All the inhabitants of our planet dream of seeing such an incredible spectacle as solar eclipse. This event is very rare and its every appearance arouses genuine interest of the masses. In the article we will look at what this phenomenon is, analyze the advice of astrologers and decide on the dates of solar eclipses.
and why does it happen
A solar eclipse is one of the most anticipated astronomical events. It is observed when the Moon, passing between the Sun and the globe, covers the star from the inhabitants of our world. The shadow cast by the Moon on the Earth is small in size relative to our planet, and therefore cannot envelop its entire area at once.
Based on the amount of the sun's surface covered, the following are distinguished:
- Time of total solar eclipse. When the observer is in the lunar shadow, the eclipse of the sun will cover the entire solar disk, and in the darkened sky only the so-called solar corona will be visible.
- A partial eclipse is so called because only a fraction of the solar circle will be closed to viewers in the penumbra region. Accordingly, this event will be visible only from that part of our planet that falls under the lunar shadow or is adjacent to this darkened area (this approximate zone is called the penumbra).
- Annular solar eclipse. In 2017, this variant was observed by residents of the south pole. It is observed when the Moon at the time of the eclipse is located at a great distance relative to our planet and its shadow does not reach the Earth. In this situation, it will be visible how the Moon moves in the center of the solar circle, but its diameter is less than the size of the solar disk, and, accordingly, the Sun will not disappear completely, but will look like a bright ring with a dark spot in the middle. The sky darkens slightly, it’s impossible to see.
In a situation where the eclipse is seen from different points on the Earth (in the lunar shadow) as both total and annular, it will be classified as total annular or hybrid.
Solar eclipses of the 20th century were especially interesting to science. Thanks to this phenomenon, scientists were able to explore the surroundings of the Sun, which is impossible under normal conditions. And since 1996, the SOHO satellite has been helping with this. Before the beginning of the 20th century, the chromosphere was explored during eclipses and several comets were observed.
Dates of solar eclipses 2018
In 2018, this astronomical phenomenon will be observed three times.
On 02/15/2018 at 16.30 Moscow time there will be a partial solar eclipse, which will be visible in South America and Antarctica. Russians will not be able to admire the phenomenon.
On July 13, 2018 at 06.02 Moscow time, another partial eclipse will take place; it will be visible in Tasmania, southern Australia and eastern Antarctica.
On August 11, 2018 at 12.47 Moscow time, a partial solar eclipse will take place at 12.47 Moscow time. This time, Russians (central part, Siberia, Far East), as well as residents of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, northeast China, Scandinavian countries, Greenland and the northern part of Canada will have the opportunity to see this unusual phenomenon with their own eyes.
Features of the eclipses of the coming 2018
According to astrologers, each new eclipse affects a person in a special way, which is due to the unique position of the planets and stars relative to each other, the Sun and the Moon at the time of the phenomenon. Having calculated the influence of the interactions of celestial bodies, astrologers have made recommendations regarding human actions at the time of solar eclipses in 2018:
- During the next solar eclipse on February 15, 2018, a person may involuntarily manifest or intensify the desire for not the most kind and noble deeds. Therefore, on this day you should most carefully control your emotions, words and actions, and try not to get drawn into conflict.
- Eclipse July 13, 2018. Any endeavors on this day are doomed to failure.
- Eclipse on August 11, 2018. You should be careful about making important decisions on the day of the eclipse, or better yet, postpone it altogether. A person will be overcome by absent-mindedness, attention to detail will weaken, as a result of which on this day one can lose sight of important nuances and, having made any decision, subsequently regret it.
Solar eclipses 2019
In 2019, as in 2018, earthlings will be able to admire the solar eclipse on the following dates:
Preparation
Both doctors and specialists in such areas as astrology and esotericism urge not to treat the phenomenon of a solar eclipse as something catastrophic and destructive for humans. Before the future, you should not radically change your lifestyle, lock yourself at home in anxious anticipation. But nevertheless, before the date of the solar eclipse, activities aimed at improving overall well-being will not be superfluous: walks in the fresh air, moderation in diet. You should also postpone less urgent matters and worries in order to avoid additional emotional and physical stress on the eve of the eclipse. This “unloading” regime will allow you to relieve the anxiety and nervousness that is characteristic of a person during this unusual period.
