Local Circumstances Tables
Local circumstances for approximately 1460 cities, metropolitan areas and places in North
America, Europe, Africa and Asia are presented in
Tables
Tables 9 through 36. These tables give the local circumstances
at each contact and at maximum
eclipse7 for every location. The coordinates are listed along with the
location's elevation (meters) above sea-level, if known. If the elevation is unknown (i.e., not in the data base), then
the local circumstances for that location are calculated at sea-level. In any case, the elevation does not play
a significant role in the predictions unless the location is near the umbral path limits and the Sun's altitude
is relatively small (<10°). The Universal Time of each contact is given to a tenth of a second, along
with position angles P and V and the altitude of the Sun. The position angles identify the point along the
Sun's disk where each contact occurs and are measured counter-clockwise (i.e., eastward) from the north
and zenith points, respectively. Locations outside the umbral path miss the umbral eclipse and only witness
first and fourth contacts. The Universal Time of maximum eclipse (either partial or total) is listed to a tenth of
a second. Next, the position angles P and
V of the Moon's disk with respect to the Sun are given, followed
by the altitude and azimuth of the Sun at maximum eclipse. Finally, the corresponding eclipse magnitude
and obscuration are listed. For umbral eclipses (both annular and total), the eclipse magnitude is identical to
the topocentric ratio of the Moon's and Sun's apparent diameters. The eclipse magnitude is always less than
1 for annular eclipses and equal to or greater than 1 for total eclipses. The final column gives the duration
of totality if this location lies in the path of the Moon's umbral shadow. The effects of refraction have not
been included in these calculations, nor have there been any corrections for center of figure or the lunar
limb profile.
Locations were chosen based on general geographic distribution, population, and proximity to
the path. The primary source for geographic coordinates is
The New International Atlas (Rand McNally,
1991). Elevations for major cities were taken from
Climates of the World (U. S. Dept. of Commerce, 1972). In
this rapidly changing political world, it is often difficult to ascertain the correct name or spelling for a
given location. Therefore, the information presented here is for location purposes only and is not meant to
be authoritative. Furthermore, it does not imply recognition of status of any location by the United States
Government. Corrections to names, spellings, coordinates and elevations is solicited in order to update the
geographic data base for future eclipse predictions.
For countries in the path of totality, expanded versions of the local
circumstances tables listing many more locations are available via
a special web site of supplemental
material for the total solar eclipse of 1999. This site also has tables of
local circumstances for all astronomical observatories listed in the
Astronomical Almanac for 1996.
Next section
Table of Contents