A solar eclipse is an amazing and wonderful sight to see! Make sure to do it safely!
With the upcoming 2023 annular solar eclipse directly passing through parts of the Pacific Northwest, we wanted to take a peek at prior solar eclipses that have passed through the area for perspective. And by looking at prior solar eclipses, it can provide a glimpse into what future eclipses could hold in store.
Here are some quick facts before going into details about each eclipse.
| Century | Number Of Events |
| 1800s | 2 |
| 1900s | 4 |
| 2000s | 2* |
- representing as of the time of this writing. There is a full list of solar eclipses in the 2000s visible in the Pacific Northwest that can be found here.
July 18th, 1860
| Type | Information |
| Eclipse Type | Total Solar |
| Where Visible | Part of Oregon, Washington, and slight corner of Idaho |
| Length Of Total Eclipse | ~1 hour, 45 minutes |
| Length Of Totality | 2 minutes |
The first coronal mass ejection may have been observed as coronal loops progressing during this total eclipse.
July 29th, 1878
| Type | Information |
| Eclipse Type | Total Solar |
| Where Visible | Eastern Idaho |
| Length Of Total Eclipse | 2 hours 22 minutes |
| Length Of Totality | 2 minutes 58 seconds |
This eclipse was the first time that many of the world’s leading astronomers had the opportunity to make their observations from the higher altitudes provided by the Rocky Mountains.
https://www.npr.org/2017/07/15/537381259/the-total-eclipse-of-1878
June 8–9, 1918
| Type | Information |
| Eclipse Type | Total Solar |
| Where Visible | Idaho, Oregon, and Washington |
| Length Of Total Eclipse | 2 Hours, 20 minutes |
| Length Of Totality | 1 minute 50 seconds |
April 28, 1930
| Type | Information |
| Eclipse Type | Total Solar |
| Where Visible | Oregon, Idaho, and small patch of Washington |
| Length Of Total Eclipse | 2 hours, 50 minutes, 25 seconds |
| Length Of Totality | 2 seconds |
| Type | Information |
| Eclipse Type | Total Solar |
| Where Visible | Idaho |
| Length Of Total Eclipse | 1 hour, 44 minutes, 23 seconds |
| Length Of Totality | 22 seconds |
February 26th, 1979
| Type | Information |
| Eclipse Type | Total Solar |
| Where Visible | Idaho, Oregon, and Washigton |
| Length Of Total Eclipse | 2 hours, 11 minutes, 52 seconds |
| Length Of Totality | 2 minutes 10 seconds |
May 20th, 2012
| Type | Information |
| Eclipse Type | Annular Solar |
| Where Visible | Oregon |
| Length Of Total Eclipse | 2 hours, 26 minutes, 50 seconds |
| Length Of Annularity | 3 minutes, 48 seconds |
August 21st, 2017
| Type | Information |
| Eclipse Type | Total Solar |
| Where Visible | Idaho and Oregon |
| Length Of Total Eclipse | 2 hours 30+ min |
| Length Of Totality | 2 minutes |
If you’re curious about future solar eclipses in the Pacific Northwest, check out this article on the topic.
If you’re curious for more great information like this, make sure to come back to CosmosPNW. More information will be coming soon so stay tuned!
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