This Week's 'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse: What You Need to Know

[Buster's Uncle]

This Week's 'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse: What You Need to Know
By Geoff Gaherty | SPACE.com – 3 hrs ago...

The first solar eclipse of 2013 occurs at the Moon's descending node in eastern Ares. An annular eclipse will be visible from Australia, eastern Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Gilbert Islands.


The annular eclipse of the sun by the moon, as it will appear from Cooktown, Queensland, Australia on the morning of May 10, 2013 at 8:49 a.m. local time.


Geoff Horner snapped this photo of the May 20, 2012 annular solar eclipse from Utah's Zion National Park. It was taken with a Nikon D90, using a 300mm lens with 11-stop ND filter.


The moon blots out the sun in an annular solar eclipse as seen from the base camp of Mt. Fuji in Japan on May 20, 2012 in this still from a webcast by Panasonic Eclipse Live from Fujiyama by Solar Power, which broadcast the event live online.

On Thursday and Friday (May 9 and 10), skywatchers in parts of Australia and the Pacific region will be treated to a spectacular "ring of fire" solar eclipse, in which the moon blots out all of the sun except for its outer edge.

Here's what you need to know about this stunning skywatching event, which is also known as an annular solar eclipse.


What is an annular eclipse?

The orbit of the Earth around the sun is an ellipse, not a circle. This means that sometimes Earth is closer to the sun than at others. The same goes for the moon's orbit around Earth, which is also elliptical rather than circular. [See Spectacular Photos of a 'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse]

We are fortunate to live in a time when the sun and the moon are very close to the same apparent size in our sky. This is an illusion of perspective: The moon is small (2,159 miles wide, or 3,475 kilometers) and close by (238,855 miles away, or 384,400 km) while the sun is large (865,278 miles wide, or 1,392,530 km) and far away (92,955,808 miles, or 149,597,872 km)

Notice that the sun is about 400 times larger than the moon in diameter. It is also about 389 times farther away. This explains why the two appear to be almost the same size in the sky. But "almost" is not exact, which explains why there are different kinds of solar eclipses — partial and total.

Distances in the sky are measured in angles, 360 degrees making up a full circle. Both the sun and the moon appear to be just slightly more than half a degree in diameter.

Degrees are divided into 60 arcminutes. The exact size of the sun varies from 33 arcminutes when it is closest to the Earth on Jan. 2 to 31 arcminutes when it is farthest from the Earth on July 5. On May 10, it will be 32 arc minutes in diameter.

Over the course of a month, the moon' size also varies. On April 27, it was at its closest to Earth and appeared to be 33 arcminutes in diameter. If an eclipse had occurred on that day, the moon would have covered the sun completely, and we would have had a total eclipse.

On May 10, the moon will appear to be 30 arcminutes in diameter, since it is only a few days away from its farthest retreat from Earth, which occurs on May 13. A 30-arcminute moon doesn't quite cover a 32-arcminute sun, so the sun peeks out as a ring all around the moon. "Annular" is Latin for "ring," so the resulting event is called an annular eclipse. [How to Safely Observe the Sun (Infographic)]

Astronomers tend not to get as excited about an annular eclipse as they do about a total eclipse. Because the moon doesn't cover the sun completely, you don’t see the prominences and outer solar atmosphere, which are the most exciting parts of a total eclipse.

Thus I was quite surprised by the annular eclipse I observed from Toronto exactly 19 years ago, on May 10, 1994. Having observed a total eclipse in the past, I wasn't expecting much from this annular eclipse, yet I found it to be a very powerful emotional experience.

Even though 5 percent of the sun was still peeking around the moon, it had the same ominous feel as a total eclipse, much more so than the several partial eclipses I've witnessed. Seeing the "ring of fire" around the moon is far more impressive than seeing only part of the sun covered.


Where to see it

Unfortunately, very few people will get to see this annular eclipse, as its path travels over some of the most remote and unpopulated parts of the Earth.

The eclipse begins at sunrise over the wilderness of Western Australia. It then sweeps over the similarly empty Northern Territory and continues across northern Queensland, far to the north of the city of Cairns, where many people witnessed last year's total eclipse.

Only a few roads intersect the eclipse path. This path crosses the Coral Sea and touches the eastern end of Papua New Guinea, then crosses through the middle of the Solomon Islands. From there, the path neatly avoids just about every island in the south Pacific except for Tarawa and Fanning Islands, both part of the Republic of Kiribati, formerly known as the Gilbert Islands.

