A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Wednesday, February 15, 1961,[1] with a magnitude of 1.036. 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 about 21 hours after perigee (on February 14, 1961, at 11:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.[2]
Totality was visible from France, Monaco, Italy, San Marino, SFR Yugoslavia (parts now belonging to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo, North Macedonia), Albania, Bulgaria including the capital city Sofia, Romania including the capital city Bucharest, and the Soviet Union (parts now belonging to Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan). The maximum eclipse was recorded near Novocherkassk (Russian SFSR). A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Europe, North Africa, Northeast Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia.
A team from the University of Texas observed the total eclipse in Pisa, Italy, mostly studying the solar irradiance with a wavelength below 1 centimeter. At that time, coronagraphs had already allowed coronal observation in the visible light band so it could be observed at any time, not just during total solar eclipses, but instruments allowing millimeter-wave band observations were still lacking. Therefore, it was still necessary to make such observations during a total solar eclipse.[3] Arcetri Observatory in Florence, Italy also made observations.[4]
The crucifixion scene in the 1961 film Barabbas was shot during this eclipse.[5]
Shown below are two tables displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. The first table outlines times at which the moon's penumbra or umbra attains the specific parameter, and the second table describes various other parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[6]
| First Penumbral External Contact | 1961 February 15 at 06:09:22.0 UTC | |
| First Umbral External Contact | 1961 February 15 at 07:29:58.3 UTC | |
| First Central Line | 1961 February 15 at 07:31:35.6 UTC | |
| First Umbral Internal Contact | 1961 February 15 at 07:33:15.5 UTC | |
| Ecliptic Conjunction | 1961 February 15 at 08:10:53.4 UTC | |
| Greatest Duration | 1961 February 15 at 08:18:50.8 UTC | |
| Greatest Eclipse | 1961 February 15 at 08:19:48.3 UTC | |
| Equatorial Conjunction | 1961 February 15 at 08:43:06.4 UTC | |
| Last Umbral Internal Contact | 1961 February 15 at 09:06:05.1 UTC | |
| Last Central Line | 1961 February 15 at 09:07:44.1 UTC | |
| Last Umbral External Contact | 1961 February 15 at 09:09:20.5 UTC | |
| Last Penumbral External Contact | 1961 February 15 at 10:30:05.6 UTC |
| Eclipse Magnitude | 1.03604 | |
| Eclipse Obscuration | 1.07339 | |
| Gamma | 0.88302 | |
| Sun Right Ascension | 21h54m38.6s | |
| Sun Declination | -12°42'31.9" | |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'11.4" | |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.9" | |
| Moon Right Ascension | 21h53m44.3s | |
| Moon Declination | -11°50'22.7" | |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 16'38.8" | |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 1°01'05.5" | |
| ΔT | 33.6 s |
See also: Eclipse cycle. This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.