Among astrologers and esotericists, it is believed that a solar eclipse is a moment of purification; at this time, the most successful ventures will be those related to getting rid of everything that burdens a person or harms his health.
During future events, as well as during solar eclipses in 2017, you should keep in mind:
What not to do during eclipses
According to esotericists, the period of the nearest solar eclipses is extremely unfavorable for any undertakings.
These days have the following features:
- It is believed that on the day of the eclipse there is a high probability of committing rash acts.
- It is not advisable to schedule large financial transactions, marriage registration, or signing important documents on this day.
- You should be careful about carrying out planned medical procedures on this date; if possible, it is better to postpone the procedure to another day.
- It is not recommended to use psychotropic substances.
- They also advise not to take information “to heart”; you should try to abstract yourself and assess the situation objectively.
In order to prepare for a natural phenomenon in time, you need to plan the necessary things in advance and compare what you have planned with the list of solar eclipses .
The influence of eclipses on humans
Medical scientists are of the opinion that the astrological phenomenon does not have a significant impact on a person's physical health, regardless of where the solar eclipse was visible. Since this phenomenon is quite short in duration, it simply does not have time to seriously interfere with the biochemical processes of the body.
However this is amazing a natural phenomenon traditionally caused a feeling of anxiety and concern among the population of the Earth, since this event is relatively rare and is subconsciously perceived by humans as alien. People experience similar discomfort when they find themselves in an unfamiliar, hostile environment. A particularly pronounced feeling of anxiety occurs in people with high meteosensitivity, with manifestations of vegetative dystonia, in anxious and suspicious individuals, in people with depressive disorders.
It has been noticed that during the eclipse the frequency of suicidal manifestations increases slightly. Therefore, doctors recommend that people with the above personality traits start taking sedatives in advance when the date of the eclipse approaches. And on the day of the phenomenon, if possible, protect yourself from additional experiences and stress.
The period from 2018 to 2033 was chosen because... it is quite interesting in relation to solar eclipses visible from the territory of Russia and the CIS countries. During these years, 14 solar eclipses will be observed from the territory of our country, which include two total eclipses, two annular eclipses and 10 partial eclipses. Particularly interesting will be the annular solar eclipse on June 1, 2030, the band of the annular phase of which will pass through the entire country from west to east from Crimea to Primorye!
It is worth noting that, for example, in the period from 2034 to 2060 (twice as long), only two total and three annular solar eclipses will be observed in our country! The difference is obvious, so we can say that Russians and residents of the CIS are lucky with solar eclipses in the next fifteen years.
How do solar eclipses occur? The cause of solar eclipses is our celestial neighbor the Moon. The apparent diameters of the Sun and Moon as seen from Earth are approximately the same. This means that the Moon, moving in its orbit, at some point can completely (total eclipse) or partially (partial eclipse) cover the Sun (during the new moon phase).
A total solar eclipse is the most spectacular and spectacular astronomical phenomenon! If night falls in the middle of the day and stars become visible in the sky, this is very impressive! Unfortunately, the visibility of such a phenomenon extends only to a small area where the lunar shadow falls. But as the lunar shadow moves, it forms a narrow strip on the Earth’s surface (on average about 200 kilometers wide). The length of such a strip is several thousand kilometers, but this is still not enough for a total eclipse of the Sun to be seen by all residents of the hemisphere of the Earth facing the daylight. Total solar eclipses can occur every six months, but due to the peculiarities of the Moon's movement in its orbit, they most often occur only once a year.
More information about the possibility of solar eclipses can be found, for example, in the book “Total Solar Eclipse of March 29, 2006 and Its Observation” (link at the end of the article).
Observe total solar eclipses from the same settlement possible on average only once every 300 years. This makes it necessary to travel into the visibility range of the eclipse. A total solar eclipse is accompanied by a partial solar eclipse, which is visible on both sides of the total eclipse band, where the lunar penumbra falls. The farther from the central line of the eclipse, the less the disk of the Sun will be covered by the Moon. But the width of the stripe of a partial solar eclipse is much greater than that of a total eclipse, so partial eclipses can be observed from the same observation point much more often. Thanks to the large territory of our country, we can observe solar eclipses more often than residents of countries with a small territory.
