View source for Solar eclipse of May 20, 2012

{{short description|21st-century annular solar eclipse}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox solar eclipse|2012May20
| previous         = Solar eclipse of November 25, 2011
| next             = Solar eclipse of November 13, 2012
}}
An annular [[solar eclipse]] occurred at the Moon’s [[Lunar node|descending node]] of orbit between Sunday, May 20 and Monday, May 21, 2012,<ref name="May 20, 2012">{{cite web|title=May 20–21, 2012 Annular Solar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2012-may-20|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref><ref name="Detroi20120521pA2">{{Cite news
  | url         = https://newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-ring-of-fire-eclipse/134086552/
  | date        = 2012-05-21
  | page        = A2
  | title       = Ring of fire eclipse heads for west U.S.
  | newspaper   = Detroit Free Press
  | location    =
  | via         = Newspapers.com
  | access-date = 2023-10-26
}}</ref><!-- Mon --><ref name="TulsaW20120521p6">{{Cite news
  | url         = https://newspapers.com/article/tulsa-world-millions-in-asia-view-eclips/134086644/
  | date        = 2012-05-21
  | page        = 6
  | title       = Millions in Asia view eclipse
  | newspaper   = Tulsa World
  | location    =
  | via         = Newspapers.com
  | access-date = 2023-10-26
}}</ref><!-- Mon --> with a [[Magnitude of eclipse|magnitude]] of 0.9439. 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. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's [[apparent diameter]] is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres or miles wide. Occurring about 1.3 days after [[Apsis|apogee]] (on May 19, 2012, at 17:10 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.<ref>{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=2012&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>

The annular eclipse was the first visible from the [[contiguous United States]] since the [[solar eclipse of May 10, 1994]] (Saros 128), and the first in [[Asia]] since the [[solar eclipse of January 15, 2010]] (Saros 141).<ref name="Post"/> The path of the eclipse's [[Umbra, penumbra and antumbra#Antumbra|antumbra]] included heavily populated regions of [[China]] and [[Japan]], and an estimated 100 million people in those areas were capable of viewing annularity. In the western [[United States]], its path included 8 states, and an estimated 6 million people were capable of viewing annularity.

The eclipse was visible in a band spanning through [[East Asia]], the [[Pacific Ocean]], and [[North America]]. As a [[partial solar eclipse]], it was visible from [[Greenland]] to [[Hawaii]], and from eastern [[Indonesia]] at sunrise to western [[North America]] at sunset.

==Visibility and viewing==
[[File:SE2012May20A.gif|thumb|left|Animation of the eclipse]]
The [[Umbra, penumbra and antumbra#Antumbra|antumbra]] had a [[magnitude of eclipse|magnitude]] of .94, stretched {{convert|236|km|mile}} wide, and traveled eastbound at an average rate of {{convert|0.62|mile|km|order=flip}} per second, remaining north of the [[equator]] throughout the event. The longest duration of annularity was 5 minutes and 46 seconds, occurring just south of the [[Aleutian Islands]].<ref name="Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 May 20">{{cite web|title=Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 May 20|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/ASE2012/ASE2012.html|website=NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Eclipse Website|publisher=NASA|date=May 20, 2012|access-date=May 20, 2012}}</ref> The eclipse began on a Monday and ended on the previous Sunday, as it crossed the [[International Date Line]].<ref name="Post">{{cite news |last=Friedlander |first=Blaine |date=May 20, 2012 |title=Annular solar eclipse first in 18 years in continental United States on May 20 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/annular-solar-eclipse-first-in-18-years-in-us-on-may-20/2012/05/17/gIQAXkBeWU_blog.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=May 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719084358/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/annular-solar-eclipse-first-in-18-years-in-us-on-may-20/2012/05/17/gIQAXkBeWU_blog.html |archive-date=July 19, 2012 }}</ref>

