Annular eclipse on May 20

There is going to be an annular eclipse on May 20. The line of best viewing will be just above Saint George, Utah. For those unfamiliar with eclipse terminology, an annular eclipse creates what looks like a thin ring of fire in the sky along a thin but long path on the earth. Total eclipses are much better, where the moon completely covers the sun. The reason that there are both is that the moon and sun are roughly the same relative size in the sky. However, the moon's orbit is elliptical. When the moon a point in its orbit far from the earth it will create an annual eclipse when aligned with the sun and earth.

When I lived in Baltimore during most of the 90s there was an annular eclipse that got as close as Ohio. In Baltimore the sun was about 90% blocked out at the peak. I went outside and watched with a piece of paper with a small hole cut out. However, I didn't need it. You could see hundreds of crescents on the sidewalks as the sun shone through the leaves.

So, I'm posting this to share awareness, as well as to ask questions about how to make it more educational and exciting. What do the real serious eclipse buffs look for during annular eclipses?

Quote: Wizard

So, I'm posting this to share awareness, as well as to ask questions about how to make it more educational and exciting. What do the real serious eclipse buffs look for during annular eclipses?

Any eclipse is an interesting thing to witness. The people on the West coast will see it briefly at sundown. The one that I'm anticipating is the eclipse of 4/8/2024. That one will be total and go across most of the country (USA) with easy access to viewing locations all over, including Dallas, Nashville and Cleveland.

I just hope I have the wherewithal to see it in twelve years.

Quote: s2dbaker

Any eclipse is an interesting thing to witness.

Yes and no. I've seen two annular eclipses, one Lunar eclipse and one Total Eclipse. The last one is the one I recall best. If you've never seen one, then an annular is quite a show. If you've seen a Total, the annular pales in comparison

Quote:

The one that I'm anticipating is the eclipse of 4/8/2024. That one will be total and go across most of the country (USA) with easy access to viewing locations all over.

Interesting path. It crosses over several cities of respectable size. And a great deal of ocean, too. I wonder, if you're in a boat on the Pacific, can you stretch out the eclipse a little if you navigate along the path? On the other hand, the ocean makes for a very unstable platform.

The moon generally interests me more these days compared to when I was younger.

This makes a good trivia question: I always say "No looking it up!" , however, doing some fact checking myself just now I have not easily found the answer. My source is a recent TV program, probably "The Universe", in any case quite reliable.

Someone in the 18th or 19th Century IIRC first determined that our moon was once much closer to Earth. In any case it was long before any instruments could determine this. Nasa in our time confirmed it with lasers during the moon missions.

How was he able to do it?

Hint: you will be completely cold trying to conjure up what instruments he used, which is not to say he didnt have to make observations.

Quote: Nareed

Interesting path. It crosses over several cities of respectable size. And a great deal of ocean, too. I wonder, if you're in a boat on the Pacific, can you stretch out the eclipse a little if you navigate along the path? On the other hand, the ocean makes for a very unstable platform.

The last total eclipse to appear over the continental U.S. passed over only part of Washington state. My father booked a seat on an airplane that followed the sun for about an hour. He had to alternate getting the window seat, but still got to enjoy the eclipse for half the time.

Quote: odiousgambit

The moon generally interests me more these days compared to when I was younger.

This makes a good trivia question: I always say "No looking it up!" , however, doing some fact checking myself just now I have not easily found the answer. My source is a recent TV program, probably "The Universe", in any case quite reliable.

Someone in the 18th or 19th Century IIRC first determined that our moon was once much closer to Earth. In any case it was long before any instruments could determine this. Nasa in our time confirmed it with lasers during the moon missions.

How was he able to do it?

Hint: you will be completely cold trying to conjure up what instruments he used, which is not to say he didnt have to make observations.

Without looking it up, I would guess that he had a way of seeing a change in the tides. Presumably the tides were much higher at some point in time.

One of the most amazing things in science is the ability of ancient people to make calculations without benefit of modern instrumentation. The Greeks not only realized that the Earth was a sphere, but also calculated the radius to an extreme accuracy. It has always amazed me that they were able to sail to Hawaii from Polynesia by taking measurements over a many generations.

To my knowledge, I have been present for two solar eclipses in my life. I think the first one was in the summer of 1963 and was only a partial eclipse where I was in Virginia. Not sure but that may be the one that Carly Simon mentioned in You're So Vain, where she sang (supposedly about Warren Beatty) "You flew your Leer Jet up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun." Anyway, there was publicity about it in Virginia, and those of us who had never seen any kind of solar eclipse were looking forward to a partial one. Result: Totally overcast day -- couldn't detect any effect at all.

The second time was 5/30/84, when the center of the eclipse zone passed right through Atlanta where I was working. I got some fairly good photos showing Bailey's Beads and have one print of that hanging in my condo. The news media made lots of claims that it was a total eclipse, and I believed that until reading the Wizard's report of going for the eclipse in China. After reading that, I understand that what I saw in Atlanta was an annular eclipse. Still, it gave an eerie look to everything while it was going on.

Have fun with this. The further West you go, the higher up in the sky the eclipse will start and end. Since you will be in mountainous Utah, be sure that you have a good view of the horizon as the annular (not partial) eclipse will start when the sun is 12.3 degrees above the horizon (and end 4 minutes later when the sun is 11.3 degrees above the horizon).

Route 56 west of out Cedar City is in a direct line with the eclipse with the maximum totality going pretty much right in a line eastward from Medina into Newcastle along that route. It appears to be in a valley with lots of farmland, so the further east you are in the valley, the more sun you will see.

North of Caselton, NV, on Route 93 works too, 185 or so miles away.

The eclipse also goes directly over Pyramid Lake, near Reno.

Quote: Wizard

The last total eclipse to appear over the continental U.S. passed over only part of Washington state. My father booked a seat on an airplane that followed the sun for about an hour. He had to alternate getting the window seat, but still got to enjoy the eclipse for half the time.

Cool!

It seems like a hassle, but it guarantees a great view above any clouds that migth obscure the event.

For the great Eclipse of 1991, which took palce during the rainy season in Mex City, the clouds parted enough to view the oclussion and totality, but also the stars (I think I managed to identify Mercury, BTW). I've heard of more extreme cases, where people go up ona palne for only a few seconds of totality. This is in cases where the Moon's cone of shadow doesn't reach the surface.

But, hey, nearly an hour of eclipse and having a view for half! That's a lot more than most people will ever get. Very nice indeed.

BTW I have to get you a copy of Asimov's story "The Backward Look." The plot concerns a total eclipse.

Quote: pacomartin

Without looking it up, I would guess that he had a way of seeing a change in the tides. Presumably the tides were much higher at some point in time.

You nailed it! An Englishman, as I remember. He became an expert on tides around the world and came to realize from observations at certain places that tides eons ago were much higher, and came to the conclusion that the moon had been closer to Earth.

Yesterday I purchased two pieces of welder's glass for the event. I'm thinking of making a weekend out of it at Zion and do some hiking with my son. I figure we could catch the eclipse on our way back to Vegas, maybe in Hurricane.