50 years ago today, at 16:09 UTC on 17 July 1975, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project culminated in the first docking of the spacecraft - but afterwards an interesting experiment took place: after they separated again Apollo (the final one; no number) occulted the Sun from the point of view of Soyuz 19. Images obtained show mostly outgassing from Apollo forward-scattering light from the hidden Sun but allegedly there is also some outer corona in the images of which https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2010/04/Artificial_eclipse_produced_by_US_Apollo_spacecraft shows one with a negative caption. The planned artificial #eclipse experiment was described in the mission press kit https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/static/history/astp/documents/astp%20press%20kit%20(us).pdf on PDF pages 37-39 and the outcome is discussed in the didactical NASA brochure https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19780019206/downloads/19780019206.pdf on PDF pages 20-27; there is apparently also a more technical paper in a mission science report but I couldn't find that one online.

2020 June 15

A Ring of Fire Sunrise Solar Eclipse
* Video Credit: Colin Legg & Geoff Sims
https://www.facebook.com/ColinLeggPhotography
https://www.facebook.com/BeyondBeneath
* Music: Peter Nanasi
https://www.peternanasi.com/about

Explanation:
What's rising above the horizon behind those clouds? It's the Sun. Most sunrises don't look like this, though, because most sunrises don't include the Moon. In the early morning of 2013 May 10, however, from Western Australia, the Moon was between the Earth and the rising Sun. At times, it would be hard for the uninformed to understand what was happening. In an annular eclipse, the Moon is too far from the Earth to block the entire Sun, and at most leaves a ring of fire where sunlight pours out around every edge of the Moon. The featured time-lapse video also recorded the eclipse through the high refraction of the Earth's atmosphere just above the horizon, making the unusual rising Sun and Moon appear also flattened. As the video continues on, the Sun continues to rise, and the Sun and Moon begin to separate. This weekend, a new annular solar eclipse will occur, visible from central Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and a narrow band across Asia, with much of Earth's Eastern hemisphere being able to see a partial solar eclipse.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200615.html

** Note by grobi:
"To upload this video, I converted it and compressed it to a smaller file-size under #linux with the free software ffmpeg and the corresponding command:

'ffmpeg -i video_in.mkv -vcodec libx265 -crf 28 video_out.mp4'

Maybe you would like to post a corresponding video on a scientifically related topic, but it is perhaps too big? Then try ffmpeg."

"Welcome back to the
Space Culture Club
(Feel free to contribute, rather as a reply than using the hashtag)
https://defcon.social/@grobi/114663418339078163 "

2023 September 17

Moon Mountains Magnified during Ring of Fire Eclipse
* Credit & Copyright: Wang Letian (Eyes at Night)
http://www.luckwlt.com/About%20Me.html

Explanation:
What are those dark streaks in this composite image of a solar eclipse? They are reversed shadows of mountains at the edge of the Moon. The center image, captured from Xiamen, China, has the Moon's center directly in front of the Sun's center. The Moon, though, was too far from the Earth to completely block the entire Sun. Light that streamed around the edges of the Moon is called a ring of fire. Images at each end of the sequence show sunlight that streamed through lunar valleys. As the Moon moved further in front of the Sun, left to right, only the higher peaks on the Moon's perimeter could block sunlight. Therefore, thehttps://defcon.social/@grobi/114663418339078163 dark streaks are projected, distorted, reversed, and magnified shadows of mountains at the Moon's edge. Bright areas are called Baily's Beads. Only people in a narrow swath across Earth's Eastern Hemisphere were able to view this full annular solar eclipse in 2020. Next month, though, a narrow swath crossing both North and South America will be exposed to the next annular solar eclipse. And next April, a total solar eclipse will be visible across North America.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230917.html

Hmm I'd be stupid not to go to Namibia while this is going on: total solar eclipse, then a Skeleton Coast road trip, then safari in Botswana would be just the thing...

#eclipse #totaleclipse #solareclipse #totalsolareclipse #eclipsechasing #eclipsechaser #self #travel #thoughts #dreams

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_November_25,_2030

"Now it's time for me and I wish you a pleasant night and endless beautiful dreams. Thanks for the nice chat in between. Stay hopeful."

2025 March 30
A Partial Solar Eclipse over Iceland
* Image Credit & Copyright: Wioleta Gorecka
https://www.instagram.com/wiola.gorecka/

Explanation:
What if the Sun and Moon rose together? That happened yesterday over some northern parts of planet Earth as a partial solar eclipse occurred shortly after sunrise. Regions that experienced the Moon blocking part of the Sun included northeastern parts of North America and northwestern parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The featured image was captured yesterday over the Grábrók volcanic crater in Iceland where much of the Sun became momentarily hidden behind the Moon. The image was taken through a cloudy sky but so well planned that the photographer's friend appeared to be pulling the Sun out from behind the Moon. No part of the Earth experienced a total solar eclipse this time. In the distant past, some of humanity was so surprised when an eclipse occurred that ongoing battles suddenly stopped. Today, eclipses are not a surprise and are predicted with an accuracy of seconds.
https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/mar-29-2025-eclipse/
https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/types/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_of_Thales
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240310.html
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/accuracy.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxIPyR6-bko

https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250330.html

Not sure when/where I'll get to see one again. It was so magical I feel compelled to try.

A little tempted to try for Iceland or Spain next year. Or maybe Gibraltar or North Africa in 2027. I've always wanted to see Morocco or Tunisia, so perhaps one of those would work out well.

And Japan in 2035 feels like a must-do. I have no excuse with 10yrs of time to prep and save for the experience.

One year ago... #weather is what you get. Forecasted storms were late, cleared just enough just in time to see #SolarEclipse2024 totality in Mesquite TX. Since cumulus clouds grow with daytime solar heating, the partial eclipse leading up to totality apparently cooled the air enough to inhibit them. Not everyone was as lucky that day. Spring is unpredictable - actual cloud cover along the path of totality differed from average expectations. https://spacey.space/@AstroHawk/112237121736018901 #eclipse #astronomy #travel

I also posted a similar quote online for the 2017 total solar eclipse, which I watched from Madras, Oregon. For viewing a total solar eclipse, it's a big deal to reach the path of totality. From that point, it's mostly up to the weather. But the eclipse will come to you once you're there. #astronomy #eclipse #travel