Eclipse Section        

 
 

May 7, 2021

2021 Eclipses

In 2021 we will have 4 Eclipses: 2 Lunar, 1 Annular Solar, and 1 Total Solar.

The eclipse schedule for this year can be found here.

We are looking for high participation in these events!

REMINDER: Please send your submissions to eclipse@alpo-astronomy.org. If possible, also include the equipment used, the weather conditions, and location of the observation. I look forward to seeing all of your submissions!

Sincerely,

Keith Spring
Section Coordinator
star.man13@hotmail.com

 
 

January 17, 2020

Request for Images/Observations

Eclipse observing reports are being accepted regarding the following:

Annular Solar Eclipse of December 26, 2019. Total annularity was visible in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula, southern India, Sumatra, Borneo, Philippines and Guam. A partial eclipse was visible in small parts of Eastern Europe, much of Asia, North/West Australia, East in Africa, Pacific and Indian Ocean.

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of January 10, 2020 visible in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and Greenland.

Reports should include the following data:

    Observer’s name and exact location of the observation (latitude and longitude are also helpful).
    Date and time (in Universal Time, if possible) of the various “eclipse contacts”. First contact occurs when the partial phase of the eclipse begins; second contact is when a total or annular phase begins; third contact is when the total or annular phase ends; and fourth contact occurs when the partial phase ends.
    Instrumentation (if used) details including scope type, focal length, aperture (inches or mm), filter details (if used), webcam or ccd device details (brand and model), software details (capture and processing programs).
    Sky conditions including seeing (steadiness) and transparency.
    Personal comments about what was observed at various stages of the eclipse.

We ask that all reports be sent as soon as possible and no later than February 1 to ALPO Eclipse Section Acting Coordinator Keith Spring at either star.man13@hotmail.com and eclipse@alpo-astronomy.org, or 2173 John Hart Circle, Orange Park, FL 32073.

All reports will be used as part of the next comprehensive eclipse report to be published in the ALPO quarterly journal in March of this year.

Thanks

 
 

New Year, 2020

Eclipse schedule for 2020

In 2020 we will have 6 eclipses: 4 Partial Lunar, 1 Annular Solar and 1 Total Solar.
The eclipse schedule for this year can be found “Here”.

We are also accepting photos and reports for the 12/26/19 Annular Solar Eclipse. Please send your submissions to star.man13@hotmail.com as well as to the ALPO eclipse email address: eclipse@alpo-astronomy.org . If possible, also include the equipment used, the weather conditions, or any other details you see fit.

I would like to personally thank, David Teske, David Tyler, Frank J Melillo, Germán Morales, Guilherme Grassmann, Howard Eskildsen, John O’Neal, Michael Boschat, and Theo Ramakers for submitting images of the 11/11/19 Mercury Transit. We received a great turnout of 62 submissions, which have been archived, and can be found under the 2019 Mercury Transit Gallery link, in the right side bar of the Eclipse Section Page.

Keith Spring
Acting Coordinator , Eclipse Section

 
 

August 1, 2017

The 2017 Solar Eclipse – Part 4

Dr. M. D. Reynolds continues his discussion on the Great American Eclipse. This fourth and last part was published in the 2017 Summer edition of ALPO’s Journal, “the Strolling Astronomer” and gives tips and recommendations on how to image the eclipse. Click the following link, or right click the link to download the pdf for off line reading .
The August 21 2017 Great American Eclipse – Part 4

 
 

April 6, 2017

The 2017 Solar Eclipse – Part 3

Dr. M. D. Reynolds continues his discussion on the Great American Eclipse. This third part was published in the 2017 Spring edition of ALPO’s Journal, “the Strolling Astronomer” and discusses the equipment needed for the eclipse. Click the following link, or right click the link to download the pdf for off line reading .
Part 3 – The August 21 2017 Great American Eclipse – Part 3

 
 

April 6, 2017

The 2017 Solar Eclipse – Part 2

Dr. M. D. Reynolds continues his discussion on the Great American Eclipse. This second part was published in the 2016 Spring edition of ALPO’s Journal, “the Strolling Astronomer”. Click the following link, or right click the link to download the pdf for off line reading .
Part 2 – The 21 August 2017 Total Solar Eclipse

 

 

 
 

March 4, 2017

The 2017 Solar Eclipse – Part 1

In preparation for the Great American Solar Eclipse on August 21 2017, ALPO will publish a number of articles which were originally written by Dr. M. D. Reynolds for ALPO’s Journal, “the Strolling Astronomer”. The first article was published in the Winter 2016 issue. To get up to date for this exciting event, follow the articles as they are published here. Click the following link, or right click the link to download the first pdf for off line reading .
The 21 August 2017 Total Solar Eclipse – Part 1

 
 

Lunar Eclipse Dec 10, 2011 (posted Sept 23, 2011)

Timing an Eclipse of the Moon with the Unaided Eye
John E. Westfall, ALPO Science/Peer Reviewer
P.O. Box 2447, Antioch, CA 94531-2447; johnwestfall@comcast.net

In map-making and navigation it is essential to be able to find one’s latitude and longitude. With GPS we now find these coordinates with ease. We thus may forget that, prior to the invention of the telescope, the only practical way to find longitude involved two observers at different places noting the local time of the phases of eclipses of the Moon. The difference of time between the two locations gave their longitude difference.

