Solar eclipse coming up on May 20, 2012

[Richard Masters]

Solar eclipse coming up on May 20, 2012 for some of us. Anybody else psyched? Got any advice, ideas on where to watch from? Fun experiments to do? Etc?

http://www.space.com/15662-annular-solar-eclipse-photo-guide-2012.html
http://www.astronomy.com/~/link.aspx?_id=76d3b4da-bdbc-4c04-936e-8bc207d0ffcf

[Agatha]

You might want to ask a mod to edit the title; I believe the solar eclipse will be on the 20th May rather than today. :D

We won't see it in the UK, so I'm glad I was able to witness the solar eclipse in 1999, as there won't be another one visible from here until 2090 and I doubt I'll be around then.

[Richard Masters]

You might want to ask a mod to edit the title; I believe the solar eclipse will be on the 20th May rather than today. :D

We won't see it in the UK, so I'm glad I was able to witness the solar eclipse in 1999, as there won't be another one visible from here until 2090 and I doubt I'll be around then.

Thanks. I should be suspended for making such a terrible mistake. I did see the 1992 (or was it 1994) eclipse in Mexico. It was awesome.

[OnlyTellsTruths]

I love this 2nd paragraph at the 2nd link:

An eclipse occurs when the Sun, the Moon, and Earth line up, with our satellite in the middle. If the three align exactly while Luna lies closer to Earth than normal, observers will witness a total eclipse. But when the Moon lies farther away, it doesn’t completely block out the Sun, so viewers see a ring of sunlight in the sky, known as the “annulus.”

Yeah, refer to The Moon with 3 different words in as many sentences. That won't confuse the layman at all. :D

[Jomante]

I've already picked up my eclipse glasses and enough for the rest of my family. I saw one once when I was very young and was told it wouldn't happen again for 70 years. I didn't realize I was so old. LOL, no, it's just not a full eclipse for us this time. Anyway, the eclipse glasses were cheap, bought them on amazon and wow do they ever work. I didn't think I'd be able to see a thing through them when I first put them on but when you look at a really bright light you can see the filament. :cool:

[RenaissanceBiker]

(checks map) "Sun Sets Before Eclipse Begins."



Hmph.

[Madalch]

I've already picked up my eclipse glasses and enough for the rest of my family. I saw one once when I was very young and was told it wouldn't happen again for 70 years. I didn't realize I was so old. LOL, no, it's just not a full eclipse for us this time. Anyway, the eclipse glasses were cheap, bought them on amazon and wow do they ever work. I didn't think I'd be able to see a thing through them when I first put them on but when you look at a really bright light you can see the filament. :cool:
When I was in Germany for the 1999 eclipse, people were looking at the sun with an ordinary music CD. It seemed to work.

[Bell]

When I was in Germany for the 1999 eclipse, people were looking at the sun with an ordinary music CD. It seemed to work.

Just don't look through the hole in the middle.

[Jomante]

When I was in Germany for the 1999 eclipse, people were looking at the sun with an ordinary music CD. It seemed to work.

I just compared the same light with the solar glasses vs a music CD and it was definitely many times brighter with the music CD. I don't think I'd trust trying that one out with the sun, at least not for a long period of time.

[BowlOfRed]

(checks map) "Sun Sets Before Eclipse Begins."

Hmph.

Just wait 5 years....

[Andrew Wiggin]

I just compared the same light with the solar glasses vs a music CD and it was definitely many times brighter with the music CD. I don't think I'd trust trying that one out with the sun, at least not for a long period of time.

I just put on my welding helmet. A shade ten welding lens is about right.

[patchbunny]

I've been staring and staring at these damn eclipse maps, and I'm embarrassed to say I can't understand them. Can someone please explain to me just what type of eclipse I'll be seeing if I'm in Redding this Sunday? What if I'm in Sacramento?

[SezMe]

Redding is damn near perfect. If you're in Sac, you're SOL.

[Yuri Nalyssus]

Just wait 5 years....
Or run extremely quickly towards the horizon.

Yuri

[BowlOfRed]

I've been staring and staring at these damn eclipse maps, and I'm embarrassed to say I can't understand them. Can someone please explain to me just what type of eclipse I'll be seeing if I'm in Redding this Sunday?

An annular eclipse. The moon will be nearly centered over the sun, but will be smaller than the sun. So there's no totality and portions of the sun will always be visible (don't look at it directly). Remember that supermoon we just had? That was because the moon was near perigee during the full moon. Well that means it's near apogee during this new moon, and so far away that it doesn't cover the sun's disk.

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap051005.html

What if I'm in Sacramento?

A partial eclipse. The moon will slide past the disk, never quite covering the southern edge. Probably something like 95% coverage, though. It should get nice and dark.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/gallery/2010/jan/15/solar-eclipse-longest-21st-century?picture=358091256

[SezMe]

A partial eclipse. The moon will slide past the disk, never quite covering the southern edge. Probably something like 95% coverage, though. It should get nice and dark.
No, not according to the second link in the OP.

[BowlOfRed]

No, not according to the second link in the OP.

