APOD: Eclipses in the Shade (2010 Jan 23)

[APOD Robot]

Eclipses in the Shade

Explanation: Eclipses are everywhere in this shady scene. The picture was taken on the Indian Ocean atoll island of Ellaidhoo, Maldives, on January 15, during the longest annular solar eclipse for the next 1,000 years. Tall palm trees provided the shade. Their many crossed leaves created gaps that acted like pinhole cameras, scattering recognizable eclipse images across the white sands of a tropical garden near the beach. From this idyllic location near the centerline of the Moon's shadow track, the ring of fire or annular phase of the eclipse lasted about 10 minutes and 55 seconds.

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[neufer]

<<The Maldives is the smallest Asian country in both population and area. With an average ground level of 1.5 metres above sea level, it is the lowest country on the planet. It is also the country with the lowest highest point in the world, at 2.3 metres.

The Maldives consists of approximately 1,190 coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls, along the north-south direction, spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometers, making this one of the most disparate countries in the world.


__Coat of Arms of Maldives

The atolls are composed of live coral reefs and sand bars, situated atop a submarine ridge 960 kilometers long that rises abruptly from the depths of the Indian Ocean and runs from north to south. On 26 December 2004 the Maldives were devastated by a tsunami. Only nine islands were reported to have escaped any flooding, while fifty-seven islands faced serious damage to critical infrastructure, fourteen islands had to be totally evacuated, and six islands were decimated. A total of 108 people, including six foreigners, reportedly died in the tsunami. The destructive impact of the waves on the low-lying islands was mitigated by the fact there was no continental shelf or land mass upon which the waves could gain height. The tallest waves were reported 14 feet high.

Comparative studies of Maldivian oral, linguistic and cultural traditions and customs confirm that the first settlers were Dravidian fishermen from the southwest coasts of what is now the south of the Indian Subcontinent and the western shores of Sri Lanka. According to a legend from the Maldivian Folklore, in the early 12th century AD a medieval prince named Koimala nobleman of the Lion Race from Ceylon, sailed to Rasgetheemu island. By then, the Aadeetta (Sun) Dynasty had for sometime ceased to rule in Malé, possibly due to invasions by the Cholas of Southern India in the Tenth Century. The indigenous people in Malé Atoll, the Giraavaru invited Koimala to Malé and permitted him to be proclaimed king. Koimala Kalou (Lord Koimala) reigned as King Maanaabarana, was a king of the Homa (Lunar) Dynasty.>>

[DonAVP]

Looks like a quilted blanket. That is what I thought when the image first came up. Then I noticed the images were repeating. Then I realized it was the annular eclipse and remember this effect from APOD's of the past (don't have any links but I know there are a few).

[JohnD]

Strange. In all the similar eclipse photos I've see - not that many - the multiole images have been in the same orientation.
But these aren't.
See in the middle of the rosette of images from the main palm. There are three nearly central, at about 7 o'clock which rae differently oriented to those further form the centre. I thought this might be an artefact, like the shadows in diferent directions in Apollo pics that fascinate the woowoos, that are due to the short focal length lens used. Is this a similar effect?

John

[neufer]

Strange. In all the similar eclipse photos I've see - not that many - the multiole images have been in the same orientation.
But these aren't. See in the middle of the rosette of images from the main palm. There are three nearly central, at about 7 o'clock which rae differently oriented to those further form the centre.

Palm fronds can be fairly shiny and create reflections as well.

[Chris Peterson]

Strange. In all the similar eclipse photos I've see - not that many - the multiole images have been in the same orientation.
But these aren't.
See in the middle of the rosette of images from the main palm. There are three nearly central, at about 7 o'clock which rae differently oriented to those further form the centre. I thought this might be an artefact, like the shadows in diferent directions in Apollo pics that fascinate the woowoos, that are due to the short focal length lens used. Is this a similar effect?

They all look to me to have the same orientation. You would expect some apparent deviations in an image, from both a non-planar ground and from wide angle distortion (as you suggest).