1986HSE

1986 October 3
Hybrid/Annular Solar Eclipse

The 1986 eclipse is unusual, with some debate as to whether it was total or annular. NASA’s eclipse site treats the eclipse as a hybrid (i.e., both annular and total), but the duration of totality is zero seconds. Xavier Jubier’s more recent recalculation, which accounts for the effects of the lunar profile, indicates that the eclipse was annular, though extremely deep. The few observers, flying in an aircraft between Greenland and Iceland, were not quite at the central point during the eclipse, but their photos are spectacular.

Map of the track of the 1986 October 3 annular eclipse.
Global map of the annular eclipse track

Animation of the passage of the lunar shadow created in WinEclipse, a program developed by the late Heinz Scsibrany.

A view of the lunar shadow from GOES 6. Image: NASA.

 

An enlargement of the eclipse shadow from GOES 6. Image: NASA

Animation of the passing of the eclipse shadow as seen from GOES 6. Images: NASA

Updated December 2020

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