There are only partial eclipses, when the shadow of the Moon passes above or below the polar regions of the Earth, and only the lunar penumbra falls on our planet, showing the appearance of a damaged Sun. An annular eclipse is different in that the Moon completely sets on the disk of the Sun, but cannot completely cover it due to its smaller apparent diameter (when the Moon is near its apogee, i.e. the point of its orbit farthest from the Earth). As a result, the solar ring around the dark disk of the Moon is visible from Earth.
It should be noted that a total eclipse in the European part of Russia will only be observed in 2061. If you look at the map of the bands of total and annular eclipses over 20 years, you can see how rare total solar eclipses are, even for such big country, like ours.
The next total solar eclipses in 2019 and 2020 will be observed in Chile and Argentina. Therefore, those who want to see this wonderful phenomenon as soon as possible need to prepare for a transatlantic flight!
But let’s return to the eclipses of the period 2018 - 2033 described here, and consider them in more detail.
For convenience, which can be downloaded and printed.
Solar eclipses in Russia and the CIS in 2018 - 2033
(world time)
The 2018 solar eclipse will be a partial one. It will occur at the new moon on August 11, and the eclipse band will cover the northeastern part of our country with a maximum phase of 0.736 in Chukotka. Residents of North America, Scandinavia and China will also see private phases. The duration of the eclipse will be slightly less than 3.5 hours. The eclipse will occur in the constellation Leo.
Another solar eclipse of 2019 will be annular. It will occur at the new moon on December 26, and a strip of the annular phase will pass through the Indian and Pacific oceans, crossing Arabia, southern India and Indonesia from west to east. The maximum duration of the annular phase will reach 3 minutes 40 seconds at a phase of 0.97. Residents of the southern regions of our country, countries of Africa, Asia and Australia will see private phases. The eclipse will occur in the constellation Sagittarius.
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The 2020 solar eclipse will be annular. It will occur at the new moon on June 21, and the ring-shaped phase will pass through Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Asian continent. The duration of the ring-shaped phase at the maximum of the phenomenon will reach only 38 seconds with a phase of 0.994. In this case, the thinnest ring of this eclipse will be observed. In Russia and the CIS, the eclipse band will cover the entire southern half of the country. The maximum phase of about 0.7 can be observed in the Central Asian CIS countries. The eclipse will occur in the constellation Taurus.
The 2022 solar eclipse will be a partial one. It will occur at the new moon on October 25, and the eclipse will cover the western half of Russia. The maximum eclipse phase of 0.861 will be available for observation from the territory of our country in Siberia. The eclipse will occur in the constellation Virgo.
The 2026 solar eclipse will be total. It will occur at the new moon on August 12, and the band of total eclipse will pass through the waters of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, Western Europe and Russia. A total eclipse will be observed in Taimyr (the duration of the total phase is 2 minutes), and a partial eclipse will cover the Far North of the country. The eclipse will occur in the constellation Leo.
The 2029 solar eclipse will be a partial eclipse. It will occur at the new moon on June 12, and the eclipse will pass through the Arctic Ocean, as well as across North America and the Far North of our country. The maximum eclipse phase of 0.458 will be available for observation from North America. In Russia, the smallest phases of the eclipse will be visible (about 0.2 or less). The eclipse will occur in the constellation Taurus.
The 2031 solar eclipse will be annular. It will occur during the new moon on May 21, and a band of an annular eclipse with a maximum phase of 0.959 will pass through the water area Indian Ocean, as well as in Africa, India and Indonesia. On the territory of our country, the eclipse will be observed in its southern part with small phases (Central Asian CIS countries). The eclipse will occur in the constellation Taurus.
IN Lately astronomy has ceased to exist compulsory subject at school, hopes are pinned on this publication for the possibility of filling the forced gaps in education with the help of the Internet...
First of all, let’s turn to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia to take advantage of the time-tested and undoubtedly outstanding scientists definition of the subject of our conversation: “An eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon in which the Sun, Moon, planet, satellite of a planet or star ceases to be visible in whole or in part to an earthly observer.
Eclipses occur due to the fact that either one heavenly body covers another, or the shadow of one non-self-luminous body falls on another similar body. An eclipse of the Sun is observed when it is covered (overshadowed) by the Moon."Solar eclipses always occur on New Moon.
A solar eclipse is a unique phenomenon every time.
What types of eclipses are there?
