APOD: Looking Back at an Eclipsed Earth (2011 Jan 02)

[APOD Robot]

Looking Back at an Eclipsed Earth

Explanation: Here is what the Earth looks like during a solar eclipse. The shadow of the Moon can be seen darkening part of Earth. This shadow moved across the Earth at nearly 2000 kilometers per hour. Only observers near the center of the dark circle see a total solar eclipse - others see a partial eclipse where only part of the Sun appears blocked by the Moon. This spectacular picture of the 1999 August 11 solar eclipse was one of the last ever taken from the Mir space station. The two bright spots that appear on the upper left are thought to be Jupiter and Saturn. Mir was deorbited in a controlled re-entry in 2001.

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[Anthony Barreiro]

According to wikipedia:

<<< The path of the moon's shadow began in the Atlantic Ocean and, before noon, was traversing Cornwall, Devon, Southern Wales, northern France, Belgium, Luxembourg, southern Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, and northern FR Yugoslavia (Vojvodina). Its maximum was at 11:03 UTC at 45.1°N 24.3°E in Romania (next to a town called Ocnele Mari near Râmnicu Vâlcea); and it continued across Bulgaria, the Black Sea, Turkey, Iran, southern Pakistan and Srikakulam in India and ended in the Bay of Bengal. >>>

Where exactly was the moon's shadow when this picture was taken?

Thanks. It's an awesome picture.

[Boomer12k]

Looks like a HOLE in the Earth!

[NoelC]

I have always felt like this image appeared to be a scan of a water-damaged print. Do the cloud tops really look like that?

-Noel

[rainproof]

I notice that there is an almost perfect circle/ring just outside of the shadow. It appears to me that it may be a meteor or comet impact area, or is it something else?

Pete

[Northshore]

It would appear that the image shows the shadow of the moon somewhere in Northern Quebec, Canada as the circular crate could very well be Lake Manicouagan - an old eroded impact site. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manicouagan_crater)

I question the observation "The two bright spots that appear on the upper left are thought to be Jupiter and Saturn." The lower one could indeed be a planet, but the upper one? Since all of the image is quite sharp, how can the planet be elongated? It appears that it is a double object or possible a man made object.

Has anyone else noticed this problem?

[León]

Click to view full size image

Will be seen in Europe, Africa and Central Asia. Begin at 06:40:11 UT (Universal Time)) and culminates at 11:00:54 UT.

[neufer]

I notice that there is an almost perfect circle/ring just outside of the shadow.

It appears to me that it may be a meteor or comet impact area, or is it something else?

It is something else: a circular convection feature in the stratus clouds.

The high b/w shadow contrast, the slanted viewing angle
and lots of visible water would indicate that it is basically
a near back-scatter view of the eclipse out in the Atlantic.

Normandy may be in the lower bottom corner of the APOD
with Ireland probably somewhat above it hidden in the clouds.

Track of the Aug. 11, 1999 total eclipse

---

# The BBC concentrated its coverage efforts on the first landfall of the shadow across the western end of Cornwall ( from St Ives to Lizard), which was packed with an extraordinary number of visitors, although Cornwall did not have nearly as many as expected leading to many specially organised events to be left with very small attendance.. The veteran eclipse-watcher, Patrick Moore, was brought in to head a live programme, but the eclipse was clouded out. BBC One also produced a special version of their Balloon Idents for the event. Unfortunately, the BBC did not have a presence at Goonhilly on the Lizard Peninsula, as this was one of the few places in Cornwall where the clouds parted just in time for the total eclipse to be visible.

# Some of the best viewing conditions were to be had mid-Channel, where ferries were halted in calm conditions to obtain an excellent view. Hundreds of people who gathered on the island of Alderney also experienced the event.

# A gathering of several thousand people at the airport in Soissons, France, which was on the path of totality, were denied all but a few fleeting glimpses of the eclipse through the overcast sky. Frustratingly, the clouds cleared completely just a few minutes after the eclipse.

# Further inland, viewing conditions were also perfect at Vouziers, a French country town which was gridlocked by Belgian cars from day-visitors. The patchy cloud covering cleared a short time before the shadow arrived. Some photos from Vouziers were used on the subsequent BBC Sky at Night programme.>>

[Beyond]

And Darkness was upon the Face of the Earth. But just what IS that little circle?

