An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

An eclipse during which the axis of the lunar shadow cone intersects the Earth’s surface (in the case of solar eclipses) or the axis of the terrestrial shadow cone intersects the Moon’s surface (in the case of lunar eclipses). The total and annular solar eclipses are usually central. They can also be not central; then, they are visible only from places situated at high latitudes (M.S.: SDE).