Annular Solar Eclipse- full details – Sunday 26th February 2017 (and deciphering scientific diagram)

As you know we’ve already had the penumbral Lunar Eclipse a week and a half ago, and the counterpart .. the Solar Eclipse will be occurring in a few days(Eclipses always occur in pairs, separated by 2 weeks).

I’ve downloaded the detailed Eclipse-diagram of visibility / location data from NASA website (Eclipse diagram/data (c) Fred Espenak – link at the bottom).

Ring of Fire & Diamond ring :

: photo credit- wikipedia. Annular Eclipse – Nevada- 20th May 2012 by user smrgeoh

Annular Solar Eclipse is when the Moon eclipses the Sun (as viewed from Earth by us).. but moon does not fully cover the Sun. So at the greatest Eclipse, the Moon covers the central disc of the Sun..but there is a ring of Sun showing around it – the so called Ring of Fire. During the progress of this Eclipse (while its getting into the `greatest Eclipse’ position slowly..and also afterwards, there is also an effect called the Diamond Ring .. that can be seen on the edges of the moon.. (called Baily’s Beads- caused by light shining through valleys on the Moon’s surface).

Annular Solar Eclipse (26Feb2017) Details:

How long is this Eclipse?

Important point to remember is that, at any one location on the Earth, the actual Solar Eclipse is only visible for few minutes at most. BUT it will be seen at different parts of the world at various times.. and at each part ..for slightly different duration.

Maximum Eclipse duration:

This happens around 13:16hrs UT, and for a duration of 1 min 22 seconds.. and will be visible only for those at South pacific ocean…off the coast of Chile! (Note: Although the Sun is Eclipsed for the longest at this point, it is not covered the most amount at this point. That happens later..but for a shorter duration).

Greatest Eclipse and its duration:

This is when the largest amount of the Sun is covered by the Moon.. and takes place at 14:53 hrs (Universal Time), and will be visible for 44 seconds, from a point in South Atlantic Ocean. (note: sometimes the Greatest Eclipse happens for lesser duration).

Penumbral start & end of Eclipse:

There are two types of shadows formed by the Moon when it comes in front of the Sun.. ie the shadow that Earth Passes through. Umbral shadow is the darkest part, where from under it, we see nothing of the Sun. Penumbral shadow is a more lighter part, and we will see the Sun through it..

P1 : The Penumbral part of the eclipse will be first visible at 12:10hrs UT (seen from South pacific ocean…off the coast of Chile as Sun rises for them locally).
P4: The penumbral part of the Eclipse will be last visible at 17:36 hrs UT (seen from Africa – Zambia/ Botswana – before night falls locally there)

The Umbral Eclipse data:

This is when the Sun is actually visibly blocked by a dark disc (Moon coming between us and the Sun). In scientific notations, we give this 4 sets of readings.. when it first starts (first contact/ start of Umbral Eclipse; 2nd contact; when Eclipse begins to end; when final umbral eclipse fully ends.

U1 : 13:15 hrs UT
U2 : 13:16 hrs UT
Greatest Eclipse : 14:53 hrs UT
U3 : 16:30 hrs UT
U4 : 16:31 hrs UT

Here are the NASA diagrams created/provided by Fred Espanak, where all this data has been taken from:

Below, for those interested in scientific notations and wanting to learn, is an annotated diagram showing sections where the Eclipse Data can be obtained. All annotations (c) Mani Navasothy) .

I’ll be adding a general astrological chart (drawn for the moment of greatest Eclipse and it’s location) later. (going to take a bit of work) .

-Mani Navasothy

ps. If you are interested in doing Esoteric / ritual magical work / energy work, during the Eclipses, I have written a workbook (probably the world’s first book on Eclipse Magic). here’s the link to buying it.