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APOD: Solar Eclipse from Western Australia (2023 Apr 21)
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:05 am
by APOD Robot
Solar Eclipse from Western Australia
Explanation: Along a narrow path that mostly avoided landfall, the shadow of the New Moon raced across planet Earth's southern hemisphere on April 20 to create a rare annular-total or
hybrid solar eclipse. A mere 62 seconds of totality could be seen though, when the dark central lunar shadow just grazed the North West Cape, a peninsula in western Australia. From top to bottom these panels capture the beginning, middle, and end of that fleeting
total eclipse phase. At start and finish, solar prominences and beads of sunlight stream past the lunar limb. At mid-eclipse the
central frame reveals the sight only easily visible during totality and most treasured by eclipse chasers, the
magnificent corona of the active Sun.
Of course eclipses tend to come in pairs. On May 5, the next Full Moon will just miss the dark inner part of Earth's shadow in a penumbral lunar eclipse.
Re: APOD: Solar Eclipse from Western Australia (2023 Apr 21)
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:45 pm
by orin stepanek
I like it when the whole sun is covered! Nice job Luna!
![Laughing :lol2:](./images/smilies/asterisk_laugh.gif)
Re: APOD: Solar Eclipse from Western Australia (2023 Apr 21)
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:58 pm
by Doctormhl1
When a viewer on Earth observes a total solar or lunar eclipse, both spheres appear to be exactly the same size. We know that the sun is much larger than the moon but is much, much farther in distance from the Earth than the moon. What are the odds that the positioning of the sun and moon in the sky in such a manner as to produce the phenomenal appearance of spheres of equal size is an accident? Or is it rather the result of the plan and purpose of a super human Intellect?
Re: APOD: Solar Eclipse from Western Australia (2023 Apr 21)
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 10:12 pm
by Fred the Cat
Doctormhl1 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:58 pm
When a viewer on Earth observes a total solar or lunar eclipse, both spheres appear to be exactly the same size. We know that the sun is much larger than the moon but is much, much farther in distance from the Earth than the moon. What are the odds that the positioning of the sun and moon in the sky in such a manner as to produce the phenomenal appearance of spheres of equal size is an accident? Or is it rather the result of the plan and purpose of a super human Intellect?
If so, I think they screwed up.
![Evil or Very Mad :evil:](./images/smilies/icon_evil.gif)
I wish the moon was closer, like it
used to be, so eclipses would last longer.
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
Re: APOD: Solar Eclipse from Western Australia (2023 Apr 21)
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 2:05 am
by Chris Peterson
Doctormhl1 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:58 pm
When a viewer on Earth observes a total solar or lunar eclipse, both spheres appear to be exactly the same size. We know that the sun is much larger than the moon but is much, much farther in distance from the Earth than the moon. What are the odds that the positioning of the sun and moon in the sky in such a manner as to produce the phenomenal appearance of spheres of equal size is an accident? Or is it rather the result of the plan and purpose of a super human Intellect?
The Moon has shifted outward in its orbit considerably since it formed, and continues to move outward. The equal angular size of the Sun and the Moon is a transient condition in the time scale of the Solar System.
You could argue that
any given size relationship between the two is a coincidence of astronomical unlikelihood. 1:1 is as statistically reasonable as 1:2 or 3.14159:1 or anything else.
Re: APOD: Solar Eclipse from Western Australia (2023 Apr 21)
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 2:06 am
by Chris Peterson
Fred the Cat wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 10:12 pm
Doctormhl1 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:58 pm
When a viewer on Earth observes a total solar or lunar eclipse, both spheres appear to be exactly the same size. We know that the sun is much larger than the moon but is much, much farther in distance from the Earth than the moon. What are the odds that the positioning of the sun and moon in the sky in such a manner as to produce the phenomenal appearance of spheres of equal size is an accident? Or is it rather the result of the plan and purpose of a super human Intellect?
If so, I think they screwed up. :evil: I wish the moon was closer, like it
used to be, so eclipses would last longer. :(
But if it was too much closer it would cover a lot of the corona, and you wouldn't ever get that ring of fire from prominences.
Re: APOD: Solar Eclipse from Western Australia (2023 Apr 21)
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 7:24 pm
by johnnydeep
Chris Peterson wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 2:06 am
Fred the Cat wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 10:12 pm
Doctormhl1 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:58 pm
When a viewer on Earth observes a total solar or lunar eclipse, both spheres appear to be exactly the same size. We know that the sun is much larger than the moon but is much, much farther in distance from the Earth than the moon. What are the odds that the positioning of the sun and moon in the sky in such a manner as to produce the phenomenal appearance of spheres of equal size is an accident? Or is it rather the result of the plan and purpose of a super human Intellect?
If so, I think they screwed up.
![Evil or Very Mad :evil:](./images/smilies/icon_evil.gif)
I wish the moon was closer, like it
used to be, so eclipses would last longer.
But if it was too much closer it would cover a lot of the corona, and you wouldn't ever get that ring of fire from prominences.
Yeah, but high and low tides would be so much more significant!
![:) :ssmile:](./images/smilies/smile.gif)
Re: APOD: Solar Eclipse from Western Australia (2023 Apr 21)
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 7:34 pm
by Chris Peterson
johnnydeep wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 7:24 pm
Chris Peterson wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 2:06 am
Fred the Cat wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 10:12 pm
If so, I think they screwed up. :evil: I wish the moon was closer, like it
used to be, so eclipses would last longer. :(
But if it was too much closer it would cover a lot of the corona, and you wouldn't ever get that ring of fire from prominences.
Yeah, but high and low tides would be so much more significant! :ssmile:
Especially as tides are not limited to the oceans. The land is deformed, as well, and stronger tides could have significant tectonic implications.