===Asia===
The annular eclipse commenced over the [[Guangxi|Chinese province of Guangxi]] at sunrise, at 6:06&nbsp;a.m. [[China Standard Time]]. Travelling northeast, the [[Umbra, penumbra and antumbra|antumbra]] of the eclipse approached and passed over the cities of [[Macau]], [[Hong Kong]], [[Guangzhou]], and [[Xiamen]], reaching [[Taipei]] by 6:10&nbsp;a.m [[Time in Taiwan|NST]]. After crossing the [[East China Sea]], it passed over much of eastern [[Japan]], including [[Osaka]] and [[Tokyo]] at 7:28&nbsp;a.m and 7:32&nbsp;a.m [[Japan Standard Time|JST]] respectively, before entering the Pacific Ocean. The [[Umbra, penumbra and antumbra|penumbra]] of the eclipse was visible throughout [[Eastern Asia]] and various [[List of islands in the Pacific Ocean|islands in the Pacific Ocean]] until noon.<ref name=TimeAndDate>{{cite web |title=Eclipse Map - May 20–21 Solar Eclipse |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2012-may-20 |website=TimeandDate.com |access-date=20 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Matsutani|first1=Minoru|title=Tokyo to be treated to rare annular eclipse, Venus transit|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2012/05/04/national/tokyo-to-be-treated-to-rare-annular-eclipse-venus-transit/#.WeY0wEuGPrc|access-date=20 May 2012|publisher=The Japan Times|date=May 20, 2012}}</ref>

The path of the antumbra over highly populated areas allowed at least an estimated 100&nbsp;million people to view annularity.<ref name="May 20th's Annular Eclipse of the Sun">{{cite news|last1=Beatty|first1=Kelly|title=May 20th's Annular Eclipse of the Sun|url=https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/may-20ths-annular-eclipse-of-the-sun/|access-date=May 20, 2012|work=Sky and Telescope|date=May 20, 2012}}</ref> Because the eclipse took place during the summer [[Wet season|monsoon season]] in [[Southeast Asia]], viewing conditions were not ideal in some areas, including Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite news|title=May the Sun Shine on Rare Eclipse|url=https://www.scmp.com/article/1001483/may-sun-shine-rare-eclipse|access-date=20 May 2012|agency=South China Morning Post|date=May 20, 2012}}</ref>

===North America===
After traveling approximately 4,000&nbsp;miles (6,500&nbsp;kilometers) across the Pacific Ocean, the antumbra entered North America between the coastlines of [[Oregon]] and [[California]], reaching the coastal city of [[Eureka, California]] at 6:25&nbsp;p.m [[Pacific Standard Time|PDT]]. After passing over [[Medford, Oregon]] and [[Redding, California]], it had reached [[Reno, Nevada]] by 6:28&nbsp;p.m PDT. The eclipse continued to travel southeast, passing 30&nbsp;miles (48&nbsp;km) north of [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], over [[St. George, Utah]], and reaching the [[Grand Canyon]] by approximately 6:33&nbsp;p.m [[Mountain Standard Time|MST]]. After passing over [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]] and [[Lubbock, Texas]], the eclipse terminated above central Texas at sunset, 8:38&nbsp;p.m. [[Central Standard Time|CST]].<ref name="TimeAndDate" /><ref name="Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 May 20" /><ref name="Solar Eclipse Visible From California to Texas Sunday Afternoon">{{cite news|last1=Potter|first1=Ned|title=Solar Eclipse Visible From California to Texas Sunday Afternoon|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/solar-eclipse-2012-annular-eclipse-visible-california-texas/story?id=16377743|access-date=May 20, 2012|work=ABC News|date=May 20, 2012}}</ref> An estimated 6.6&nbsp;million people lived under the path of the antumbra.<ref name='Spectacular "Ring of Fire" Solar Eclipse Wows Millions'>{{cite news|last1=Tariq|first1=Malik|title=Spectacular "Ring of Fire" Solar Eclipse Wows Millions|url=https://www.space.com/15790-solar-eclipse-ring-fire-wows-millions.html|access-date=May 20, 2012|work=Space.com|date=May 20, 2012}}</ref> The penumbra was visible throughout most of [[North America]], including the islands of [[Hawaii]].<ref name="Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 May 20" />
{{clear}}

