred to as an eclipse cycle...
146, this eclipse repeats every 18 years 11 days, previously on total solar eclipse of June 30, 1992Solar eclipse of June 30, 1992A total solar eclipse occurred on June 30, 1992. - References :...
and next on total solar eclipse of July 22, 2028Solar eclipse of July 22, 2028A total solar eclipse will occur on July 22, 2028. The central line of the path of the eclipse will pass downtown Sydney NSW Australia where the eclipse will have a duration of over three minutes. It will also cross both Broome, Western Australia and Dunedin, New Zealand....
. - In a tritos cycle, it repeats every 10 years 11 months, previous as the total solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 and followed by the annular solar eclipse of June 10, 2021Solar eclipse of June 10, 2021An annular solar eclipse will occur on June 10, 2021. This eclipse will be unusual as the path of the total eclipse will move from to the north east, then north, north west, west, south west, south, and finally south east across the Arctic, while most eclipse paths move west to east. This reversal...
. - The next total solar eclipse will occur on November 13, 2012Solar eclipse of November 13, 2012A total solar eclipse will take place on 13-14 November, 2012, with a magnitude of 1.0500. - Details :For this eclipse totality will be visible from northern Australia and the southern Pacific Ocean. The most populous city to experience totality will be Cairns, which will experience 2 minutes of...
. The path of totality ends about west of ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
but the eclipse will be partial on sundown from the coast, and east of New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.