Solar eclipse of July 20, 1963
Introduction A total solar eclipse occurred on July 20, 1963.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 at least the same size as the Sun's or larger, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with a partial solar eclipse visible over the surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. Totality was visible from Hokkaido in Japan and Kuril Islands in Soviet Union (now belonging to Russia) on July 21, and Alaska, and Maine in the United States and also Canada on July 20.Astronomer Charles H. Smiley observed the eclipse from a U.S. Air Force F-104D Starfighter supersonic aircraft that was "racing the moon's shadow" at  extending the duration of totality to 4 minutes 3 seconds. The moon was 375,819 km (233,523 mi) from the Earth.The moon's apparent diameter was 4.8 arcseconds smaller than the January 25, 1963 annular solar eclipse. This was a total solar eclipse because it occurred in July when the earth is near aphelion (furthest from the Sun). The moon's apparent diameter was just over 2.2% larger than the Sun's.Occurring about 4.1 days after perigee (Perigee on July 16, 1963), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
In popular culture The eclipse was featured in the comic strip ''Peanuts'' (July 15–20, 1963), with Linus demonstrating a safe way of observing the eclipse as opposed to looking directly at the eclipse. On the day the eclipse passed over his area, Linus was left helplessly standing in the rain with cloud cover entirely too thick to witness the eclipse.This particular eclipse event plays an important part in two of Stephen King's novels, ''Gerald's Game'' (1992) and ''Dolores Claiborne'' (1992).The eclipse is mentioned in passing in John Updike' s novel Couples (1968) in relation to Piet and Foxy. The eclipse was featured in the season 3 episode of ''Mad Men'' entitled "Seven Twenty Three" (2009, S03E07).
Related eclipses === Tzolkinex ===* Preceded: Solar eclipse of June 8, 1956* Followed: Solar eclipse of August 31, 1970=== Sar (Half-Saros), Lunar Saros 138 ===* Preceded: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 1954* Followed: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1972=== Tritos ===* Preceded: Solar eclipse of August 20, 1952* Followed: Solar eclipse of June 20, 1974=== Solar Saros 145 ===* Preceded: Solar eclipse of July 9, 1945* Followed: Solar eclipse of July 31, 1981=== Inex ===* Preceded: Solar eclipse of August 10, 1934* Followed: Solar eclipse of June 30, 1992=== Solar eclipses of 1961–1964====== Saros 145====== Inex series ===In the 19th century:* Solar saros 140: total solar eclipse of October 29, 1818* Solar saros 141: annular solar eclipse of October 9, 1847* Solar saros 142: total solar eclipse of September 17, 1876 Inex series members between 1901 and 2100:150pxAugust 30, 1905(Saros 143)150pxAugust 10, 1934(Saros 144)150pxJuly 20, 1963(Saros 145)150pxJune 30, 1992(Saros 146)150pxJune 10, 2021(Saros 147)150pxMay 20, 2050(Saros 148)150pxMay 1, 2079(Saros 149)In the 22nd century:* Solar saros 150: partial solar eclipse of April 11, 2108* Solar saros 151: annular solar eclipse of March 21, 2137* Solar saros 152: total solar eclipse of March 2, 2166* Solar saros 153: annular solar eclipse of February 10, 2195=== Metonic series ===22 eclipse events between December 13, 1898 and July 20, 1982December 13–14October 1–2July 20–21May 9February 24–25111113115117119150pxDecember 13, 1898150pxJuly 21, 1906150pxMay 9, 1910150pxFebruary 25, 1914121123125127129150pxDecember 14, 1917150pxOctober 1, 1921150pxJuly 20, 1925150pxMay 9, 1929150pxFebruary 24, 1933131133135137139150pxDecember 13, 1936150pxOctober 1, 1940150pxJuly 20, 1944150pxMay 9, 1948150pxFebruary 25, 1952141143145147149150pxDecember 14, 1955150pxOctober 2, 1959150pxJuly 20, 1963150pxMay 9, 1967150pxFebruary 25, 1971151153155150pxDecember 13, 1974150pxOctober 2, 1978150pxJuly 20, 1982
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