A Partial Solar Eclipse

Astrophotography

21 Jun

June 21, 2020

The first solar eclipse of 2020 took place today, Sunday, June 21, 2020. Observers in India got the chance to see a dramatic celestial spectacle – a spectacular ‘ring of fire’ in the sky produced by the Moon and the Sun. Here’s all you need to know about this amazing and rare astronomical event. Were the Moon just a wee bit closer - 379,100 rather than 381,500 kilometres away - Earthlings would have been treated to a total blackout, visible at a given spot on our planet about every 400 years. More spectacular, but less long-lived: the exact alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun will be visible for only 38 seconds and only from the path of totality which for today was over Uttarakhand. Also there was about 85% cloud cover over Hyderabad, my location today, which made it impossible to get a time lapse done. The only option was to take stills every time the clouds parted. Interesting observation I came across while researching - today, June 21, has been cloudy 85% of the time since 2000.

What is a "ring of fire" annular solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. When this happens, the Moon fully or partially blocks the light of the Sun from reaching our planet and casts a shadow on Earth. There are four types of solar eclipses – total, partial, annular and hybrid. Across India today, there were places where one could see the total eclipse with the “ring of fire“, and there were places where one could see a partial eclipse depending on where one was in the country. From my location I could see a partial - just over 50% of the sun covered by the moon provided the clouds parted.

The solar eclipse today is annular and this occurs when the Moon is near its apogee, the farthest distance from Earth, and the Sun, the Moon and Earth are aligned in a perfectly straight line. Since the apparent diameter of the new Moon is smaller than the Sun's, it appears smaller for observers from Earth and therefore cannot fully cover the solar disk. This produces a “ring of fire” or “ring of light” effect when the Sun looks like an annulus ("ring-shaped" from Latin).

What makes today’s eclipse special?

The annular solar eclipse today, will last from 03:45 UTC to 09:34 UTC - 9:15 AM IST until 3:04 PM IST, with the maximum eclipse occurring at 06:40 UTC - around 11.15 am IST for Hyderabad. Although annular eclipses are not rare phenomena – the last occurred on December 26, 2019, and the next will happen on June 10, 2021 – today’s eclipse is an extra special kind of annular eclipse. At maximum eclipse, that will last 38 seconds, the obscuration of the sun by the moon at the time of greatest phase of the annular eclipse will be nearly 98.6 percent, creating a dramatic celestial spectacle. Thus, the annular solar eclipse is almost a total solar eclipse. Skywatchers in locations with the best eclipse visibility will be able to see an incredibly thin ring around the Sun.

Who will see the ‘ring of fire’?

The ‘ring of fire’ eclipse on will be visible from parts of Africa including the Central African Republic, Congo, and Ethiopia, south of Pakistan and northern India. The partial eclipse will be observable in north and east Africa, in south-east of Europe, most of Asia (except the north part of Russia) and in the north of Australia.

The best views of the dramatic ‘ring of light’ will come to observers from central Africa to northern India - specifically in north Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

How to see this annular eclipse?

There are numerous apps which provide a ton of information on how to see the eclipse but remember that looking directly at the Sun or through a telescope or binoculars can cause serious eye damage or blindness. Proper solar filters are required to view any portion of the solar eclipse. The photos I took today are all with Solar Filters - specifically the Thousand Oaks Optical Threaded Solar SolarLite Filter - the 77-T and the 95-T. I also used a pair for my eyes and for my father so he could see the eclipse. Find them all in my bag.

Solar and lunar eclipses always come in pairs, with one following the other in approximately two weeks. On July 4-5, 2020, a penumbral lunar eclipse will occur. Follow my blogs, and you won't miss the must-see astronomical events.

North Lunar Node - When the Moon moves from South to North in its orbit and crosses Sun's path – the incision point is called Rāhu or Dragon's Head Solar Eclipse.

Rahu is usually paired with Ketu which is also considered to be a shadow planet. The time of day considered to be under the influence of Rahu is called Rāhu kāla and is considered inauspicious.

Solar eclipse myths?

Solar eclipses have caused fear, inspired curiosity, and have been associated with myths, legends, and superstitions throughout history. Even today, an eclipse of the Sun is considered a bad omen in many cultures. According to ancient Hindu mythology, the deity Rahu is beheaded by the gods for capturing and drinking Amrita, the gods' nectar. Rahu's head flies off into the sky and swallows the Sun causing an eclipse. A popular misconception is that solar eclipses can be a danger to pregnant women and their unborn children. In many cultures, young children and pregnant women are asked to stay indoors during a solar eclipse. In many parts of India, people fast during a solar eclipse due to the belief that any food cooked while an eclipse happens will be poisonous and impure.

There is no scientific evidence that solar eclipses can affect human behavior, health, or the environment. Scientists, however, do emphasize that anyone watching a solar eclipse must protect their eyes.

Equipment used today:

I ran a dual camera rig on my tripod with a magic arm:

Canon 1Dx Mark 2 with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM and two filters
- Breakthrough Photography X4 UV Filter
- Thousand Oaks Optical Threaded Solar SolarLite Filter 77-T
Canon 7D Mark 2 with the Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 and two filters