Solar eclipse of January 22, 1879
Map
Type of eclipse
NatureAnnular
Gamma−0.1824
Magnitude0.97
Maximum eclipse
Duration183 sec (3 m 3 s)
Coordinates29°48′S 8°30′E / 29.8°S 8.5°E / -29.8; 8.5
Max. width of band110 km (68 mi)
Times (UTC)
Greatest eclipse11:53:08
References
Saros129 (44 of 80)
Catalog # (SE5000)9231

An annular solar eclipse occurred on January 22, 1879. 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. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometers wide. The path of totality crossed southern Africa.

Observations

On 22 January 1879, approximately 1,700 British soldiers and over 1,000 Zulu warriors were killed during the Zulu War in South Africa. At 2:29 PM there was a solar eclipse, and according to legend, this motivated the Zulus, who claimed that it was a sign that they would prevail.[1][2] The conflict was named the Battle of Isandlwana, the Zulu name for the battle translates as "the day of the dead moon".[3]

Notes

  1. ^ "The Battle of Isandlwana - The Zulu War".
  2. ^ "Zulus and British re-enact 1879 battle". Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  3. ^ Rattray, David (author) (1997). The Day of the Dead Moon (The Story of the Anglo-Zulu War 1879) (CD). GTV. ASIN B0010JC3ZU. audio.

References

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