Solar Prominences

by Jon Burch Photography

Title

Solar Prominences

Artist

Jon Burch Photography

Medium

Photograph - Digital Capture

Description

In 1991 I was able to travel to Mazatlan, Mexico to view a total solar eclipse. It was a most awesome event and if you ever get the chance to view one, do not miss it! If you live in the United States, you will. There is one coming to a street corner near you in April of 2024!

Once the disc of the Moon completely covered the Sun, the solar corona instantly became visible. It seemed to shoot out of the dark Moon, extending outward millions of miles from the Sun. Normally, it can only be viewed during a total solar eclipse. Talk about chills up and down your backside...

Unlike lunar eclipses, total solar eclipses are localized and short. If you are lucky enough to be in the umbra like I was, you will see totality. If you are in the penumbra, you will only see a partial and if you are not in the darker umbra or lighter penumbra, you will miss the whole thing entirely. Eclipses are part of a cycle called the Saros which repeats itself every eighteen years causing varying lengths of complete totality depending on where in the cycle the eclipse is located. If near the middle as this one was, eclipses of long duration can occur. By long, I mean up to seven and one half minutes for a big one.

The event I saw in 1991 long one by these standards, six minutes and 58 seconds. I had another bit of luck in that at the time of the eclipse, it would be about 12:30 pm. My wife always told me it would be a dark day at noon if I ever took her anywhere, and I guess she was right.

Total eclipses only occur during new moon phase, when the moon is between the Earth and the Sun. If the eclipse happens at perigee, the closest approach of the moon to the Earth, its disk will completely blot out the entire Sun. The third requirement is nodal crossing. The moon's orbit is inclined to the Earth - Sun ecliptic plane by a little more than 5 degrees. This means the moon is above the ecliptic part of each month and below it for the other part. The lunar nodes are the crossing points. At the time of the 1991 total solar eclipse, all three of these events coincided, nodal crossing, perigee and syzygy or new moon position. The result was a relatively long eclipse allowing me to stand in the 267 mile wide umbra and experience the fastest 6 minutes and 58 seconds that I ever lived!

Do a look up for the total solar eclipse in 2024. You will find that it happens on April 8th and also many websites detailing where to be and when to be in the umbra of the lunar shadow. Don't miss it and remember to practice safe Sun by using special mylar eclipse glasses that will be available in many places. Do not look at the Sun without protection! ALWAYS PRACTICE SAFE SUN!

My original 35mm Kodachrome II transparency was digitized for uploading. This image copyright 2014 by Jon Burch Photography.

Uploaded

May 15th, 2014

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Viewed 258 Times  -  Last Visitor from Surrey, BC - Canada on 04/15/2024 at 5:49 PM

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