== Eclipse timing ==
=== Places experiencing annular eclipse ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ align="center" style="background:DarkSlateBlue; color:white"|'''Solar Eclipse of May 20, 2012<br />(Local Times)'''
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; width: 20%; color:Black"|Country or territory 
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; color:Black"|City or place
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; color:Black"|Start of partial eclipse
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; color:Black"|Start of annular eclipse
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; color:Black"|Maximum eclipse
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; color:Black"|End of annular eclipse
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; color:Black"|End of partial eclipse
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; color:Black"|Duration of annularity (min:s)
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; color:Black"|Duration of eclipse (hr:min)
! valign="top" style="background:Lavender; color:Black"|Maximum magnitude
|-
| {{HKG}} || [[Hong Kong]]{{efn|name=date1|The times listed for this location occur on May 21, 2012, local time.}} || 05:41:16 (sunrise) || 06:06:48 || 06:08:31 || 06:10:15 || 07:16:23 || align="right"|3:27 || align="right"|1:35 || align="right"|87.03%
|-
| {{HKG}} || [[Kowloon]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:40:56 (sunrise) || 06:06:49 || 06:08:32 || 06:10:15 || 07:16:26 || align="right"|3:26 || align="right"|1:36 || align="right"|87.04%
|-
| {{MAC}} || [[Macau]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:44:00 (sunrise) || 06:06:41 || 06:08:34 || 06:10:26 || 07:16:04 || align="right"|3:45 || align="right"|1:32 || align="right"|87.01%
|-
| {{CHN}} || [[Shenzhen]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:41:20 (sunrise) || 06:06:50 || 06:08:50 || 06:10:49 || 07:16:41 || align="right"|3:59 || align="right"|1:35 || align="right"|87.03%
|-
| {{CHN}} || [[Shantou]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:29:24 (sunrise) || 06:07:29 || 06:09:14 || 06:10:59 || 07:18:41 || align="right"|3:30 || align="right"|1:49 || align="right"|87.16%
|-
| {{CHN}} || [[Foshan]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:44:13 (sunrise) || 06:07:25 || 06:09:38 || 06:11:50 || 07:17:05 || align="right"|4:25 || align="right"|1:33 || align="right"|87.01%
|-
| {{CHN}} || [[Guangzhou]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:43:27 (sunrise) || 06:07:31 || 06:09:43 || 06:11:55 || 07:17:16 || align="right"|4:24 || align="right"|1:34 || align="right"|87.02%
|-
| {{CHN}} || [[Xiamen]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:21:48 (sunrise) || 06:08:14 || 06:10:24 || 06:12:32 || 07:20:53 || align="right"|4:18 || align="right"|1:59 || align="right"|87.25%
|-
| {{TWN}} || [[Hsinchu]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:09:35 (sunrise) || 06:09:42 || 06:10:36 || 06:11:29 || 07:22:53 || align="right"|1:47 || align="right"|2:13 || align="right"|87.37%
|-
| {{TWN}} || [[Taoyuan, Taiwan|Taoyuan]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:07:52 (sunrise) || 06:09:50 || 06:10:50 || 06:11:49 || 07:23:22 || align="right"|1:59 || align="right"|2:16 || align="right"|87.39%
|-
| {{TWN}} || [[Taipei]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:07:13 || 06:10:00 || 06:10:56 || 06:11:50 || 07:23:37 || align="right"|1:50 || align="right"|2:17 || align="right"|87.40%
|-
| {{CHN}} || [[Fuzhou]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:13:53 (sunrise) || 06:10:16 || 06:12:23 || 06:14:30 || 07:23:55 || align="right"|4:14 || align="right"|2:10 || align="right"|87.34%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Kagoshima]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:12:48 || 07:20:03 || 07:22:11 || 07:24:19 || 08:42:27 || align="right"|4:16 || align="right"|2:30 || align="right"|87.93%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Kobe]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:17:10 || 07:28:48 || 07:29:42 || 07:30:35 || 08:53:57 || align="right"|1:47 || align="right"|2:37 || align="right"|88.18%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Osaka]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:17:09 || 07:28:28 || 07:29:53 || 07:31:16 || 08:54:23 || align="right"|2:48 || align="right"|2:37 || align="right"|88.19%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Kyoto]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:17:42 || 07:29:52 || 07:30:37 || 07:31:21 || 08:55:21 || align="right"|1:29 || align="right"|2:38 || align="right"|88.21%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Suzuka, Mie|Suzuka]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:17:29 || 07:28:53 || 07:30:53 || 07:32:53 || 08:56:18 || align="right"|4:00 || align="right"|2:39 || align="right"|88.24%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Hamamatsu]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:17:16 || 07:28:50 || 07:31:20 || 07:33:49 || 08:57:44 || align="right"|4:59 || align="right"|2:40 || align="right"|88.28%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Nagoya]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:17:58 || 07:29:45 || 07:31:36 || 07:33:27 || 08:57:18 || align="right"|3:42 || align="right"|2:39 || align="right"|88.26%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Shizuoka (city)|Shizuoka]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:17:45 || 07:29:46 || 07:32:16 || 07:34:46 || 08:59:14 || align="right"|5:00 || align="right"|2:41 || align="right"|88.31%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Yokosuka]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:18:24 || 07:31:18 || 07:33:46 || 07:36:15 || 09:01:51 || align="right"|4:57 || align="right"|2:43 || align="right"|88.37%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Yokohama]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:18:41 || 07:31:30 || 07:34:01 || 07:36:32 || 09:02:00 || align="right"|5:02 || align="right"|2:43 || align="right"|88.37%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Sagamihara]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:18:51 || 07:31:34 || 07:34:04 || 07:36:35 || 09:01:54 || align="right"|5:01 || align="right"|2:43 || align="right"|88.36%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Kawasaki, Kanagawa|Kawasaki]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:18:49 || 07:31:44 || 07:34:16 || 07:36:47 || 09:02:22 || align="right"|5:03 || align="right"|2:44 || align="right"|88.37%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Tokyo]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:19:06 || 07:32:01 || 07:34:32 || 07:37:04 || 09:02:38 || align="right"|5:03 || align="right"|2:44 || align="right"|88.37%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Utsunomiya]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:20:37 || 07:34:14 || 07:36:18 || 07:38:22 || 09:04:31 || align="right"|4:08 || align="right"|2:44 || align="right"|88.39%
|-
| {{USA}} || [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]] || 17:15:54 || 18:29:18 || 18:31:14 || 18:33:10 || 19:37:40 || align="right"|3:52 || align="right"|2:22 || align="right"|87.66%
|-
| {{USA}} || [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] || 18:27:45 || 19:33:11 || 19:34:58 || 19:36:44 || 20:06:16 (sunset) || align="right"|3:33 || align="right"|1:39 || align="right"|87.09%
|-
| {{USA}} || [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]] || 18:28:22 || 19:33:37 || 19:35:50 || 19:38:03 || 20:07:43 (sunset) || align="right"|4:26 || align="right"|1:39 || align="right"|87.10%
|-
| {{USA}} || [[Midland, Texas|Midland]] || 19:32:57 || 20:36:26 || 20:37:45 || 20:39:04 || 20:42:27 (sunset) || align="right"|2:38 || align="right"|1:10 || align="right"|86.86%
|-
! scope="col" colspan="10" style="background:Lavender; color:Black" |References: <ref name="May 20, 2012" />
|}
{{clear}}

