Solar eclipse of July 20, 1963

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of orbit on Saturday, July 20, 1963, with a magnitude of 1.0224. 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 at least the same size as the Sun's or larger, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with a partial solar eclipse visible over the surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. Totality was visible from Hokkaido in Japan and Kuril Islands in Soviet Union (now belonging to Russia) on July 21, and Alaska, and Maine in the United States and also Canada on July 20. Astronomer Charles H. Smiley observed the eclipse from a U.S. Air Force F-104D Starfighter supersonic aircraft that was "racing the Moon's shadow" at 1,300 mph extending the duration of totality to 4 minutes 3 seconds. The Moon was 375,819 km (233,523 mi) from the Earth.

The Moon's apparent diameter was 4.8 arcseconds smaller than the January 25, 1963 annular solar eclipse. This was a total solar eclipse because it occurred in July when the Earth is near aphelion (furthest from the Sun). The Moon's apparent diameter was just over 2.2% larger than the Sun's.

Occurring about 4.1 days after perigee (on July 16, 1963), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.

Observations
Mamoru Mohri, Japanese scientist and former NASDA astronaut, who was 15 years old and living in Hokkaido at the time, said that seeing this total solar eclipse made him want to become a scientist.

Scientists from the Dominion Observatory, University of Oxford, National Research Council Canada and University of Saskatchewan flew a Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft to observe the total eclipse at 30000 ft above the Great Slave Lake area. Due to the lack of navigation system in the area, the plane had to fly directly from Ottawa to Fort Simpson and then back to Ottawa, taking about 13 hours in total. On July 20, thin clouds in the Great Slave Lake area expanded to an altitude of 40000 ft, so no results were got from optical observations, but the instruments installed on the aircraft still recorded data. In addition, wind speeds of nearly 100 knot also caused the aircraft to enter the Moon's umbra one minute ahead of schedule, west of the planned location. In addition, scientists from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada also made radio observations in Grand-Mère, Quebec.

In popular culture
The eclipse was featured in the comic strip Peanuts (July 15–20, 1963), with Linus demonstrating a safe way of observing the eclipse as opposed to looking directly at the eclipse. On the day the eclipse passed over his area, Linus was left helplessly standing in the rain with cloud cover entirely too thick to witness the eclipse.

This particular eclipse event plays an important part in two of Stephen King's novels, Gerald's Game (1992) and Dolores Claiborne (1992).

The eclipse is mentioned in passing in John Updike' s novel Couples (1968) in relation to Piet and Foxy.

The eclipse was featured in the season 3 episode of Mad Men entitled "Seven Twenty Three" (2009, S03E07).

Eclipses in 1963

 * A penumbral lunar eclipse on January 9, 1963.
 * An annular solar eclipse on January 25, 1963.
 * A partial lunar eclipse on July 6, 1963.
 * A total solar eclipse on July 20, 1963.
 * A total lunar eclipse on December 30, 1963.

Metonic

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 2, 1959
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 9, 1967

Tzolkinex

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of June 8, 1956
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of August 31, 1970

Half-Saros

 * Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 1954
 * Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1972

Tritos

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 20, 1952
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 20, 1974

Solar Saros 145

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 9, 1945
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 31, 1981

Inex

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 10, 1934
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 30, 1992

Triad

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of September 17, 1876
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 20, 2050

Inex series
In the 19th century:
 * Solar saros 140: total solar eclipse of October 29, 1818
 * Solar saros 141: annular solar eclipse of October 9, 1847
 * Solar saros 142: total solar eclipse of September 17, 1876

In the 22nd century:
 * Solar saros 150: partial solar eclipse of April 11, 2108
 * Solar saros 151: annular solar eclipse of March 21, 2137
 * Solar saros 152: total solar eclipse of March 2, 2166
 * Solar saros 153: annular solar eclipse of February 10, 2195