Solar eclipse of February 4, 1943

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit between Thursday, February 4 and Friday, February 5, 1943, with a magnitude of 1.0331. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. It began on the morning on February 5 (Friday) over northeastern China (then occupied by Manchukuo), Primorsky Krai in the Soviet Union (now Russia), Hokkaido and southern Kunashir Island in Japan (Kunashir now belonging to Russia) and ended at sunset on February 4 (Thursday) over Alaska and Yukon in Canada.

Observations
In China, the eclipse occurred on February 5, the exact date of the Lunar New Year. However it was during the Second Sino-Japanese War and all the areas within the path of totality which is now in China were then under the control of Manchukuo, a Japanese puppet state. Chinese scientists did not make any observation for scientific purposes. A short report with the title "Tokyo total solar eclipse" was published in Kuomintang's official newspaper Central Daily News. Actually, Tokyo was out of the path of totality and only a partial eclipse was visible.

The Japanese headquarters of the International Latitude Observatory, the predecessor of the Mizusawa VLBI Observatory of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan in Mizusawa, Iwate (now part of the city of Ōshū) sent an observation team to Kushiro, Hokkaido. Seiichi Oikawa, a member of the team, took photos of the total eclipse. In Kushiro the weather conditions were good and the solar eclipse began at 6:46 am, 11 minutes after sunrise. About 1 hour and 5 minutes later, the sun was completely covered by the moon and the totality phase was seen for less than 2 minutes.

In the Territory of Alaska (now the state of Alaska), a total eclipse was visible from cities including Seward, Valdez and Kodiac. Alaska's largest city, Anchorage was located near the northern edge of the path of totality. A total eclipse was visible in the southeastern part of the city. The University of Alaska held a conference on February 4, the exact day of the eclipse, to explain in-depth information on the eclipse.

Eclipses in 1943

 * A total solar eclipse on February 4, 1943.
 * A partial lunar eclipse on February 20, 1943.
 * An annular solar eclipse on August 1, 1943.
 * A partial lunar eclipse on August 15, 1943.

Metonic

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 19, 1939
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of November 23, 1946

Tzolkinex

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of December 25, 1935
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 18, 1950

Half-Saros

 * Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1934
 * Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 11, 1952

Tritos

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 7, 1932
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of January 5, 1954

Solar Saros 120

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of January 24, 1925
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of February 15, 1961

Inex

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of February 25, 1914
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of January 16, 1972

Triad

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 5, 1856
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of December 5, 2029