THIS PAGE IS NOW OUT OF DATE - BUT CONTAINS SOME USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT SOLAR ECLIPSE
Solar
Eclipse Data
Alaska, most of Europe and Asia, parts of
Canada. These are the places to be on Saturday, May 31st to see the first solar
eclipse of 2003.
Total eclipses of the sun are breathtaking, jaw-dropping. Many people who feel the cool sweep of the moon's shadow for the first time and witness the sun's ghostly corona go on to become world-traveling eclipse chasers. A total eclipse can change your life. Partial eclipses, on the other hand, are just plain fun. During a partial eclipse the moon never completely covers the Sun. The sky never darkens. The corona never appears. But something wonderful does happen. Little crescents pop up everywhere.
Look under a tree. Sunlight beaming through gaps in the leaves make crescent-shaped spots on the ground. Look around the walls of your home or office. You might see some crescents projected by slits in the window shades. Windows with cut glass are better yet. Their prism-like corners bend sunlight and cast rainbow-colored crescents in unexpected places--perfect for a treasure hunt.
Sky watchers in Alaska, parts of Canada, most of Europe and Asia can hunt for crescents on May 31st (UT) when the Moon glides in front of the Sun for nearly two hours. It's the first solar eclipse of 2003.
The coming eclipse is partial, not total, which means the moon will never completely cover the sun. How much of the sun disappears depends on where you live. In Stockholm, for instance, the coverage will be nearly complete--about 85%. The crescent there will be slender. In Anchorage only about 50% of the sun will be covered. The crescent will be fat. Click HERE to view eclipse maps and timetables for hundreds of cities.
Europe, Canada and Alaska are good places to be because the eclipse occurs at special times: In Europe the event happens at sunrise (Saturday morning, May 31st); in Alaska and Canada at sunset (Friday evening, May 30th). Sunrises and sunsets are lovely enough when the sun is round. They can be as magical as a total eclipse when the sun is a crescent.
WARNING: Although the sun might seem dim and safe to look at when it hangs low over the horizon, it is still dangerous. Staring at the sun with the unaided eye is almost sure to cause eye damage. Even a brief glimpse of the sun through unfiltered telescopes or binoculars will blind you. Always use proper filters or safe solar projection techniques.
Upcoming Space/Solar
Events
Transit
of Mercury: 2003 May 07
Total
Lunar Eclipse: 2003 May 15-16
Annular
Solar Eclipse: 2003 May 31
Total
Lunar Eclipse: 2003 Nov 09
Total
Solar Eclipse: 2003 November 23
NASA Shuttle Launches
One of my favourites pastimes
is watching the NASA Shuttle launches live on their web-site.
You can visit the NASA web-site by clicking HERE
If you would
like to meet up on the bands, or want let me know that you've seen the web-site,
then please send me an e-mail:-
E-MAIL
Jim - 2E1GUA / M3GUA