SUN ECLIPSES

INTRO:
        The solar eclipse is one of nature's most spectacular events. The moon covers the sun over one to two hours, where a few points on the sun's edges are visible for a few seconds. A bright point of light on the moon's edge is known as the diamond ring effect. It lasts for the three to five seconds and then it is also covered by the moon. The chromosphere is visible for a few seconds as well.

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DIAMOND RING EFFECT:
        The diamond ring effect comes from the last portion of light shining through a valley on the moon. When it is over, we see a corona, a halo of light around the sun. The corona is a layer of gas surrounding the sun. It is a million times fainter than our own sky. For us to be able to see the corona, the sun must be up when the sky is not illuminated-which is exaclty what occurs during a solar eclipse.
        The corona has an irregular shape with streamers that extend millions of kilometers. The sun acts as a magnet, allowing us to see polar tufts, which are thin rays that come out of the sun's poles.

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THE ECLIPSE:
        During the total eclipse, only the corona is visible. It is perfectly safe to look at this. When the second diamond-ring effect occurs, you must stop looking at the sun again. During a total eclipse, the sky is as dark as the night. You can see a pinkish glow on the horizon. For a minute or two before totality begins or after it ends, narrow bands of shadow run across the landscape. These are called shadow bands which can be seen well if you spread out a white sheet across the ground.
        Solar eclipses are not particularly rare. Partial ones occur about three times a year. Total eclipses occur every 18 months.
        More and more people are becoming interested in seeing total eclipses.

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THINGS TO OBSERVE:
       
  1. time of the contacts-where the moon begins to cover the sun, totality, and end of totality
  2. sketch or photograph of the prominences
  3. sketch or photograph of the corona
  4. observe the shadow bands

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TABLE OF ECLIPSES:
       

Date Annular or Total Description
January 4, 1992 annular Over the Pacific Ocean, ending in S. California. Hawaii and other western states had a partial eclipse.
June 30, 1992 total Beginning of eclipse was visible at sunrise in Uruguay, but most of it was visible over the Atlantic Ocean.
May 10, 1994 annular Crossed the U.S. from southwest to the northeast; the end of the eclipse was visible in northwest Africa. The path of annularity reached the U.S. in Arizona and New Mexico, crossed Texas and Oklahoma, and then coontinues northeast. Partial phases were visible throughout the U.S.
November 3, 1994 total Crossed the middle of S. America. Totality reaches S. Peru, N. Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil.
April 29, 1995 annular Visible from S. America and lasted up to 6 minutes and 38 seconds. Crossed Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Brazil.
October 24, 1995 total Visible over south Asia, for 2 minutes and 10 seconds. Visible in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
March 9, 1997 total The path of totality crossed Mongolia, Siberia, and Arctic regions.
February 26, 1998 total Lasted 4 minutes 9 seconds and crossed Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Carribbean Islands.
August 22, 1998 annular Lasted 3 minutes 14 seconds. Crossed Indonesia, Malaysia, and some islands of Oceania.
February 16, 1999 annular Crossed Australia and lasted up to 1 minute and 18 seconds.
August 11, 1999 total 2 minutes 23 seconds. Crossed Europe and southern Asia. Crossed France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany, Australia, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and India.