Solar eclipse of July 31, 1981
Introduction A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of the orbit on July 31, 1981.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. The continental path of totality fell entirely within the Soviet Union, belonging to Georgia, Kazakhstan and Russia today. The southern part of Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, also lies in the path of totality. Occurring only 3.8 days after perigee (Perigee on July 27, 1981), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger. With a path width of 107.8 km (66.984 mi, or 353,674.541 feet), this total solar eclipse had an average path.It was the 20th eclipse of the 145th Saros cycle, which began with a partial eclipse on January 4, 1639 and will conclude with a partial eclipse on April 17, 3009.The moon's apparent diameter was 7 arcseconds larger than the February 4, 1981 annular solar eclipse.
Related eclipses ===Eclipses in 1981===* A penumbral lunar eclipse on Tuesday, 20 January 1981. * An annular solar eclipse on Wednesday, 4 February 1981. * A partial lunar eclipse on Friday, 17 July 1981. * A total solar eclipse on Friday, 31 July 1981.===Solar eclipses of 1979–1982======Saros 145======Tritos series===Series members between 1901 and 2100150pxMarch 6, 1905(Saros 138)150pxFebruary 3, 1916(Saros 139)150pxJanuary 3, 1927(Saros 140)150pxDecember 2, 1937(Saros 141)150pxNovember 1, 1948(Saros 142)150pxOctober 2, 1959(Saros 143)150pxAugust 31, 1970(Saros 144)150pxJuly 31, 1981(Saros 145)150pxJune 30, 1992(Saros 146)150pxMay 31, 2003(Saros 147)150pxApril 29, 2014(Saros 148)150pxMarch 29, 2025(Saros 149)150pxFebruary 27, 2036(Saros 150)150pxJanuary 26, 2047(Saros 151)150pxDecember 26, 2057(Saros 152)150pxNovember 24, 2068(Saros 153)150pxOctober 24, 2079(Saros 154)150pxSeptember 23, 2090(Saros 155)===Metonic series===
References
External links *  Solar Corona Shape'''Photos:'''*  Prof. Druckmüller's eclipse photography site: Solar eclipse of July 31, 1981*  Prof. Druckmüller's eclipse photography site: Solar eclipse of July 31, 1981 (Fe XIV and Fe X images)