View source for Solar eclipse of December 4, 2002

{{Short description|Total eclipse}}
{{Infobox solar eclipse|2002Dec04
| previous         = Solar eclipse of June 10, 2002
| next             = Solar eclipse of May 31, 2003
}}
A total [[solar eclipse]] occurred at the Moon's [[Lunar node|descending node]] of orbit on Wednesday, December 4, 2002,<ref>{{cite web|title=December 4, 2002 Total Solar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2002-december-4|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref><ref name="NewsPr20021205p3">{{Cite news
  | url         = https://newspapers.com/article/news-press-total-solar-eclipse-magnific/134036623/
  | date        = 2002-12-05
  | page        = 3
  | title       = Total solar eclipse 'magnificent'
  | newspaper   = News-Press
  | location    =
  | via         = Newspapers.com
  | access-date = 2023-10-25
}}</ref><!-- Thu --><ref name="Newsan20021205p9">{{Cite news
  | url         = https://newspapers.com/article/news-and-record-solar-eclipse-bedazzles/134036637/
  | date        = 2002-12-05
  | page        = 9
  | title       = Solar eclipse bedazzles southern Africa crowds
  | newspaper   = News and Record
  | location    =
  | via         = Newspapers.com
  | access-date = 2023-10-25
}}</ref><!-- Thu --> with a [[Magnitude of eclipse|magnitude]] of 1.0244. 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 about 1.9 days after [[Apsis|perigee]] (on December 2, 2002, at 8:50 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.<ref>{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=2002&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>

The eclipse was visible from a narrow corridor in parts of [[Angola]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[Mozambique]], the [[Indian Ocean]] and [[South Australia]]. A [[Solar eclipse|partial eclipse]] was seen from the much broader path of the [[Moon]]'s [[penumbra]], including most of [[Africa]] and [[Australia]] in addition to parts of [[Indonesia]] and [[Antarctica]]. During the [[sunset]] after the eclipse many observers in Australia saw numerous and unusual forms of a [[green flash]].<ref name="lits">{{cite book |title=Lights in the Sky: Identifying and Understanding Astronomical and Meteorological Phenomena |last=Maunder |first=Michael |year=2007 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1846287619 |page=116 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kqv5G6O1rFUC |access-date=28 September 2013}}</ref>

In some parts of [[Angola]], it was the second total eclipse of the Sun within 18 months, following the [[solar eclipse of June 21, 2001]].

== Observations ==
The [[Chinese Academy of Sciences]] sent a team to Australia, to study the gravity anomalies<ref>{{cite web|title=今澳洲可观测到日全食 中国科学家捕捉"微重力"|author=Xue Hui|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/st/2002-12/05/content_650143.htm|work=Beijing Morning Post|publisher=[[Xinhua News Agency]]|date=5 December 2002|language=zh|archive-date=25 December 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021225164257/http://news.xinhuanet.com/st/2002-12/05/content_650143.htm}}</ref> first recorded by Indian scientists during the total [[solar eclipse of October 24, 1995]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Chai Shikuan, Xiong Sihao|title=中科院日全食观测队获得高质量观测数据|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/st/2001-06/25/content_12093.htm|publisher=[[Xinhua News Agency]]|date=25 June 2001|language=zh|archive-date=2003-11-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031103035417/http://news.xinhuanet.com/st/2001-06/25/content_12093.htm}}</ref> The Chinese Academy of Sciences also studied it during previous total solar eclipses of  [[solar eclipse of March 9, 1997|March 9, 1997]] in [[Mohe City|Mohe County]] and [[solar eclipse of June 21, 2001|June 21, 2001]] in [[Zambia]]. With continuous observation for more than 10 years after that, China obtained the first observational evidence that the [[gravity field]] propagates at the [[speed of light]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Sun Zifa|title=中国科学家全球首获引力场以光速传播的观测证据|url=http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2012/12-26/4440750.shtml|publisher=[[China News Service]]|date=26 December 2012|language=zh|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924042415/http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2012/12-26/4440750.shtml}}</ref>

==Images==
[[File:SE2002Dec04T.gif]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Loki at the Eclipse (2729814719).jpg|Via eclipse glasses in [[Ceduna, South Australia]]
</gallery>

== Eclipse details ==
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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Solar Eclipse of 2002 Dec 04|url=https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/2001-2100/SE2002Dec04Tprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" align="{{{align|left}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|left|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"
|+December 4, 2002 Solar Eclipse Times
! Event
! Time (UTC)
|-
| First Penumbral External Contact
| 2002 December 4 at 04:52:27.3 UTC
|-
| First Umbral External Contact
| 2002 December 4 at 05:51:24.0 UTC
|-
| First Central Line
| 2002 December 4 at 05:51:38.6 UTC
|-
| First Umbral Internal Contact
| 2002 December 4 at 05:51:53.2 UTC
|-
| First Penumbral Internal Contact
| 2002 December 4 at 06:56:18.4 UTC
|-
| Greatest Eclipse
| 2002 December 4 at 07:32:15.7 UTC
|-
| Greatest Duration
| 2002 December 4 at 07:33:01.0 UTC
|-
| Ecliptic Conjunction
| 2002 December 4 at 07:35:26.3 UTC
|-
| Equatorial Conjunction
| 2002 December 4 at 07:39:48.9 UTC
|-
| Last Penumbral Internal Contact
| 2002 December 4 at 08:08:01.3 UTC
|-
| Last Umbral Internal Contact
| 2002 December 4 at 09:12:35.9 UTC
|-
| Last Central Line
| 2002 December 4 at 09:12:48.5 UTC
|-
| Last Umbral External Contact
| 2002 December 4 at 09:13:01.0 UTC
|-
| Last Penumbral External Contact
| 2002 December 4 at 10:12:05.5 UTC
|}

