Solar eclipse of June 30, 1954

A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Wednesday, June 30, 1954, with a magnitude of 1.0357. 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. Occurring only 3.1 days after perigee (on June 27, 1954), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger. Totality lasted 2 minutes and 34.93 seconds, but at sunrise 1 minute and 8.6 seconds and at sunset 1 minute and 5.3 seconds. The moon's apparent diameter was larger, 1930.2 arc-seconds.

Visibility
Totality began at sunrise over the United States over Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and crossed into Canada, across southern Greenland, Iceland and Faroe Islands, then into Europe, across Norway, Sweden, and eastern Europe. It ended before sunset over Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and ending in northwestern India. The southwestern part of Vilnius, northeastern part of Kyiv, and southwestern part of Baku were covered by the path of totality.

The northeastern part of Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, also lay in the path of totality.

The eclipse was mostly seen on June 30, 1954, except for northeastern Soviet Union, where a partial eclipse started on June 30, passing midnight and ended on July 1 due to the midnight sun.



Observation
Within the United Kingdom, the path of totality only covered Shetland Islands in northern Scotland. However, the area was mostly clouded out during the eclipse, and there was even light rain in some places, so observation was not successful. About 400 scientists from around the world traveled to Sweden to observe the total eclipse. The Astronomy Department of Kiev State University, Soviet Union made observation in Kyiv and took ideal images of solar corona. The Sternberg Astronomical Institute made observation in Nevinnomyssk, Stavropol Krai.

In Wakefield, Massachusetts, U.S., the eclipse was blocked by heavy cloud cover from 6 to 8 a.m. local time, The Wakefield Daily Item reported.

Eclipses in 1954

 * An annular solar eclipse on January 5, 1954.
 * A total lunar eclipse on January 19, 1954.
 * A total solar eclipse on June 30, 1954.
 * A partial lunar eclipse on July 16, 1954.
 * An annular solar eclipse on December 25, 1954.

Metonic

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of September 12, 1950
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 19, 1958

Tzolkinex

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of May 20, 1947
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of August 11, 1961

Half-Saros

 * Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1945
 * Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 6, 1963

Tritos

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 1, 1943
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 30, 1965

Solar Saros 126

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of June 19, 1936
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of July 10, 1972

Inex

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of July 20, 1925
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of June 11, 1983

Triad

 * Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 29, 1867
 * Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 30, 2041