((i see neufer posted the answer at the same time i posted my question))

[biddie67]

I just love this discussion group - there is always something to learn. Even when I don't understand stuff, I become aware that it exists and that there are folks in this world that are working with such ......

[rtgambit]

It would appear that the image shows the shadow of the moon somewhere in Northern Quebec, Canada as the circular crate could very well be Lake Manicouagan - an old eroded impact site. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manicouagan_crater)

I question the observation "The two bright spots that appear on the upper left are thought to be Jupiter and Saturn." The lower one could indeed be a planet, but the upper one? Since all of the image is quite sharp, how can the planet be elongated? It appears that it is a double object or possible a man made object.

Has anyone else noticed this problem?

Found a neat program that shows the location of the planets for any given point in time. http://chronita.com/luna/solar.php?max&anim=0&clock=0

Going back 3431 days shows that Jupiter would be on the left and Saturn on the right from the Earth's point of view. Given the amount of noise in the frame it's possible that it caused the distortion we're seeing.

[bystander]

Click to view full size image

Will be seen in Europe, Africa and Central Asia. Begin at 06:40:11 UT (Universal Time)) and culminates at 11:00:54 UT.

Local Circumstances for Partial Solar Eclipse of 2011 Jan 04

[APODFORIST]

I have watched the eclipse live in southern Germany - it was an unforgettable experience.

For the 2 stars I used STELLARIUM to find them out. It shows the same planets which are mentioned in the picture description:
Jupiter on bottom and Saturn on top:

Click to view full size image

I still have no idea of the position of the shadow. But the star map on STELLARIUM says Saturn and Jupiter over the horizon are at WEST.

[bystander]

I still have no idea of the position of the shadow. But the star map on STELLARIUM says Saturn and Jupiter over the horizon are at WEST.

Its been asked what those two "objects" are in the top left corner of the image. Some suggestions include space junk or even stars. After some postulating and investigating by myself and other folks on the Astro List, a case has been made that they are the planets Jupiter and Saturn. According to CNES (the French space agency) this photo was taken by the French spationaut on board Mir at exactly 10h13m Universal Time. That puts the eclipse at around 50N 05W (latitude & longitude), or in the head waters of the English Channel. When the appropriate times and locations are entered into SkyMap (and other planetarium packages from folks on the Astro List) both Jupiter and Saturn are right on the money for that shot. In addition, Bill Arnett of the Astro List made this observation:

"And Mir was above France's Massif Central. When I tell Starry Night to put me at that time and place I clearly see the English channel and, sure enough, Jupiter and Saturn in the correct orientation above the horizon and the Moon shadow."

[orin stepanek]

I like Leon's post; but for another reason. It pretty much show the area of the earth that has continual nighttime on Jan. 2.

[deathbedrider]

I am wondering about the eclipse of milky way's black hole against the sun

[BPCooper]

The shadow was over southern England when the photo was taken, to answer that question.

[combsab]

Why is the eclipse shadow pentagonal in shape? I might assume it's a lens artifact, but there's no corresponding distortion in the Earth.

[Chris Peterson]

Why is the eclipse shadow pentagonal in shape? I might assume it's a lens artifact, but there's no corresponding distortion in the Earth.

It's not. The shadow is the projection of a circle onto a sphere. It only appears a bit pentagonal because you are seeing structure in the clouds at the shadow edge, and because the human brain is so good at picking out patterns.

[neufer]

[size=185][color=#0000FF]Pentagonal Corona :?: [/color][/size]

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Why is the eclipse shadow pentagonal in shape? I might assume it's a lens artifact, but there's no corresponding distortion in the Earth.

It's not. The shadow is the projection of a circle onto a sphere. It only appears a bit pentagonal because you are seeing structure in the clouds at the shadow edge, and because the human brain is so good at picking out patterns.

[rtgambit]

Found a neat program that shows the location of the planets for any given point in time. http://chronita.com/luna/solar.php?max&anim=0&clock=0

Going back 3431 days shows that Jupiter would be on the left and Saturn on the right from the Earth's point of view. Given the amount of noise in the frame it's possible that it caused the distortion we're seeing.

Hi - I want to do a programme evaluation and comparison. Does anyone know any other programme that shows the location of the planets for any given point in time.
Thank´s in advance

Wolfgang

[Munkholm]

Have never seen anything like it, like a hole in the ground