Although few people will see the complete annular eclipse, a much larger number will see it as a partial eclipse. This includes all of Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Hawaiian Islands, much of Indonesia, the Philippines and New Zealand.

Unfortunately the partial eclipse just misses being visible in North America, except just at sunset at the southern tip of Baja California. In Honolulu, maximum eclipse will be at 3:48 p.m. on May 9, when 32 percent of the sun will be hidden by the moon.

But anyone with a computer and an Internet connection will be able to catch a glimpse of the annular eclipse thanks to the online Slooh Space Camera. Slooh will air a webcast featuring expert commentary and views of the eclipse on Thursday starting at 5:30 p.m. EDT (2130 GMT). You can watch the broadcast live on SPACE.com.


How to observe it

For most people who may see this eclipse, it will be a partial eclipse. This is the most dangerous kind of eclipse, because people will be tempted to take quick glimpses of it without proper protection. DON'T DO IT! Looking directly at the sun is always dangerous and can cause permanent damage to your eyes.

There are two safe ways to view a solar eclipse. The first is with an approved solar filter. These can be purchased from telescope stores. The only safe equivalent is a #14 welder's glass. This is denser than the widely available #12, and it usually can only be found in dealers specializing in welding supplies.

The other safe viewing method is to use a large cardboard box to make a pinhole camera. Make a pinhole in one end of the box to act as the lens, and a large hole in the bottom of the box to stick your head through to view the image of the sun.

Natural pinhole cameras often are formed by gaps in window blinds or the spaces between leaves of trees. So don’t look at the sun — put your back to it and look instead at the ground in front of you.

http://news.yahoo.com/weeks-ring-fire-solar-eclipse-know-135108568.html

[Geo]

The real deal last November near Cairns was more impressive then this 'ring of fire' can ever hope to be.

[Buster's Uncle]

Go on...

[Geo]

If I don't get evacuated tomorrow (see Belgian train disaster) I might be able to post some pics on our public holiday on Thursday.

[Geo]

I didn't forget, and still at home. 

As seen from Palms Cove, Queensland, Australia, on Nov 14th 2012.

[Buster's Uncle]

'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse Today: How to Watch Live
By Miriam Kramer | SPACE.com – 5 hrs ago...

Skywatcher Joel Dykstra sent this photo of the solar eclipse taken on May 20, 2012. He writes: "Here are some eclipse pictures I took from my backyard in Roswell, NM.

 
The moon will block part of the sun today (May 9) to create a potentially amazing "ring of fire" and you can watch the celestial sight live online.

The "ring of fire" solar eclipse — known as an annular solar eclipse — will be viewable (weather permitting) over certain areas of Australia and islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean where the local time will be Friday (May 10). If you don't happen to live in those parts of the world, however, you can still catch the cosmic show.

The online Slooh Space Camera will host a free webcast featuring live views of the eclipse today, beginning at 5:30 p.m. EDT (2130 GMT). You can watch it live on SPACE.com, courtesy of Slooh. [See Spectacular Photos of a 'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse]

"The precise line up, or syzygy, of the sun, moon and Earth have intrigued primitive cultures for millennia," Bob Berman, contributing editor and monthly columnist for Astronomy Magazine, said in a statement. "Here are the two most important and influential celestial bodies, so far as life on Earth is concerned, and on that day we can actually watch their clockwork motions. We observe firsthand as the Moon orbits around us at 2,250 miles per hour, showing off its speed as it centrally crosses the disk of the sun. It's pretty dramatic."

Slooh will stream in live video of the solar eclipse as seen by an observatory in Australia. Expert commentators, like Berman, will be on hand to discuss the event as well. The space camera will also host a live feed from the Prescott Solar Observatory to show viewers shots of the sun from Arizona. You can also follow the solar eclipse live via Slooh's iPad app and its website: http://events.slooh.com/

This eclipse also marks the second solar eclipse in six months for skywatchers in Australia.

Every eclipse is a unique event, Jay Pasachoff, an astronomer at Williams College in Mass. and the chair of the International Astronomical Union's working group on eclipses said. Pasachoff travelled to Australia earlier in the week to prepare for the eclipse with his 10-person team. This eclipse marks the 56th solar eclipse that Pasachoff has witnessed in person.

"The beauty of an eclipse is that each one is so memorable," Pasachoff told SPACE.com. "They [annular eclipses] aren't as exciting as total eclipses but it will still be fun to see anyway."

