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11 May 2012
Annular Solar Eclipse - 20 May
11 May 2012 09:50 amSome of us will get a show (link to NASA site, and that's where the quotes come from).
Tokyo gets a good view first:
The eclipse's shadow then tracks across the Pacific Ocean, finally hitting land near the California/Oregon border (now 20 May local time; the eclipse has crossed the International Date Line):
Finally, here's a map showing the track over the western US.
Tokyo gets a good view first:
Tokyo lies 10 kilometres north of the central line. For the over 10 million residents within the metropolitan area, the annular phase will last 5 minutes beginning at 22:32 UT (on May 21 local time). The annular ring is quite thick because the Moon's apparent diameter is only 94% that of the Sun.
The eclipse's shadow then tracks across the Pacific Ocean, finally hitting land near the California/Oregon border (now 20 May local time; the eclipse has crossed the International Date Line):
Redding, CA lies 30 kilometres south of the central line. Nevertheless, it still experiences an annular phase lasting 4 1/2 minutes beginning at 01:26 UT [5:26 local]. It is already late afternoon along this section of the eclipse path. The Sun's altitude is 20° during the annular phase and decreasing as the track heads southeast. Central Nevada, southern Utah, and northern Arizona are all within the annular path.
By the time the antumbra reaches Albuquerque, NM (01:34 UT), the central duration is still 4 1/2 minutes, but the Sun's altitude has dropped to 5°. As its leading edge reaches the Texas Panhandle, the shadow is now an elongated ellipse extending all the way to Nevada. Seconds later, the antumbra begins its rise back into space above western Texas as the track and the annular eclipse end.
Finally, here's a map showing the track over the western US.