We are so used to our moon that we don’t even realize how lucky we are with it! And we were lucky to have her twice. First, our Moon is not some shapeless boulder like Phobos or Deimos, but a neat, round mini-planet! Second: The Moon is now far enough away from the Earth and there are no daily earthquakes and huge waves, once in the past caused by the tidal forces of the Moon (in our time, the Moon is moving away from the Earth at a speed of 4 cm per year - in earlier eras this happened faster). The Moon is now so far away that its apparent angular size is close to that of the even more distant Sun. And once upon a time the Moon was so close to the Earth that solar eclipses occurred every new moon, although at that time there was no one to look at them...
Each solar eclipse is unique in its own way; exactly how the eclipse will look for an observer on earth is determined by 3 factors (in addition to weather): the angular diameters (dimensions) of the Sun visible from the observation point α and the moon β and the trajectory of the Moon relative to the Sun and stars (Fig. 2).
Rice. 2. The angular diameters of the Sun visible from the Earth's surface ( α ) and Moon ( β ), the trajectory of the Moon’s movement across the starry sky (dotted line).
Due to the fact that the Moon and the Earth move in elliptical orbits (the Moon is sometimes closer and sometimes further from the Earth, and the Earth, in turn, is sometimes closer and sometimes further from the Sun), the apparent angular diameter of the Moon, depending on its orbital position, can vary from 29 .43" to 33.3" (arcminutes), and the apparent angular diameter of the Sun is from 31.6" to 32.7". Moreover, their average apparent diameters, respectively, are for the Moon: 31"05" and for the Sun: 31"59".
Depending on whether the visible trajectory of the Moon passes through the center of the Sun, or intersects its visible region in an arbitrary place, as well as various combinations of the visible angular sizes of the Moon and the Sun, three types of solar eclipses are traditionally distinguished: partial, total and annular eclipses .
Partial solar eclipse
If the observed trajectory of the Moon does not pass through the center of the Sun, then the Moon, as a rule, cannot completely obscure the Sun (Fig. 3) - an eclipse in which the Moon covers the Sun is not completely called partial (partial from the word “part” with the meaning “partial” eclipse"). Such an eclipse can occur for any possible combination of the apparent angular diameters of the Moon and the Sun.
The majority of solar eclipses occurring on Earth are partial eclipses (approximately 68%).
Total solar eclipse
If at any point on the Earth's surface observers can see that the Moon completely covers the Sun, then such an eclipse is called a total solar eclipse. Such an eclipse occurs when the apparent path of the Moon passes through the center of the Sun or very close to it and at the same time the apparent diameter of the Moon β must be greater than or at least equal to the apparent diameter of the Sun α (Fig. 4).
Rice. 4. Total solar eclipse, March 20, 2015 in 12:46 observed near the North Pole.
A total solar eclipse can be observed within very small areas of the earth's surface, as a rule, it is a strip up to 270 km wide, outlined by the shadow of the Moon - observers in areas adjacent to the shadowed areas see only a partial solar eclipse (Figure 5).
Rice. 5. Total solar eclipse, the shadow of the Moon on the surface of the Earth, the dark dotted line indicates the trajectory of the shadow area
For each specific area, a total solar eclipse is very rare. In Moscow, for example, there is a total solar eclipse last time was in August 1887 (08/19/1887), and the next one is expected on 10/16/2126. So, if you sit in one place for a long time, you may never see a total solar eclipse in your life ( however, in August 1887, Muscovites still did not see it due to bad weather). Therefore: “If you want to survive an event, do everything possible to make it happen!” /Slogan of Enthusiasts/
Thank God, in general, on the surface of the Earth, total eclipses do not occur very rarely, on average once every year and a half and account for almost 27% of all eclipse variants.
Annular solar eclipse
If the trajectory of the Moon passes near the center of the Sun, but the apparent angular diameter of the Moon is less than that of the Sun β < α , then at the moment the centers align, the Moon cannot completely obscure the Sun and a glow in the form of a ring is created around it, such an eclipse is called annular (Fig. 6), but in oral speech, traditionally striving to express the meaning as briefly as possible, the expression annular eclipse was established, i.e. "Annular solar eclipse" is a term, but "annular eclipse" is just jargon for now...
Rice. 6. An annular solar eclipse, someday...
Annular (annular) solar eclipses are currently the rarest type of eclipses, accounting for only 5%. But, as we know, the Moon is gradually moving away from the Earth and annular eclipses will occur more and more often.