Not sure which bit you mean. It does appear that my guess of 95% is somewhat optimistic. This map:
http://eclipse-maps.com/Eclipse-Maps/Gallery/Pages/Annular_solar_eclipse_of_2012_May_20_files/ASE2012_detailmap_CaliforniaOregon_1.jpg
shows that something more than 92% will be the maximum coverage.

Lots of very detailed map information at http://eclipse-maps.com/Eclipse-Maps/Gallery/Pages/Annular_solar_eclipse_of_2012_May_20.html

[The Nimble Pianist]

BowlofRed: You seem to know what you're talking about, and you're in the Bay Area. I won't be able to travel to Redding that weekend, but would like to catch a glimpse of whatever's possible here in SF. What time should I start looking?

[BowlOfRed]

BowlofRed: You seem to know what you're talking about, and you're in the Bay Area. I won't be able to travel to Redding that weekend, but would like to catch a glimpse of whatever's possible here in SF. What time should I start looking?

If you check those maps on the page I referenced, it shows the beginning of the event will happen in the Bay Area at 0:16 UT. PDT is 7 hours back, so things should begin around 5:15PM.

Greatest extent near SF should be a little after 1:32 UT or 6:32PM in California.

I won't be going anywhere this time either. But I do visit Idaho every once in a while. I plan to be in Rexburg in 2017 for the total eclipse.

[ravdin]

BowlofRed: You seem to know what you're talking about, and you're in the Bay Area. I won't be able to travel to Redding that weekend, but would like to catch a glimpse of whatever's possible here in SF. What time should I start looking?

I'm also in SF. I'm planning to drive up to Chico for the event- it is just inside the path of annularity.

[Olowkow]

The weather should be fine atop Mt Fujiyama.

http://panasonic.net/eclipselive/

Live solar powered webcast.

[Olowkow]

The weather should be fine atop Mt Fujiyama.

http://panasonic.net/eclipselive/

Live solar powered webcast.

The UStream feed is live as of a little while ago.

[Travis]

We're gonna get about 92% coverage here where I live. Lots of people say that isn't enough to bother coming out of their houses to see.

But I went through the trouble of getting some welders glasses because I do want to see it even if it is just a 92% event.

[R.A.F.]

I'm also in SF. I'm planning to drive up to Chico for the event- it is just inside the path of annularity.

I live in Magalia...just east of Chico....no need for me to go anywhere to see it. :)

Now if someone could tell me what time this will be....


edit to add...ok...at around 6PM local time...

[Richard Masters]

We're gonna get about 92% coverage here where I live. Lots of people say that isn't enough to bother coming out of their houses to see.

But I went through the trouble of getting some welders glasses because I do want to see it even if it is just a 92% event.

Wow. I only get 83% coverage max. Was thinking about travelling North. I think the max you can get in California is 97%. It's so weird to think people wouldn't bother for 92% for a somewhat rare event.

[Jomante]

My parents are perfectly placed for the event, and they are leaving town. Not excited enough about it.

And then June 5th & 6th you've got the transit of Venus. It'll be just a small spec, but I'll be out there to at least take a gander. Might as well get the full value of the $1 solar eclipse glasses I bought :p

[Travis]

Wow. I only get 83% coverage max. Was thinking about travelling North. I think the max you can get in California is 97%. It's so weird to think people wouldn't bother for 92% for a somewhat rare event.

These are the same people who live right next to Yosemite and never go there because they just can't picture waterfalls or cliffs as being interesting to see. Too busy doing meth I guess.

[Travis]

It is starting to dim outside here!

Very cool.

[Travis]

It is now at 75% coverage. The animals are little confused about why it is getting dark outside.

[I Ratant]

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=236255

[I Ratant]

Mid-way through....Lots of pinholes in leaf shadows... :)
Outside air temperature dropped from 104° to 91° in 1/2 hour.

[crimresearch]

Clouded up and started thunderstorming about 2 hours ago. Never got to see the partial.

[Travis]

Well that was right cool.

It went darker and the light got strangely polarized. Then I noticed that the shadows of leaves on the ground had turned into inverted crescents. I took a bunch of photos through a filter of the actual eclipse and some of the strange shadows.

[Madalch]

Cloudy all day. No idea when the eclipse was.

[Travis]

Here I put my photos on my Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.369923109731965.83902.100001428366754&type=1).

[wasapi]

Wow. That was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen. Towards the end, the shadows that fell from a large tree, caused hundreds of tiny crescent lights moving in the breeze.

[Richard Masters]

Here I put my photos on my Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.369923109731965.83902.100001428366754&type=1).

Very nice. Is the greenish color due to the filter?

I looked through a 13 shade welding filter. Hopefully I'll be able to see when I wake up tomorrow.

[Travis]

Yeah the filter we used caused it to go real green. It is not ideal but it was the only filter I could find on short notice that worked with the camera.

And it was definitely a cool experience.

[TimCallahan]

Mid-way through....Lots of pinholes in leaf shadows... :)
Outside air temperature dropped from 104° to 91° in 1/2 hour.

In southern California I didn't notice any drop in temperature or even much dimming of light. However we did have a partial eclipse that reduced the sun to a crescent and produced a lot of those crescent-saped bits of sunlight in foliage shadows.

[I Ratant]

Eclipse from Palmdale..

[alfaniner]

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/1714fba90473e81e.jpg