{|class="wikitable" align="{{{align|right}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|right|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"
|+December 4, 2002 Solar Eclipse Parameters
! Parameter
! Value
|-
| Eclipse Magnitude
| 1.02437
|-
| Eclipse Obscuration
| 1.04934
|-
| Gamma
| −0.30204
|-
| Sun Right Ascension
| 16h41m50.9s
|-
| Sun Declination
| -22°13'29.2"
|-
| Sun Semi-Diameter
| 16'13.6"
|-
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 08.9"
|-
| Moon Right Ascension
| 16h41m32.9s
|-
| Moon Declination
| -22°31'05.2"
|-
| Moon Semi-Diameter
| 16'21.5"
|-
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 1°00'02.3"
|-
| ΔT
| 64.4 s
|}
{{clear}}

== Eclipse season ==
{{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]].

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Eclipse season of November–December 2002
! [[November 2002 lunar eclipse|November 20]]<br/>Ascending node (full moon)<br/> !! December 4<br/>Descending node (new moon)<br/>
|-
| [[File:Lunar eclipse chart close-2002Nov20.png|200px]] || [[File:SE2002Dec04T.png|200px]]
|- align=center
| [[Lunar eclipse#Types of lunar eclipse|Penumbral lunar eclipse]]<br />Lunar Saros 116 || [[Total eclipse#Types|Total solar eclipse]]<br />Solar Saros 142
|}

== Related eclipses ==
=== Eclipses in 2002 ===
* [[May 2002 lunar eclipse|A penumbral lunar eclipse on May 26]].
* [[Solar eclipse of June 10, 2002|An annular solar eclipse on June 10]].
* [[June 2002 lunar eclipse|A penumbral lunar eclipse on June 24]].
* [[November 2002 lunar eclipse|A penumbral lunar eclipse on November 20]].
* '''A total solar eclipse on December 4.'''

=== Metonic ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of February 16, 1999]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of September 22, 2006]]

=== Tzolkinex ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of October 24, 1995]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of January 15, 2010]]

=== Half-Saros ===
* Preceded by: [[November 1993 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1993]]
* Followed by: [[December 2011 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of December 10, 2011]]

=== Tritos ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of January 4, 1992]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of November 3, 2013]]

=== Solar Saros 142 ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of November 22, 1984]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of December 14, 2020]]

=== Inex ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of December 24, 1973]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of November 14, 2031]]

=== Triad ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of February 3, 1916]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of October 4, 2089]]

=== Solar eclipses of 2000–2003 ===
{{Solar eclipse set 2000–2003}}

=== Saros 142 ===
{{Solar Saros series 142}}

=== Metonic series ===
{{Solar Metonic series 1953–2029}}

=== Tritos series ===
{{Solar Tritos series 2002 December 4}}

=== Inex series ===
{{Solar Inex series 2002 December 4}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* [[Fred Espenak]] and Jay Anderson. "''[https://web.archive.org/web/20060106145730/http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/TSE2002/TSE2002.html Total Solar Eclipse of 2002 December 4]''". [[NASA]], November 2004.
{{Solar eclipse NASA reference|2001/SE2002Dec04T|20021204}}
* [http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/xSE_GoogleMapFull.php?Ecl=+20021204&Acc=2&Umb=1&Lmt=1&Mag=0 Google Map]

'''Photos:'''
* [http://spaceweather.com/eclipses/gallery_04dec02.htm Spaceweather.com: Dec. 4, 2002, Solar Eclipse Gallery] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20021217021401/http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/eclipses/gallery_04dec02.htm]
* [http://www.zam.fme.vutbr.cz/~druck/Eclipse/Ecl2002a/0-info.htm Prof. Druckmüller's eclipse photography site. Australia]
* [http://www.zam.fme.vutbr.cz/~druck/Eclipse/Ecl2002m/0-info.htm Prof. Druckmüller's eclipse photography site. South Africa and Mozambique]
* [http://www.krysstal.com/ec2002.html KryssTal - Eclipse from Botswana].
* [http://cmhas.wikispaces.com/ECLIPSE_Australia Images from Australia by Crayford Manor House Astronomical Society ] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130209071136/http://cmhas.wikispaces.com/ECLIPSE_Australia |date=2013-02-09 }}
* ''[http://oiswww.eumetsat.org/WEBOPS/iotm/iotm/20021204_eclipse/eclipse_04122002_animation.html Total Solar Eclipse of 4 December 2002 seen in EUMETSAT satellite imagery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206045051/http://oiswww.eumetsat.org/WEBOPS/iotm/iotm/20021204_eclipse/eclipse_04122002_animation.html |date=6 February 2012 }}''.
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap021206.html Zimbabwe Solar Eclipse], [[APOD]] 12/6/2002, Corona from Zimbabwe-South Africa border
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap021213.html The Crown of the Sun], [[APOD]] 12/13/2002, Corona of total eclipse from [[Musina]], South Africa
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030106.html Shadow Cone of a Total Solar Eclipse], [[APOD]] 1/6/2003, totality from South Australia

{{Solar eclipses}}
{{Commons category|Solar eclipse of 2002 December 4}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Solar Eclipse Of December 4, 2002}}
[[Category:Total solar eclipses|2002 12 04]]
[[Category:2002 in science]]
[[Category:21st-century solar eclipses|2002 12 04]]
[[Category:December 2002]]
[[Category:2002 in Angola]]
[[Category:2002 in Zambia]]
[[Category:2002 in Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:2002 in Botswana]]
[[Category:2002 in Mozambique]]
[[Category:2002 in South Africa]]
[[Category:December 2002 in Australia]]