Why solar eclipses happen so rarely
The main reason that solar eclipses in our time do not occur every new moon is that the plane of the Moon’s orbit does not coincide with the plane of the ecliptic (the plane of the Earth’s orbit) and is inclined to it at an angle of 5.145 degrees (Fig. 7, item 1). In this figure, as well as in all others, the sizes of the angles and the ratio of the scales of objects are exaggerated for clarity of the images.
Rice. 7.
Work on the article "Solar Eclipses" continues.
Sergey Ov(Seosnews9)
Solar eclipses 2020 - exact dates (MSK), type, phases, observation locations
June 21, 2020 - annular (annular) solar eclipse 06/21/2020 at 09:41 MSK, the annular eclipse will be visible in northeast Africa, the south of the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, India and China, partial solar eclipse - in the middle and southern latitudes of Russia , as well as in the south of Europe, in Middle, Central, Southeast Asia and Melanesia .
December 14, 2020 - total solar eclipse, the maximum phase of the eclipse will begin 12/14/2020 at 19:15 MSK, the total eclipse can be observed in the Pacific Ocean, the very south South America and in the Atlantic Ocean, particularly in both oceans, in the south and central part of South America, the Antarctic Peninsula and the southwest coast of Africa. Will not be observed in Russia .
Solar eclipses of 2019:
January 2019 - Partial solar eclipse
;
July 2019 - Total solar eclipse;
December 2019 -(observed in Russia)
06.01.2019 04:28
- New Moon.
This new moon will happenpartial solar eclipse
, the maximum phase of the eclipse will begin January 6, 2019 at 04:41 MSK, eclipse it will be possible to observe in eastern Mongolia, northeastern China, Korea and Japan, in Russia - in the south Eastern Siberia, Far East, Kamchatka, Kuril Islands and Sakhalin.
02.07.2019 22:16
- New Moon.
This new moon will happen total solar eclipse
, the maximum phase of the eclipse will begin July 2, 2019 at 10:26 pm MSK, a partial eclipse of the Sun can only be observed in the south Pacific Ocean, Central and South America (Chile, Argentina), alas: will not be observed in Russia...
26.12.2019 08:13
- New Moon.
This new moon will make the inhabitants of the Earth happy with the third solar eclipse of the year - it will be annular solar eclipse
(annular), the maximum phase of the eclipse will occur December 26, 2019 05:18:53 MSK, an annular eclipse can be observed in the east of the Arabian Peninsula, southern India, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Malaysia and Indonesia, and partial in Central and Southeast Asia, Australia and western Oceania , in Russia the eclipse will be observed in Transbaikalia and Primorye
.
2018:
February 2018 - Partial solar eclipse;
July 2018 - Partial solar eclipse;
August 2018 - Partial solar eclipse
(observed in Russia)
16.02.2018 00:05
- New Moon
This new moon will happen partial solar eclipse
, the maximum phase of the eclipse will begin 02/15/2018 at 23:52 MSK, a partial eclipse of the Sun can only be observed in Antarctica and southern South America (Chile, Argentina) - summary: V Russia will not be observed.
13.07.2018 05:48
- New Moon (
, (super new moon) - translation option from English word"supermoon", the other is "Super Moon". On a new moon, the Moon is usually not visible, but in such cases there are very strong tides, maybe a better translation would be: “Strong Moon”?)
In addition, on this new moon there will be partial solar eclipse
, the maximum phase of the eclipse will begin 07/13/2018 at 06:02 MSK. The eclipse can be observed, alas, only in Antarctica on the Budd Coast, the southernmost part of Australia, Tasmania or in the Indian Ocean between Antarctica and Australia - the eclipse will not be observed in Russia
.
11.08.2018 12:58
- New moon(
, Strong Moon)
On this new moon it will also happenpartial solar eclipse
, the maximum phase of the eclipse will begin August 11, 2018 at 12:47 MSK, the eclipse can be observed in the north of Canada, Greenland in the Scandinavian countries, in Russia - in the northern and middle latitudes of Central Russia, throughout Siberia and Far East
, northeastern Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China .
2017: February 2017 - Annular solar eclipse; August 2017 - Total solar eclipse
26 February 2017 17:58
On this winter new moon there will be annular solar eclipse
. The maximum phase of the eclipse will begin February 26, 2017 at 17:54 MSK
. An annular eclipse of the Sun can be observed in the south of Argentina and Chile, southwest Angola, and private in southern South America, Antarctica, western and southern Africa - will not be observed in Russia.
