History of Solar eclipse in Timeline
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the Sun's light from reaching a portion of the Earth. This event transpires roughly every six months during the new moon phase when the Moon's orbit aligns closely with Earth's orbit. A total solar eclipse completely obscures the Sun, while partial and annular eclipses only block a section of it. Unlike lunar eclipses visible from anywhere on Earth's night side, solar eclipses are visible from a small area. Total solar eclipses occur on Earth every 18 months on average, but they recur at the same location only every 360 to 410 years.
May 29, 1919: Confirmation of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity
On May 29, 1919, observation of a total solar eclipse helped confirm Einstein's theory of general relativity. Arthur Eddington compared the apparent distance between stars with and without the Sun, supporting gravitational lensing predictions.
1935: Year with Five Solar Eclipses
In 1935, five solar eclipses occurred, making it one of the years with the maximum number of solar eclipses since the Gregorian calendar was instituted.
1954: Allais Effect Observation
In 1954, Maurice Allais reported observing unusual and unexplained movements during a solar eclipse, contributing to the study of gravity-related phenomena.
June 20, 1955: Longest Total Eclipse of the 20th Century
On June 20, 1955, the longest total solar eclipse of the 20th century occurred, lasting 7 minutes and 8 seconds.
1959: Allais Effect Observation
In 1959, Maurice Allais reported observing unusual and unexplained movements during a solar eclipse, contributing to the study of gravity-related phenomena.
1966: Total Solar Eclipse Observed from Gemini 12
In 1966, the crew of Gemini 12 observed a total solar eclipse from space, marking a milestone in space-based eclipse observations.
1970: Saxl Effect Observation
In 1970, Saxl and Allen observed a sudden change in motion of a torsion pendulum during a solar eclipse, a phenomenon called the Saxl effect.
June 30, 1973: Long Total Eclipse Observed by Concorde
On June 30, 1973, a total solar eclipse occurred, lasting 7 minutes and 3 seconds. Observers aboard a Concorde aircraft extended totality to about 74 minutes by flying along the Moon's umbra path.
1997: Gravitational Shielding Effect Suggestion
In 1997, observations during a solar eclipse by Wang et al. suggested a possible gravitational shielding effect, sparking debate in the scientific community.
1999: Partial Eclipse Visible from Mir
In 1999, the partial phase of a total eclipse was visible from the Mir space station, providing a unique perspective of the event.
2002: Data Analysis of Gravitational Shielding Effect
In 2002, Wang and a collaborator published detailed data analysis, suggesting that the gravitational shielding phenomenon observed during the 1997 solar eclipse remains unexplained.
April 29, 2014: Last Umbral Non-Central Solar Eclipse
On April 29, 2014, the last umbral non-central solar eclipse occurred. This was an annular eclipse where part of the umbra intersected with Earth, but not its central line.
March 20, 2015: Impact on Power System
On March 20, 2015, a solar eclipse was estimated to have a significant impact on the power system. It was estimated that production would temporarily decrease by up to 34 GW compared to a clear sky day.
2023: Hybrid Eclipse
In 2023, a hybrid eclipse occurred, appearing as total near the midpoint and annular at the beginning and end due to Earth's curvature. The 2023 hybrid eclipse's totality lasted over a minute at various points.
April 9, 2043: Next Non-Central Total Solar Eclipse
On April 9, 2043, the next non-central total solar eclipse is expected to occur. This is a rare event where part of the umbra intersects with Earth, but not its central line, resulting in a total eclipse.
