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December 24, 1973 Annular Solar Eclipse

This eclipse was visible in Columbus - go to local timings and animation

What the Eclipse Looked Like Near the Maximum Point

The animation shows what the eclipse approximately looked like near the maximum point. The curvature of the Moon's path is due to the Earth's rotation.

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Where the Eclipse Was Seen

Try our new interactive eclipse maps. Zoom in and search for accurate eclipse times and visualizations for any location.


Path of the Eclipse Shadow

Regions that saw, at least, a partial eclipse: South/West Europe, North/West Africa, Much of North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic.

Expand for a list of selected cities where the annular eclipse was visible
Expand for a list of selected cities where the partial eclipse was visible

This eclipse was visible in Columbus - go to local timings and animation

Eclipse Shadow Path

Portion of Sun covered by the Moon (Eclipse obscuration)

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The dark areas symbolize night and twilight.

When the Eclipse Happened Worldwide — Timeline

The eclipse started at one location and ended at another. The times below are actual times (in UTC) when the eclipse occurred. This calculation uses a Delta T value of 44.5 seconds.

Eclipse Stages WorldwideUTC TimeLocal Time in Columbus*
First location to see the partial eclipse beginDec 24 at 12:01:06Dec 24 at 7:01:06 am
First location to see the full eclipse beginDec 24 at 13:10:00Dec 24 at 8:10:00 am
Maximum EclipseDec 24 at 15:01:59Dec 24 at 10:01:59 am
Last location to see the full eclipse endDec 24 at 16:53:53Dec 24 at 11:53:53 am
Last location to see the partial eclipse endDec 24 at 18:02:54Dec 24 at 1:02:54 pm

* These local times do not refer to a specific location but indicate the beginning, peak, and end of the eclipse on a global scale, each line referring to a different location. Please note that the local times for Columbus are meant as a guideline in case you want to view the eclipse via a live webcam. See the actual times the eclipse is visible in Columbus.