=== Places experiencing partial eclipse ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ align="center" style="background:#003dc1; color:white"|'''Solar Eclipse of May 20, 2012<br />(Local Times)'''
! valign="top" style="background:#a3edfe; width: 20%; color:Black"|Country or territory 
! valign="top" style="background:#a3edfe; color:Black"|City or place
! valign="top" style="background:#a3edfe; color:Black"|Start of partial eclipse
! valign="top" style="background:#a3edfe; color:Black"|Maximum eclipse
! valign="top" style="background:#a3edfe; color:Black"|End of partial eclipse
! valign="top" style="background:#a3edfe; color:Black"|Duration of eclipse (hr:min)
! valign="top" style="background:#a3edfe; color:Black"|Maximum coverage
|-
| {{PLW}} || [[Ngerulmud]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:57:21 || 06:51:35 || 07:53:16 || align="right"|1:56 || align="right"|26.48%
|-
| {{PHL}} || [[Manila]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:27:00 (sunrise) || 05:58:42 || 07:06:11 || align="right"|1:39 || align="right"|61.59%
|-
| {{MYS}} || [[Kota Kinabalu]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:59:53 (sunrise) || 06:02:09 || 06:51:48 || align="right"|0:52 || align="right"|39.97%
|-
| {{GUM}} || [[Hagåtña]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 07:00:38 || 08:02:21 || 09:14:38 || align="right"|2:14 || align="right"|29.03%
|-
| {{BRN}} || [[Bandar Seri Begawan]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:06:03 (sunrise) || 06:08:19 || 06:50:17 || align="right"|0:44 || align="right"|33.95%
|-
| {{TWN}} || [[Kaohsiung]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:14:52 (sunrise) || 06:08:22 || 07:19:50 || align="right"|2:05 || align="right"|84.82%
|-
| {{TWN}} || [[Taichung]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:12:03 (sunrise) || 06:09:47 || 07:21:42 || align="right"|2:10 || align="right"|86.91%
|-
| {{VNM}} || [[Hanoi]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:16:48 (sunrise) || 05:19:15 || 06:13:42 || align="right"|0:57 || align="right"|74.87%
|-
| {{CHN}} || [[Shanghai]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:15:02 || 06:19:44 || 07:33:14 || align="right"|2:18 || align="right"|81.34%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Kumamoto]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:14:36 || 07:24:16 || 08:44:46 || align="right"|2:30 || align="right"|87.68%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Fukuoka]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:15:53 || 07:25:29 || 08:45:46 || align="right"|2:30 || align="right"|86.01%
|-
| {{KHM}} || [[Stung Treng]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:28:43 (sunrise) || 05:31:03 || 06:04:48 || align="right"|0:36 || align="right"|37.77%
|-
| {{KOR}} || [[Seoul]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:23:15 || 07:31:07 || 08:48:20 || align="right"|2:25 || align="right"|73.44%
|-
| {{CHN}} || [[Beijing]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:31:29 || 06:33:13 || 07:41:53 || align="right"|2:10 || align="right"|57.49%
|-
| {{PRK}} || [[Pyongyang]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:26:11 || 07:33:16 || 08:49:15 || align="right"|2:23 || align="right"|68.96%
|-
| {{LAO}} || [[Vientiane]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:34:59 (sunrise) || 05:37:23 || 06:10:30 || align="right"|0:36 || align="right"|38.74%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Niigata (city)|Niigata]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:22:54 || 07:38:12 || 09:05:31 || align="right"|2:43 || align="right"|86.56%
|-
| {{KHM}} || [[Phnom Penh]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:35:59 (sunrise) || 05:38:17 || 06:02:40 || align="right"|0:27 || align="right"|23.75%
|-
| {{THA}} || [[Khon Kaen]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:36:36 (sunrise) || 05:38:58 || 06:08:46 || align="right"|0:32 || align="right"|33.23%
|-
| {{MNG}} || [[Ulaanbaatar]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 05:51:56 || 06:46:46 || 07:46:04 || align="right"|1:54 || align="right"|36.20%
|-
| {{JPN}} || [[Sapporo]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 06:33:05 || 07:49:49 || 09:17:35 || align="right"|2:45 || align="right"|77.80%
|-
| {{RUS}} || [[Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 08:41:39 || 09:58:33 || 11:25:18 || align="right"|2:44 || align="right"|70.51%
|-
| {{RUS}} || [[Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 10:03:14 || 11:27:39 || 12:59:04 || align="right"|2:56 || align="right"|70.92%
|-
| {{RUS}} || [[Anadyr (town)|Anadyr]]{{efn|name=date1}} || 10:43:38 || 12:01:43 || 13:20:14 || align="right"|2:37 || align="right"|50.26%
|-
| {{CAN}} || [[Toronto]] || 20:19:23 || 20:38:20 || 20:41:39 (sunset) || align="right"|0:22 || align="right"|15.90%
|-
| {{CAN}} || [[Calgary]] || 18:03:56 || 19:13:57 || 20:17:44 || align="right"|2:14 || align="right"|61.70%
|-
| {{CAN}} || [[Vancouver]] || 16:58:39 || 18:14:52 || 19:23:15 || align="right"|2:25 || align="right"|72.86%
|-
| {{USA}} || [[Los Angeles]] || 17:24:58 || 18:38:15 || 19:42:41 || align="right"|2:18 || align="right"|78.52%
|-
| {{MEX}} || [[Ciudad Juárez]] || 18:32:51 || 19:39:31 || 19:59:31 (sunset) || align="right"|1:27 || align="right"|83.87%
|-
| {{MEX}} || [[Hermosillo]] || 17:35:45 || 18:43:25 || 19:11:55 (sunset) || align="right"|1:36 || align="right"|72.42%
|-
! scope="col" colspan="10" style="background:#a3edfe; color:Black" |References: <ref name="May 20, 2012" />
|}
{{clear}}