21 August 2017 21:30- astronomical new moon.
On this summer new moon there will be total solar eclipse
. The maximum phase of the eclipse will begin August 21, 2017 at 21:26 MSK.
A total eclipse of the Sun can be observed, alas, only in North America in the United States, private in Russia
- in Chukotka (the Moon will barely touch the Sun); in other countries- in the USA and Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland and the UK, Portugal (at sunset), Mexico, Central America, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Guinea and Brazil.
March 2016 - Total Solar Eclipse + Supermoon
09 March 2016 04:54 Moscow time - astronomical new moon;
This new moon will happen total solar eclipse, the maximum phase of the eclipse will begin March 09, 2016 at 04:58 MSK, a total solar eclipse will be observed on the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Halmahera, private in Russia- in Primorye, Sakhalin, Kuril Islands and Kamchatka; in other countries in India, China, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, USA and Canada (Alaska)
;
01.09.2016 12:03
- astronomical new moon;
This new moon will happen annular solar eclipse, the maximum phase of the eclipse will begin September 01, 2016 at 12:08 MSK
, An annular eclipse can be observed, alas, only in central Africa and Madagascar, and a partial eclipse in all African countries, in Saudi Arabia, Yemen and in the Indian Ocean
March 2015 - Total Solar Eclipse + Supermoon
March 20, 2015 12:36 Moscow time - astronomical new moon; ;
On this new moon there will be a total solar eclipse, the maximum phase of the eclipse will occur on March 20, 2015 at 12:46:47 MSK, total eclipse of the sun can be observed in the Faroe Islands, Spitsbergen and the North Pole, partial eclipse in Russia- throughout the European part and Western Siberia; as well as in Greenland, Europe and Central Asia.
;
* Eclipses, eclipse = Z.
Z. - astronomical phenomena, consisting in the fact that the Sun, Moon, planet, satellite of a planet or star ceases to be visible to an earthly observer in whole or in part. Shadows occur due to the fact that either one celestial body covers another, or the shadow of one non-self-luminous body falls on another similar body. Thus, the Earth of the Sun is observed when it is covered by the Moon; W. Moon - when the shadow of the Earth falls on it; Z. satellites of planets - when they fall into the shadow of a planet; Z. in systems of double stars - when one star covers the other. Zoning also includes the passage of a satellite’s shadow across the disk of a planet, the occultation of stars and planets by the Moon (the so-called occultation (see Occultation)), and the passage of inner planets- Mercury and Venus - along the solar disk and the passage of satellites across the planet’s disk. With the beginning of manned flights spaceships It became possible to observe the Earth from the Sun from these ships (see illustration). Of greatest interest are the rays of the Sun and the Moon, associated with the movement of the Moon around the Earth.
Big Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd ed. 1969 - 1978
To understand why solar eclipses occur, people have been observing them for centuries and keeping score, recording all the circumstances surrounding them. At first, astronomers noticed that a solar eclipse occurs only on a new moon, and not on every moon. After this, paying attention to the position of our planet’s satellite before and after the amazing phenomenon, its connection with this phenomenon became obvious, since it turned out that it was the Moon that was blocking the Sun from the Earth.
After this, astronomers noticed that two weeks after a solar eclipse a lunar eclipse always occurs; what was especially interesting was the fact that the Moon was always full. This once again confirmed the connection between the Earth and the satellite.
A solar eclipse can be seen when the young Moon completely or partially obscures the Sun. This phenomenon occurs only on a new moon, at a time when the satellite is turned to our planet with its unlit side, and therefore is absolutely invisible in the night sky.
A solar eclipse can only be seen if the Sun and the new Moon are within twelve degrees on either side of one of the lunar nodes(two points at which the solar and lunar orbits intersect), and the Earth, its satellite and the star line up in one line, with the Moon in the middle.
The duration of eclipses from the initial to the final stage is no more than six hours. At this time, the shadow moves in a stripe along earth's surface from west to east, describing an arc with a length of 10 to 12 thousand km. As for the speed of movement of the shadow, it largely depends on latitude: near the equator - 2 thousand km/h, near the poles - 8 thousand km/h.