Upcoming eclipses visible in Columbus

Next Annular Solar Eclipse will be on Apr 29, 1976

Eclipse calculations usually accurate to a few seconds

Countries Where the Eclipse Is Visible

CountryTypeStartEndAnnularity Duration
Algeria
Annular Solar Eclipse
2:15 pm WAT4:47 pm WAT9m, 19s
Brazil
Annular Solar Eclipse
7:08 am COT2:43 pm BRT1h, 21m, 8s
Cabo Verde
Annular Solar Eclipse
12:31 pm CVT3:59 pm CVT10m, 6s
Colombia
Annular Solar Eclipse
7:02 am COT11:04 am COT32m, 9s
Costa Rica
Annular Solar Eclipse
6:01 am CST10:07 am EST11m
Guyana
Annular Solar Eclipse
8:20 am VET12:47 pm AMT15m, 53s
Mali
Annular Solar Eclipse
3:07 pm GMT6:01 pm GMT8m, 42s
Mauritania
Annular Solar Eclipse
2:56 pm GMT6:02 pm GMT16m, 44s
Mexico
Annular Solar Eclipse
6:18 am CST8:57 am CST6m, 16s
Nicaragua
Annular Solar Eclipse
7:01 am 10:07 am 2m, 54s
Panama
Annular Solar Eclipse
6:01 am CST10:24 am COT14m, 32s
Suriname
Annular Solar Eclipse
8:41 am GYT1:28 pm 2m, 35s
Venezuela
Annular Solar Eclipse
7:06 am COT12:50 pm GYT22m, 22s
Western Sahara
Annular Solar Eclipse
1:57 pm WAT5:02 pm WAT7m, 28s
Andorra
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:24 pm CET5:24 pm CET---
Anguilla
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:31 am AST12:15 pm AST---
Antigua and Barbuda
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:31 am AST12:22 pm AST---
Argentina
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:48 am BOT12:47 pm ART---
Aruba
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:12 am AST11:50 am AST---
Austria
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:25 pm CET4:32 pm CET---
Barbados
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:31 am AST12:35 pm AST---
Belgium
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:22 pm CET4:44 pm CET---
Belize
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:17 am 9:55 am ---
Benin
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:36 pm GMT5:46 pm GMT---
Bermuda
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:03 am AST11:48 am AST---
Bolivia
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:20 am PET12:09 pm AMT---
British Virgin Islands
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:29 am AST12:09 pm AST---
Burkina Faso
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:23 pm GMT5:58 pm GMT---
Cameroon
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:52 pm WAT6:21 pm WAT---
Canada
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:58 am EST12:27 pm NST---
Caribbean Netherlands
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:14 am AST12:16 pm AST---
Cayman Islands
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:09 am EST10:13 am EST---
Central African Republic
Partial Solar Eclipse
5:02 pm WAT5:56 pm WAT---
Chad
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:43 pm WAT5:50 pm WAT---
Chile
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:34 am PET12:27 pm CLST---
Congo
Partial Solar Eclipse
5:09 pm WAT6:10 pm WAT---
Congo Democratic Republic
Partial Solar Eclipse
5:12 pm WAT5:59 pm WAT---
Cote d'Ivoire
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:17 pm GMT5:57 pm GMT---
Cuba
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:11 am CST10:30 am CST---
Curaçao
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:13 am AST11:55 am AST---
Dominica
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:30 am AST12:25 pm AST---
Dominican Republic
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:46 am 11:22 am ---
Ecuador
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:03 am ECT10:29 am PET---
El Salvador
Partial Solar Eclipse
6:09 am CST8:55 am CST---
Equatorial Guinea
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:58 pm WAT6:24 pm WAT---
France
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:19 pm CET5:34 pm CET---
French Guiana
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:32 am GFT2:05 pm GFT---
Gabon
Partial Solar Eclipse
5:05 pm WAT6:25 pm WAT---
Gambia
Partial Solar Eclipse
2:54 pm GMT6:00 pm GMT---
Germany
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:22 pm CET4:38 pm CET---
Ghana
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:28 pm GMT5:55 pm GMT---
Gibraltar
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:20 pm CET6:12 pm CET---
Greenland
Partial Solar Eclipse
12:04 pm WGT12:55 pm WGT---
Grenada
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:25 am AST12:26 pm AST---
Guadeloupe
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:31 am AST12:25 pm AST---
Guatemala
Partial Solar Eclipse
6:16 am CST9:54 am ---
Guernsey
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:20 pm GMT4:13 pm GMT---
Guinea
Partial Solar Eclipse
2:58 pm GMT6:00 pm GMT---
Guinea-Bissau
Partial Solar Eclipse
2:54 pm GMT5:00 pm WAT---
Haiti
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:14 am EST10:39 am EST---
Honduras
Partial Solar Eclipse
6:03 am CST9:05 am CST---
Iceland
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:11 pm GMT3:30 pm GMT---
Ireland
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:16 pm GMT4:33 pm GMT---
Isle of Man
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:18 pm GMT3:56 pm GMT---
Italy
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:25 pm CET5:07 pm CET---
Jamaica
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:10 am EST10:24 am EST---
Jersey
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:20 pm GMT4:12 pm GMT---
Liberia
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:09 pm GMT5:56 pm GMT---
Libya
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:34 pm CET4:36 pm WET---
Liechtenstein
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:25 pm CET4:33 pm CET---
Luxembourg
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:23 pm CET4:37 pm CET---
Malta
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:33 pm CET4:51 pm CET---
Martinique
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:29 am AST12:28 pm AST---
Monaco
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:26 pm CET4:55 pm CET---
Montserrat
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:31 am AST12:20 pm AST---
Morocco
Partial Solar Eclipse
1:58 pm WAT5:02 pm WAT---
Netherlands
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:21 pm CET4:38 pm CET---
Niger
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:32 pm GMT5:37 pm GMT---
Nigeria
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:39 pm WAT6:41 pm WAT---
Paraguay
Partial Solar Eclipse
9:46 am PYT11:59 am BOT---
Peru
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:05 am ECT10:48 am COT---
Portugal
Partial Solar Eclipse
1:48 pm AZOT5:56 pm WET---
Puerto Rico
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:22 am AST12:05 pm AST---
Saint Helena
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:09 pm GMT5:24 pm GMT---
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:31 am AST12:18 pm AST---
Saint Lucia
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:28 am AST12:28 pm AST---
Saint Martin
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:31 am AST12:15 pm AST---
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:17 am AST11:47 am AST---
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:26 am AST12:27 pm AST---
San Marino
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:28 pm CET4:33 pm CET---
Sao Tome and Principe
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:59 pm GMT5:31 pm GMT---
Senegal
Partial Solar Eclipse
2:53 pm GMT6:02 pm GMT---
Sierra Leone
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:03 pm GMT5:58 pm GMT---
Sint Maarten
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:31 am AST12:15 pm AST---
South Sudan
Partial Solar Eclipse
6:09 pm CAT5:10 pm WAT---
Spain
Partial Solar Eclipse
2:59 pm WET5:59 pm WET---
St. Barts
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:32 am AST12:16 pm AST---
Sudan
Partial Solar Eclipse
5:56 pm CAT5:12 pm WAT---
Switzerland
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:25 pm CET4:51 pm CET---
The Bahamas
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:17 am EST10:33 am EST---
Togo
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:33 pm GMT5:48 pm GMT---
Trinidad and Tobago
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:22 am AST12:31 pm AST---
Tunisia
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:30 pm WET6:26 pm EET---
Turks and Caicos Islands
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:22 am EST10:39 am EST---
US Minor Outlying Islands
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:13 am CST10:28 am CST---
US Virgin Islands
Partial Solar Eclipse
8:27 am AST12:08 pm AST---
United Kingdom
Partial Solar Eclipse
3:15 pm GMT4:25 pm GMT---
United States
Partial Solar Eclipse
7:16 am EST10:21 am EST---
Uruguay
Partial Solar Eclipse
10:38 am UYT12:14 pm UYT---
Vatican City (Holy See)
Partial Solar Eclipse
4:29 pm CET4:40 pm CET---

All times shown in this table are local time. (Note: more than one time zone is listed.) "Annularity duration" gives the time between the start and finish of annularity within the entire country (not at one location).

How Many People Can See This Eclipse?

Number of People Seeing...Number of People*Fraction of World Population
Any part of the eclipse689,000,00017.59%
At least 10% partial574,000,00014.66%
At least 20% partial433,000,00011.07%
At least 30% partial338,000,0008.63%
At least 40% partial259,000,0006.62%
At least 50% partial188,000,0004.82%
At least 60% partial149,000,0003.83%
At least 70% partial94,100,0002.40%
At least 80% partial34,900,0000.89%
Totality or annularity14,700,0000.38%

* The number of people refers to the resident population (as a round number) in areas where the eclipse is visible. timeanddate has calculated these numbers using raw population data provided by the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University. The raw data is based on population estimates from the year 2000 to 2020.

An Eclipse Never Comes Alone!

A solar eclipse always occurs about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse.

Usually, there are two eclipses in a row, but other times, there are three during the same eclipse season.

All eclipses 1900 — 2199

This is the second eclipse this season.

First eclipse this season: December 9–10, 1973 — Partial Lunar Eclipse