== Eclipse details ==
Shown below are two tables displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. The first table outlines times at which the Moon's penumbra or umbra attains the specific parameter, and the second table describes various other parameters pertaining to this eclipse.<ref>{{cite web|title=Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 May 20|url=https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/2001-2100/SE2012May20Aprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" align="{{{align|left}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|left|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"
|+May 20, 2012 Solar Eclipse Times
! Event
! Time (UTC)
|-
| First Penumbral External Contact
| 2012 May 20 at 20:57:13.9 UTC
|-
| First Umbral External Contact
| 2012 May 20 at 22:07:23.9 UTC
|-
| First Central Line
| 2012 May 20 at 22:10:08.2 UTC
|-
| First Umbral Internal Contact
| 2012 May 20 at 22:12:53.7 UTC
|-
| Ecliptic Conjunction
| 2012 May 20 at 23:48:08.1 UTC
|-
| Greatest Eclipse
| 2012 May 20 at 23:53:53.6 UTC
|-
| Greatest Duration
| 2012 May 20 at 23:56:59.8 UTC
|-
| Equatorial Conjunction
| 2012 May 21 at 00:00:16.3 UTC
|-
| Last Umbral Internal Contact
| 2012 May 21 at 01:34:49.7 UTC
|-
| Last Central Line
| 2012 May 21 at 01:37:34.4 UTC
|-
| Last Umbral External Contact
| 2012 May 21 at 01:40:18.0 UTC
|-
| Last Penumbral External Contact
| 2012 May 21 at 02:50:28.7 UTC
|}

