|
Introduction:
On 2006 March 29, a total eclipse of the Sun will be visible from within a narrow corridor which traverses half the Earth. The path of the Moon's umbral shadow begins in Brazil and extends across the Atlantic, western Africa, northern Africa, and central Asia where it ends at sunset in western Mongolia.
A partial eclipse will be seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes the northern two thirds of Africa, Europe, and central Asia.
Detailed predictions for this event are presented and included in this page as follow: geographic coordinates of the path of totality, physical ephemeris of the umbra, topocentric limb profile corrections, maps of the eclipse path through Libya and the African continent, the lunar limb profile and the sky during totality as well as information on safe eclipse viewing and eclipse photographs.
|
 NASA Eclipse Home Page
Solar Eclipses 2001-2010
Eye Safety During Solar
Eclipses
Manufacturers & Retailers
Eclipse Equipment
|
When the eclipse happen?
Definition: eclipse means "leave, abandon" in ancient Greek.
A Total Solar Eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun move into a position of direct alignment with the sun and the earth .To see a Total Solar Eclipse you must be standing within the shadow which is never more than 120 km wide. See figure 1
Total eclipse (Fig 1)
|
We have to note that an eclipse can happen only when both of the sun and the moon arrive near one of the crossing points (these are called nodes).There are two of these nodes on the opposite sides of the sky, one where the moon crosses from south to north, and one where the moon passes from north to south.
Since there are two crossing points in the sky.
Eclipses happen during two "eclipse seasons" separated by about six months.
The stages of a total eclipse - see figure 2
First contact Second contact Third contact Fourth contact
The stages of an eclipse (Fig 2)
The eclipse shapes.
- Bailey beads.
as the moon cover the last slice of the sun.
See figure 3
Bailey beads (Fig 3)
- The diamond ring.
As the last bit of the sun disappears ,you can see something called the "diamond ring " the beautiful inner corona forming a ring around the moon with brilliant white jewel of light .see figure 4
Diamond ring (Fig 4)
- The crimson-colored.
After the diamond ring disappears, you only have a couple seconds to notice the crimson-colored See figure 5
The crimson-colored (Fig 5)
- The corona.
Once the sun is completely hidden, you can see the full glory of the solar corona. The corona is about the same brightness as the full moon. See figure 6
Corona (Fig 6)
- The beautiful prominences.
The second striking things you may see during totality are the beautiful prominences. These gigantic jets and loops of gas around the edge of the sun follow local magnetic fields usually emanating from sunspots. They are the beautiful crimson colour of glowing hydrogen gas. See figure 7.
The beautiful prominences (Fig 7)
The partial eclipse.
It happens, when the umbra (shadow) passes either just above the North Pole or just below the South Pole completely missing the earth.
No total eclipse is visible only partial phases can be seen. See figure 8
Partial eclipse (Fig 8)
Stages of a partial eclipse. see figure 9
Partial eclipse stages (Fig 9)
Path of the eclipse through Africa(Total Solar Eclipse of 2006 Mar 29)
The African countries crossed by the 2006 eclipse:
- Ivory Coast
- Ghana
- Togo
- Nigeria
- Niger
- Chad
- Libya: the greatest eclipse point (10:10 for 4min.07s)
- Egypt
Path of the eclipse through Libya and Egypt
(Total Solar Eclipse of 2006 Mar 29)
The safe and correct viewing of the solar eclipse
Important Warning:
- Permanent eye damage can result from starting or even looking at the disk of the sun directly or through a camera viewfinder, or with binoculars or telescope even when only a thin crescent of the sun remains.
- The one percent (1%) of the sun's surface still visible is about 10.000 times brighter than the full moon.
- The retina of your eye is delicate and irreplaceable .there is little or nothing a retinal surgeon will be able to do to help you.
- Never look at the sun outside of the total phase of an eclipse unless you have adequate protection.
- Remember, your eyes can be damaged without you feeling any pain.
________________________________________
Documentations:
* Figures: fig 3 / fig 8 / & path of the eclipse through Africa. Path of the eclipse through Libya & Egypt (by Fred Espenak & John Anderson).
* Figures: fig 2 / fig 4 / fig 5 / fig 6 / fig 7 / fig 9 (by Ron Hipshman)
|