This procedure provided the only longitudes measured in ancient and medieval times. The results were not very accurate. Part of the error undoubtedly was due to the imprecision of timing events by “hours of the night.” But some of the error was also attributable to the naked-eye timing of the events.

Naked-eye timings of the phases of a lunar eclipse are rarely done these days, so there are few published data on their accuracy. For this reason, the writer invites observers to time, without telescope or binoculars, the four umbral contacts of the total lunar eclipse of December 10, 2011.*

Although the timings must be made without optical aid, this doesn’t mean you can’t observe most of the eclipse through binoculars or a telescope. However, to avoid any possible bias in the timings made with your unaided eyes, we recommend the following:

Beginning 10 minutes before the predicted time of an eclipse contact, view the Moon with the naked eye only. Also, during this period do not look at a timepiece or listen to time signals until the instant that you believe the eclipse contact has occurred. Then note that time to 0.1-minute precision. You can now resume viewing through binoculars or a telescope.

We hope that some observers will be interested in this minimal-technology way to observe an eclipse of the Moon. When the event is over, please send your results to the writer at the address above. Be sure to note any circumstances, such as clouds or haze, which may have affected your results.

* The predicted Universal Times of the four umbral contacts on December 10 are:

  • 12h 45m    First Contact; the dark umbral shadow first touches the Moon
  • 14h 06m    Second Contact; the Moon is now completely within the umbra
  • 14h 58m    Third Contact; the umbra begins to leave the Moon
  • 16h 18m    Fourth Contact; the Moon is now completely outside the umbra

At least one of these events should be visible in central and western North America. All the umbral contacts should be visible in Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and throughout central, southern and eastern Asia.

 
 

August 31, 2010

Timing an Eclipse of the Moon with the Unaided Eye
John E. Westfall, ALPO Science Editor
P.O. Box 2447, Antioch, CA 94531-2447; johnwestfall@comcast.net

In map-making and navigation it is essential to be able to find one’s latitude and longitude. With GPS we now find these coordinates with ease. We thus may forget that, prior to the invention of the telescope, the only practical way to find longitude involved two observers at different places noting the local time of the phases of eclipses of the Moon. The difference of time between the two locations gave their longitude difference.

This procedure provided the only longitudes measured in ancient and medieval times. The results were not very accurate. Part of the error undoubtedly was due to the imprecision of timing events by “hours of the night.” But some of the error was also attributable to the naked-eye timing of the events.

Naked-eye timings of the phases of a lunar eclipse are rarely done these days, so there are few published data on their accuracy. For this reason, the writer invites observers to time, without telescope or binoculars, the four umbral contacts of the total lunar eclipse of December 21, 2010.*

Although the timings must be made without optical aid, this doesn’t mean you can’t observe most of the eclipse through binoculars or a telescope. However, to avoid any possible bias in the timings made with your unaided eyes, we recommend the following:

Beginning 10 minutes before the predicted time of an eclipse contact, view the Moon with the naked eye only. Also, during this period do not look at a timepiece or listen to time signals until the instant that you believe the eclipse contact has occurred. Then note that time to 0.1-minute precision. You can now resume viewing through binoculars or a telescope.

We hope that some observers will be interested in this minimal-technology way to observe an eclipse of the Moon. When the event is over, please send your results to the writer at the address above. Be sure to note any circumstances, such as clouds or haze, which may have affected your results.

* The predicted Universal Times of the four umbral contacts on December 21 are:

06h 32m    First Contact; the dark umbral shadow first touches the Moon
07h 40m    Second Contact; the Moon is now completely within the umbra
08h 54m    Third Contact; the umbra begins to leave the Moon
10h 02m    Fourth Contact; the Moon is now completely outside the umbra

At least one of these events should be visible throughout North and Central America as well as Hawaii.

 
 

Each ALPO section now has access to a “blog” and an image gallery.  The blog can be used by any coordinator or section associate to post special alerts and images.  The gallery is also available for posting and archiving section images.

There are many advantages to using these applications on our website, including the ability to search posts by category, content and the ability to perform keyword searches when looking for images.  There is also an option that will automatically post to a Yahoo group whenever a post is logged to your blog.  The blog also includes an events calendar.   The best part is that you don’t have to wait for someone else to post your alerts.  Posting an alert to the blog is just like creating a Word document.  You simply type, cut and paste images and post – no web experience necessary.

Of course this is all optional.  If you like the way things are now with your section, that’s fine.  Please note that the gallery will be used for future image posts, if the webmaster is asked to post images for you.

If you need an account for your section, contact Larry Owens   Larry.Owens@alpo-astronomy.org

Here’s a link to the gallery:  https://alpo-astronomy.org/gallery

Thanks,

Larry Owens

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