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Last Post 10/15/2020 11:43 AM by  Terry Kucera
Longest eclipse?
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10/15/2020 7:45 AM
    [Answer Garden]

    What is the longest eclipse ever recorded?

    Terry Kucera



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    10/15/2020 11:43 AM
    Hi,
    I don't know about the longest ever, but the longest total solar eclipse
    for this century already happened - it was six minutes and 39 seconds
    back in June 2009. I am sure even that felt short for the people
    watching it. Total solar eclipses are amazing and they go by so fast!

    Looking over some eclipse charts I see there were some over 7
    minutes in the last century.

    The Moon is very, very slowly moving away from the Earth, which means
    that over millions and millions of years the durations of total solar
    eclipses are getting shorter. Some day the Moon may appear too small
    from Earth to cover the Sun completely and then we will will not have
    total solar eclipses from Earth's surface anymore. That would not be for
    a long time, though.

    Terry
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