Total Solar Eclipse
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Image from NASA Eclipse Home Page
Photo courtesy of eclipse.astronomie.info
An eclipse occurs when the orbits of the Moon and the Earth align closely enough together with the Sun to block the light of the Sun from the Earth (a Solar eclipse), or the moon (a Lunar eclipse). Solar Eclipses are very powerful New Moons. Every month we have a New Moon, but only every six months do we have a Solar Eclipse.
On Wednesday, March 29, 2006, a Total Eclipse of the Sun, where the moon completely covers the solar disk as seen from a shadow path on Earth's surface. It willbe 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, 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.
Below: Image courtesy of csep10.phys.utk.edu
This Solar Eclipse will be preceded by
a Full-Moon Lunar Eclipse on March 14th,
which is The First Lunar Eclipse of 2006.
The Lunar Eclipse is a deep penumbral event best visible from Europe and Africa. First and last penumbral contacts occur at 21:22 UT and 02:14 UT (Mar 15), respectively.
During a total Lunar Eclipse, the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from the Moon. Astronauts on the Moon would then see the Earth eclipsing the Sun. (They would see a bright red ring around the Earth as they watched all the sunrises and sunsets happening simultaneouslyaround the world!)
While the Moon remains completely within Earth's umbral shadow, indirect sunlight still manages to reach and illuminate it. However, this sunlight must first pass deep through the Earth's atmosphere which filters out most of the blue colored light. The remaining light is a deep red or orange in color and is much dimmer than pure white sunlight. Earth's atmosphere also bends or refracts some of this light so that a small fraction of it can reach and illuminate the Moon.
Observers throughout most of North America will find the eclipse already in progress as the Moon rises on the evening of March 14. However, no eclipse will be visible from westernmost North America (Yukon, British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California) since the event ends there before moonrise. This particular event is unusual since it is a total penumbral eclipse. The whole Moon will lie completely within the penumbral shadow from 23:18 UT to 00:18 UT (Mar 15).
(According to astrology full moons heightens feelings and emotions, but even more so at a Lunar Eclipse, because of the electromagnetic energy that affects us neurologically, mentally, emotionally and physically. This is why many say they feel they have more energy during a full moon. So during this week, things might shake up our thinking, maybe moving us forward to a new level of evolution and maturity.)
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Julie McCallum, Senior Staff |
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