Annular Solar Eclipse 2010

Simulation showing the annular solar eclipse to take place 15 January 2010
as viewable from Male', Maldives.


The Annular Solar Eclipse of January 15, 2010 - the 23rd out of possible 70 eclipses in the Saros Cycle 141 - was visible across most parts of Africa, Eastern Europe, West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, China and South East Asia.

The maximum duration of annularity was 11 min 08 s on the Indian Ocean - made it the longest Annular Eclipse of the 3rd Millennium ! This would only be surpassed in the year 3043 !!

The Annular phase of the Eclipse (when the Moon would be seen to be totally inside the Sun's disk, giving the appearance of a Ring of Fire) probably had seen by over 100 million people in a track roughly of 300 km width extending across Central Africa, South India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Burma and parts of east China !

Generally, upto 5 Solar Eclipses (Total, Annular and Partial) can be seen in some part of the world every year. In a particular location, partial eclipses can be seen within a gap of a few years; in some cases - even within a gap of only a few months. However - Total and Annular eclipses will take much longer time to return to the same place.

The last Total Solar Eclipse seen in Tamil Nadu was on December 12, 1871. The last to be seen in Sri Lanka was on June 20, 1955.

The next Total Solar Eclipse that could be seen in Tamil Nadu would be on July 5, 2168 !

The last Annular Eclipse seen in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka was on November 11, 1901 (also belonging to the Saros Cycle 141) - over 100 years ago !

The next Annular Eclipse that could be seen in Tamil Nadu would be on December 26, 2019 !