The solar eclipse is very limited area, because due to its small size, the satellite is not able to hide the Sun at such a great distance: its diameter is four hundred times less than the solar one. Since it is four hundred times closer to our planet than the star, it still manages to block it from us. Sometimes completely, sometimes partially, and when the satellite is at its greatest distance from the Earth, it is ring-shaped.
Since the Moon is smaller not only than the star, but also the Earth, and the distance to our planet at the closest point is at least 363 thousand km, the diameter of the satellite’s shadow does not exceed 270 km, therefore, an eclipse of the Sun can be observed along the path of the shadow only within this distance . If the Moon is at a great distance from the Earth (and this distance is almost 407 thousand km), the stripe will be significantly smaller.
Scientists suggest that in six hundred million years the satellite will move so far away from the Earth that its shadow will not touch the surface of the planet at all, and therefore eclipses will be impossible. Nowadays, solar eclipses can be seen at least twice a year and are considered quite rare.
Since the satellite moves around the Earth in an elliptical orbit, the distance between it and our planet during an eclipse is different each time, and therefore the size of the shadow fluctuates within extremely wide limits. Therefore, the totality of a solar eclipse is measured in quantities from 0 to F:
- 1 – total eclipse. If the diameter of the Moon turns out to be larger than the diameter of the star, the phase can exceed unity;
- From 0 to 1 – private (partial);
- 0 – almost invisible. The Moon's shadow either does not reach the earth's surface at all, or only touches the edge.
How a wondrous phenomenon is formed
It will be possible to see a total eclipse of a star only when a person is in the band along which the shadow of the Moon moves. It often happens that just at this time the sky is covered with clouds and disperses no earlier than the moon’s shadow leaves the area.
If the sky is clear, with the help of special eye protection, you can observe how Selena begins to gradually obscure the Sun on its right side. After the satellite finds itself between our planet and the star, it completely covers the Sun, twilight sets in, and constellations begin to appear in the sky. At the same time, around the disk of the Sun hidden by the satellite, one can see the outer layer solar atmosphere in the form of a crown, which is invisible during normal times.
A total solar eclipse does not last long, about two to three minutes, after which the satellite, moving to the left, opens right side Luminaries - the eclipse ends, the corona goes out, begins to quickly brighten, the stars disappear. Interestingly, the longest solar eclipse lasted about seven minutes (the next event, lasting seven and a half minutes, will only be in 2186), and the shortest was recorded in the North Atlantic Ocean and lasted one second.
You can also observe the eclipse while staying in the penumbra not far from the passage of the Moon's shadow (the diameter of the penumbra is approximately 7 thousand km). At this time, the satellite passes by the solar disk not in the center, but from the edge, covering only part of the star. Accordingly, the sky does not darken as much as during a total eclipse, and the stars do not appear. The closer to the shadow, the more the Sun is covered: while at the border between the shadow and penumbra the solar disk is completely covered, on the outer side the satellite only partially touches the star, so the phenomenon is not observed at all.
There is another classification, according to which a solar eclipse is considered total when the shadow at least partially touches the earth's surface. If the lunar shadow passes near it, but does not touch it in any way, the phenomenon is classified as private.
In addition to partial and total eclipses, there are annular eclipses. They are very similar to total ones, since the Earth's satellite also covers the star, but its edges are open and form a thin, dazzling ring (while a solar eclipse is much shorter in duration than an annular eclipse).
This phenomenon can be observed because the satellite, passing the star, is as far away from our planet as possible and, although its shadow does not touch the surface, visually it passes through the middle of the solar disk. Since the diameter of the Moon is much smaller than the diameter of the star, it is not able to completely block it.
When can you see eclipses?
Scientists have calculated that over the course of a hundred years, about 237 solar eclipses occur, of which one hundred and sixty are partial, sixty-three total, and fourteen annular.
But a total solar eclipse in the same place is extremely rare, and they do not differ in frequency. For example, in the capital of Russia, Moscow, from the eleventh to the eighteenth centuries, astronomers recorded 159 eclipses, of which only three were total (in 1124, 1140, 1415). After that, scientists here recorded total eclipses in 1887 and 1945 and determined that the next total eclipse in the Russian capital will be in 2126.
At the same time, in another region of Russia, in southwestern Siberia, near the city of Biysk, a total eclipse could be seen three times over the past thirty years - in 1981, 2006 and 2008.