During this kind of eclipse, the moon covers about 95 percent of the sun, but that doesn't mean  the sky will be noticeably darker, experts have said. Special camera and telescope filters, protective eyewear and other means of defense should be implemented to safely view the eclipse in person.

"The eclipse in Australia begins shortly after sunrise and makes its way over the Pacific Ocean," officials from Slooh said in a statement. "Because the moon is very nearly at a point farthest from Earth, known as apogee, it appears too small to fully cover the sun, leaving a thin ring of sunlight or 'annulus' — known as the 'Ring of Fire.'"

Weather permitting, the Hawaiian Islands, the southern Philippines, eastern Indonesia, parts of Australia, parts of Papua New Guinea and a sliver of New Zealand will be treated to at least a partial eclipse, although these parts of the world are outside of the path of annularity.

Today's eclipse follows a partial lunar eclipse that shadowed the moon above Central Asia, Western Australia, Eastern Europe and Africa. Another minor lunar eclipse will occur on May 24.

This isn't the only solar eclipse of the year. On Nov. 3, a rare annular eclipse that transitions into a total eclipse — called a hybrid eclipse — will be visible in the northern Atlantic Ocean and into equatorial Africa.

WARNING: Never look directly at the sun during an eclipse with a telescope or your unaided eye. Severe eye damage can result and scientists use special filters to safely view the sun.

http://news.yahoo.com/ring-fire-solar-eclipse-today-watch-live-114056740.html

[Buster's Uncle]

'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse: The Science of Today's Strange Celestial Event
By Miriam Kramer | SPACE.com – 43 mins ago...

Annularity, the Moon is too small to cover the entire Sun’s disk so a ring or “annulus” of bright sunlight surrounds the Moon. This image was taken on May 20, 2012 from the Grand Canyon

 
A potentially dazzling ring-shaped solar eclipse today (May 9) will be a celestial show sure to amaze for those able to view it. Weather permitting, the passage of the moon in front of the sun will make the star look like a cosmic "ring of fire" for observers in western Australia, where the best viewing areas are.

As astounding as the show might be, however, some keen observers will have more than just beauty in mind when they're looking skyward. Scientists on the ground can make important observations during today's ring-shaped annular solar eclipse, which could lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the sun.

One of the scientists ready for today's eclipse is Jay Pasachoff, a veteran eclipse chaser and astronomer at Williams College in Massachusetts. Pasachoff has traveled to Australia to collect data and witness his 56th solar eclipse. While the solar eclipse is occuring today (May 9), the local time in western Australia where views are at their best will be Friday, May 10, local time.

Skywatchers in certain parts of Australia and the islands of the Southern Pacific Ocean will be able to view the eclipse in person. If you don't happen to live in one of those areas, you can watch the solar eclipse live on SPACE.com, courtesy of the online Slooh Space Camera, beginning at 5:30 p.m. EDT (2130 GMT).

"At an annular eclipse we're really studying the active regions of the sun, which are the sunspots," Pasachoff  who also chairs the International Astronomical Union's working group on eclipses told SPACE.com.


Satellites in orbit could observe solar activity during the eclipse as well, Pasachoff said. When combined and compared with data collected on the ground, the information gathered by the spacecraft will give researchers a larger picture of what the sun is doing during its expected peak in activity — or "solar maximum" — this year.

"So we're just doing the best we can to show what's going on the ground and to give the highest resolution observations of what's going on, on the ground and the sunspots at the same time," Pasachoff added.

During the solar eclipse, the moon will cover about 95 percent of the sun when it passes in front of the star's face, leaving Earth in the moon's shadow. The sky will not be noticeably darker, however. Special eyewear, camera and telescope filters and other means of protection are still necessary to observe this kind of eclipse safely in person.

Parts of the Hawaiian Islands, the southern Philippines, eastern Indonesia, other parts of Australia, small areas of Papua New Guinea and a tiny part of New Zealand (weather permitting) could see a partial view of the eclipse.

Today's eclipse follows a partial lunar eclipse that shadowed the moon above Central Asia, Western Australia, Eastern Europe and Africa. Another minor lunar eclipse will occur on May 24.

This isn't the only solar eclipse of the year. On Nov. 3, a rare annular eclipse that transitions into a total eclipse — called a hybrid eclipse — will be visible in the northern Atlantic Ocean and into equatorial Africa.

WARNING: Never look directly at the sun during an eclipse with a telescope or your unaided eye. Severe eye damage can result and scientists use special filters to safely view the sun.

http://news.yahoo.com/ring-fire-solar-eclipse-science-todays-strange-celestial-160333366.html