The Total Eclipse  of the sun in Egypt, March 2006

Total Eclipse of the sun

Next March  2006, Egypt will witness a total eclipse of the sun at its north west coast.

 The Total eclipse  of the sun is one of the very important phenomena  in astronomy and geophysics. It is also  a very rare phenomena, and often happens in the same place every 200 years. This the last recorded eclipse in  Egypt  goes back  to  the year 1798.

You get a solar eclipse when the Moon gets between the Earth and the Sun disk. In  the total eclipse, the Moon blocks all of the light, creating an eerie deep twilight, and suddenly, in the middle of the day, you can now see the stars. When a total eclipse does occur, the Moon's shadow covers only a small portion of the Earth.

Many people, when given the chance, never enjoy the free cosmic thrill of a total solar eclipse, because they believe the myth that looking at an eclipse, or even being outdoors, will make you go blind.


Although the phenomena had been well studied,  still attract  Scientists and astronomers. A total eclipse of the Sun is about as astonishing a treat as nature provides.

The eclipse makes the daytime sky dark enough for stars and planets to be seen; during the 29th of march event  many planets such as  Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will all be visible in the darkened sky from the southern  eastern  part  of the Mediterranean. And the bright stars of the constellations Gemini, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Orion, and Auriga should be visible, too! Away from the path of totality, the sky will not get significantly darker and the surrounding stars and planets will still be invisible.

On the 29th of March 2006,  the total eclipse of the sun can be seen from the north cost of Egypt. It will start at partial eclipse at 09:36:08, and will become  total eclipse at 12:11 and will finish  at 2:46 PM

*The total eclipse will last for 4 minutes and 7 seconds:

 *Sun eclipse  position at it is peak will be 67 degrees located at longitude of 16.7 East and  latitude of 23.3 North. and the Coverage area will be 183 square KM.

 -Moon shade will cover 105.2% of the sun surface :

Eclipse phases:

General phases of the solar eclipse

 

  • The general eclipse begins when the Moon's penumbra cone starts to sweep across the Earth's disc.
  • The total or annular eclipse begins when the Moon's umbra starts to sweep across the Earth's disc.
  • The centrality begins when the axis of the Moon's shadow cone starts to sweep across the Earth's disc.
  • The eclipse's maximum occurs when the terrestrial surface within the umbra reaches its largest area.
  • The centrality ends when the axis of the Moon's shadow finishes its sweep across the Earth's disc.
  • The total or annular eclipse ends when the Moon's shadow finishes its sweep across the Earth's disc.
  • The general eclipse ends when the Moon's penumbra finishes its sweep across the Earth's disc.

 

The following table will help you to know exactly when and where  the phases of the total Eclipse in Egypt 2006 :

 

Event / phases Hour Minutes Longitude Latitude
Start of the Eclipse 9 36.8 22      - 06.1 14         -27.7
Beginning  of the Southern shade 10 35.0 37      - 07.0 6          - 53.4
Beginning of Eclipse centre 10 35.4 37      - 15.5 6          - 18.3
Beginning  of the Northern  shade 10 35.8 37      - 24.2 5          - 42.9
Centre of the Eclipse at Noon time  12 33.2 22      + 53.9 29          37.2
End of the Northern  shade 13 46.4 99      + 00.4 52          08.1
End of Eclipse centre 13 46.9 98       48.5 51          33.7
End of the Southern shade 13 47.3 98       36.9 50          59.4
End of Eclipse 14 45.6 83       03.3 43          26.3

 

eclipse of the sun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

eclipse progress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Eclipse path for the sun in March 2006

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earth at eclipse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

his part of earth will  be dark during

day time

 

 

 

eclipse diagram

 How it happens

eclipse picture
 

How an eclipse would look like.

 

   
  How to  observe the Sun and be safe
 
The safest way to observe the Sun, and watch the progress of the partial phase of the eclipse, is to not look directly at the Sun at all. Instead, project the Sun's image onto a piece of white paper, using a pinhole camera . Binoculars may also be used to project the Sun's image; they need to be supported on a tripod, one lens should be covered, and a sheet of white paper held behind the eyepiece. Focus the binoculars to achieve a sharp image.

Do not look directly at the Sun through the binoculars! To observe the Sun safely before and during the partial phase of the eclipse, most of its light and its harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays must be filtered out. Safe filters include:

  • Using two layers of fully exposed and developed black-and- white film (color film will not provide adequate protection).
  • Using a special metal-coated piece of plastic, typically aluminized Mylar, certified for viewing the Sun. Double-sided coatings greatly reduce the possibility of filter defects. T
  • Rectangular welder's glass, shade No. 14. Less dense shades (lower numbers) are not suitable for direct solar observation. Welder's glass will also produce a green-colored image.
Many filters that are sometimes recommended for observing the Sun are not safe for direct-eye viewing, including a piece of glass blackened by soot from a candle, sunglasses, photographic neutral-density filters, and solar filters that operate at the eyepiece of telescopes or binoculars. Eyepiece filters are especially dangerous; they are placed at the point where the Sun's light is most concentrated and magnified. They can crack or even explode.

So when the next total eclipse of the Sun rolls around at march 2006 , just remember a few rules:

1. It's OK to look at the totally-eclipsed Sun with the naked eye - but only when the Sun is totally covered by the Moon, so you have to pick the right moment;

2. Never look at the partially-eclipsed Sun with the naked eye. Even a slim crescent has enough energy to blind you;

3. It's safe to look at the fully-exposed or partially-exposed Sun with approved filters, such as professional Solar Viewing Mylar filters. But never look directly at the Sun with smoked glass, exposed photographic films, or Mylar food packaging.

*should you need any further information, or you have any question,  contact me through Egypt travel help centre ...  click heresimlling face        

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