One of the largest eclipses, the maximum phase of which was 1.0445 and the width of the shadow stretched over 463 km, occurred in March 2015. The penumbra of the Moon covered almost all of Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. A total solar eclipse could be observed in the northern latitudes of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic (as for Russia, the highest phase of 0.87 was in Murmansk). The next phenomenon of this kind will be observed in Russia and other parts of the northern hemisphere on March 30, 2033.
Is it dangerous?
Because the solar phenomena are quite unusual and interesting spectacles, it is not surprising that almost everyone wants to observe all phases of this phenomenon. Many people understand that it is absolutely impossible to look at a star without protecting your eyes: as astronomers say, you can look at this phenomenon with the naked eye only twice - first with the right eye, then with the left.
And all because with just one glance at the brightest star in the sky, it is possible to remain without vision, damaging the retina of the eye to the point of blindness, causing a burn, which, damaging the cones and rods, forms a small blind spot. A burn is dangerous because a person does not feel it at all at the beginning and its destructive effect appears only after a few hours.
Having decided to observe the Sun in Russia or anywhere else on the globe, you must take into account that you cannot look at it not only with the naked eye, but also through sunglasses, CDs, color photographic film, X-ray film, especially filmed, tinted glass, binoculars and even a telescope, if it does not provide special protection.
But you can look at this phenomenon for about thirty seconds using:
- Glasses designed to observe this phenomenon and provide protection from ultraviolet rays:
- Undeveloped black and white photographic film;
- A photo filter, which is used to observe a solar eclipse;
- Welding glasses with protection not lower than “14”.
If it was not possible to obtain the necessary funds, but amazing phenomenon I really want to see nature, you can create a safe projector: take two sheets of cardboard white and a pin, then punch a hole in one of the sheets with a needle (do not widen it, otherwise you will only be able to see the beam, but not the darkened Sun).
After this, the second cardboard must be placed opposite the first in the direction opposite to the Sun, and the observer himself must turn his back to the star. The sun's ray will pass through the hole and create a projection of the solar eclipse onto the other cardboard.
On March 20 this year, there will be a total solar eclipse that will block up to 90 percent of the sun. The eclipse will be the largest event in the last 16 years. On this day, the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun, casting a shadow on the Earth. A solar eclipse could cause temporary power outages across Europe. The eclipse will occur on the afternoon of Friday 20 March and will begin at 7:41 UTC (Universal Time) and end at 11:50 UTC.
· Start of solar eclipse: 12:13 Moscow time
· Maximum phase of solar eclipse: 13:20 Moscow time
· End of solar eclipse: 14:27 Moscow time
Maximum solar obscuration: 58 percent
A total eclipse will be observed in eastern Greenland, Iceland, the Svalbard archipelago and the Faroe Islands. Russia, Europe, northern and eastern Africa and northern and eastern Asia will experience a partial solar eclipse.
The last time a total solar eclipse of this magnitude occurred was on August 11, 1999, and the next one will take place in 2026. In addition, the eclipse could disrupt solar power supplies and lead to power outages.
Remember not to look directly at the Sun during sun exposure, as this may cause permanent eye damage. To observe, you need to use special solar filters.
The eclipse falls on the equinox and new moon, and the Moon will reach lunar perigee, the closest point to Earth in its orbit. The spring equinox occurs on March 20, 2015 at 22:45 UTC (March 21 1:45 Moscow time). It represents the moment when the Sun crosses the celestial equator. On the day of the equinox, the length of night and day is the same and is 12 hours.
March's new moon will be a supermoon, which, although not visible, will have a larger than normal impact on Earth's oceans. An eclipse occurs when a celestial body, such as the Moon or a planet, passes into the shadow of another body. There are two types of eclipses that can be observed on Earth: solar and lunar.
During a solar eclipse, the Moon's orbit passes between the Sun and the Earth. When this happens, the Moon blocks the sun's light and casts a shadow on the Earth.
There are several types of solar eclipse:
Full - it is visible in certain areas of the Earth that are in the center of the lunar shadow falling on the Earth. The Sun, Moon and Earth are in a straight line.
Partial - This eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth are not exactly in line and observers are positioned in the penumbra.
Annular - occurs when the Moon is at its farthest point from the Earth. As a result, it does not completely block the solar disk, but appears as a dark disk around which a bright ring is visible.
