Annular solar eclipse of May 20, 2012

Annular eclipse

Key facts

Date
May 20, 2012
Type
Annular eclipse
Duration of annularity at eclipse maximum Duration of the annular phase at the point of greatest eclipse.
5 min 46 s
Global eclipse maximum
at 23:53 UTC UTC (Coordinated Universal Time): the worldwide time standard, independent of local time zones and daylight saving time.
Coordinates of greatest eclipse
49.1° N – 176.3° E
Path width at maximum
about 237 km
Saros series Number of the Saros series to which the eclipse belongs: similar eclipses recur about every 18 years and 11 days, with a comparable type and path, though not over the same locations each time.
128
Visibility map — Annular eclipse on May 20, 2012

Choose a location anywhere on Earth to see if the eclipse will be visible, check local times, and watch it unfold in an animation.

Explore the eclipse

The path of annularity runs from China across East Asia and the Pacific to the United States. Along it, a ring of sunlight remains visible for about 5 minutes 46 seconds at maximum. A partial solar eclipse spans a wider area of East Asia and North America.

Path of annularity

Regions
China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, United States
Example destinations
ChinaHong KongMacauTaiwanJapanUnited States
Example locations
GuangzhouXiamenHong KongMacauTaipeiTokyoKyotoOsakaReddingAlbuquerqueSanta Fe

To look at the Sun: wear eclipse glasses throughout the eclipse — the ring of fire remains dangerous.

GuangzhouChina

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
Sun not yet risen
Sunrise
Mon, May 21
Sun’s centre on the horizon
Annularity — start
Mon, May 21
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Mon, May 21
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

XiamenChina

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
Sun not yet risen
Sunrise
Mon, May 21
Sun’s centre on the horizon
Annularity — start
Mon, May 21
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Mon, May 21
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

Hong KongHong Kong

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
Sun not yet risen
Sunrise
Mon, May 21
Sun’s centre on the horizon
Annularity — start
Mon, May 21
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Mon, May 21
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

MacauMacau

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
Sun not yet risen
Sunrise
Mon, May 21
Sun’s centre on the horizon
Annularity — start
Mon, May 21
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Mon, May 21
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

TaipeiTaiwan

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
Sun not yet risen
Sunrise
Mon, May 21
Sun’s centre on the horizon
Annularity — start
Mon, May 21
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Mon, May 21
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

TokyoJapan

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Annularity — start
Mon, May 21
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Mon, May 21
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

KyotoJapan

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Annularity — start
Mon, May 21
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Mon, May 21
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

OsakaJapan

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Annularity — start
Mon, May 21
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Mon, May 21
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

ReddingUnited States

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Sun, May 20
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Annularity — start
Sun, May 20
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Sun, May 20
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Sun, May 20
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Partial — end
Sun, May 20
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

AlbuquerqueUnited States

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Sun, May 20
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Annularity — start
Sun, May 20
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Sun, May 20
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Sun, May 20
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Sunset
Sun, May 20
Sun’s centre on the horizon
Partial — end
Sun, May 20
Sun has set

Santa FeUnited States

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Sun, May 20
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Annularity — start
Sun, May 20
Only a ring of sunlight remains
Maximum
Sun, May 20
Maximum obscuration
Annularity — end
Sun, May 20
The ring of sunlight is no longer complete
Sunset
Sun, May 20
Sun’s centre on the horizon
Partial — end
Sun, May 20
Sun has set

Areas with a partial eclipse

Regions
China, South Korea, United States, Canada, Japan
Example destinations
ChinaSouth KoreaUnited StatesCanadaJapan
Example locations
ShanghaiBusanSan FranciscoLos AngelesPortlandVancouverHiroshima

To look at the Sun: eclipse glasses for the whole eclipse.

ShanghaiChina

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Sunrise
Mon, May 21
Sun’s centre on the horizon
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

BusanSouth Korea

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

San FranciscoUnited States

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Sun, May 20
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Maximum
Sun, May 20
Maximum obscuration
Partial — end
Sun, May 20
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

Los AngelesUnited States

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Sun, May 20
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Maximum
Sun, May 20
Maximum obscuration
Partial — end
Sun, May 20
The Moon no longer covers the Sun
Sunset
Sun, May 20
Sun’s centre on the horizon

PortlandUnited States

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Sun, May 20
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Maximum
Sun, May 20
Maximum obscuration
Partial — end
Sun, May 20
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

VancouverCanada

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Sun, May 20
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Maximum
Sun, May 20
Maximum obscuration
Partial — end
Sun, May 20
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

HiroshimaJapan

View the eclipse
Key moment Local time Obscuration Comment
Partial — start
Mon, May 21
The Moon starts covering the Sun
Maximum
Mon, May 21
Maximum obscuration
Partial — end
Mon, May 21
The Moon no longer covers the Sun

Watch a solar eclipse safely

To look directly at the Sun, use eclipse glasses that conform to ISO 12312-2 and are in good condition. Ordinary sunglasses do not provide enough protection.

You may look at the Sun without glasses only during totality at your observing location, when its disc is completely covered by the Moon. Put them back on as soon as the Sun begins to reappear. During a partial or annular eclipse, eclipse glasses remain necessary for any direct viewing.

Do not use binoculars, a telescope, a camera, or any other optical instrument unless it is fitted with a suitable solar filter placed in front of the optics. Eclipse glasses are not sufficient in this case.

The information and times shown are provided for guidance only. Each observer must check local conditions and follow the applicable safety guidelines.

Web app by Gilles PFOTZER · v3.1.4

Buy me a coffee — it helps me keep going

Calculations and simulation based on the Besselian elements of Fred Espenak (NASA/GSFC)

PartirOu.com Terms of use Legal notice