{|class="wikitable" align="{{{align|right}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|right|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"
|+May 20, 2012 Solar Eclipse Parameters
! Parameter
! Value
|-
| Eclipse Magnitude
| 0.94390
|-
| Eclipse Obscuration
| 0.89094
|-
| Gamma
| 0.48279
|-
| Sun Right Ascension
| 03h52m43.0s
|-
| Sun Declination
| +20°13'15.1"
|-
| Sun Semi-Diameter
| 15'48.1"
|-
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 08.7"
|-
| Moon Right Ascension
| 03h52m30.7s
|-
| Moon Declination
| +20°39'06.3"
|-
| Moon Semi-Diameter
| 14'43.3"
|-
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 0°54'01.7"
|-
| ΔT
| 66.7 s
|}
{{clear}}

== Eclipse season ==
{{See also|Eclipse cycle}}
This eclipse is part of an [[eclipse season]], a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a [[fortnight]].

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Eclipse season of May–June 2012
! May 20<br/>Descending node (new moon)<br/> !! [[June 2012 lunar eclipse|June 4]]<br/>Ascending node (full moon)<br/>
|-
| [[File:SE2012May20A.png|200px]] || [[File:Lunar eclipse chart close-2012Jun04.png|200px]]
|- align=center
| [[Total eclipse#Types|Annular solar eclipse]]<br />Solar Saros 128 || [[Lunar eclipse#Types of lunar eclipse|Partial lunar eclipse]]<br />Lunar Saros 140
|}

== Related eclipses ==
=== Eclipses in 2012 ===
* '''An annular solar eclipse on May 20.'''
* [[June 2012 lunar eclipse|A partial lunar eclipse on June 4]].
* [[Solar eclipse of November 13, 2012|A total solar eclipse on November 13]].
* [[November 2012 lunar eclipse|A penumbral lunar eclipse on November 28]].

=== Metonic ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of August 1, 2008]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of March 9, 2016]]

=== Tzolkinex ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of April 8, 2005]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of July 2, 2019]]

=== Half-Saros ===
* Preceded by: [[May 2003 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of May 16, 2003]]
* Followed by: [[May 2021 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of May 26, 2021]]

=== Tritos ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of June 21, 2001]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of April 20, 2023]]

=== Solar Saros 128 ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of May 10, 1994]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of June 1, 2030]]

=== Inex ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of June 11, 1983]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of April 30, 2041]]

=== Triad ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of July 20, 1925]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of March 21, 2099]]

=== Solar eclipses of 2011–2014 ===
{{Solar eclipse set 2011–2014}}

=== Saros 128 ===
{{Solar Saros series 128}}

=== Metonic series ===
{{Solar Metonic series 1993–2069}}

=== Tritos series ===
{{Solar Tritos series 2001 June 21}}

=== Inex series ===
{{Solar Inex series 2012 May 20}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Solar eclipses}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Solar Eclipse Of May 20, 2012}}
[[Category:Annular solar eclipses|2012 5 20]]
[[Category:21st-century solar eclipses|2012 05 20]]
[[Category:2012 in science]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:May 2012]]