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Total Solar Eclipse of March 29, 2006

Presented byFred Espenak, NASA’s GSFC

Solar Eclipse Geometry 1

FullMoon

To Sun

To Sun

Earth

Moon

Earth and Moon: Full Moon

The Moon orbits Earth once every 29.5 days with respect to the Sun

Solar Eclipse Geometry 2

To Sun

To Sun

Earth

NewMoon

Earth and Moon: New Moon

Moon

The Moon orbits Earth once every 29.5 days with respect to the Sun

Solar Eclipse Geometry 3

To Sun

To Sun

Earth

NewMoon

Earth and Moon: Solar Eclipse Geometry

Penumbra

Umbra

Moon

An eclipse of the Sun is only possible during the New Moon phase.

Solar Eclipse Geometry 4

To Sun

To Sun

Earth

NewMoon

Earth and Moon: Solar Eclipse Path

Penumbra

Umbra

Path of Totality

Moon

During a total solar eclipse the Moon’s two shadows sweep across Earth.

Partial Phases of a Total Solar Eclipse

Credit: Dennis Mammana

Every total eclipse begins with a series of partial phases which may last an hour or more. However, the total phase or “totality” never lasts more than 7.5 minutes.

This time series photo shows an entire total solar eclipse, from start to finish over a period of over two hours.

Eclipse Shadows

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When sunlight passes through gaps between leaves of a tree, the shadows on the ground show little images of the eclipse happening in the sky above. This is the same principle as the pinhole camera.

“Diamond Ring” Effect Before Totality Begins

In the last seconds before totality begins, the remaining bit of Sun resembles a dazzling jewel as the ring-like corona appears.

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Total Solar Eclipse VideoVideo of the June 21, 2001 eclipse in Africa shows the

Diamond Ring Effect as the Sun vanishes behind the Moon and Totality begins.

Click on image to play video

Glorious Solar Corona

The sun’s glorious corona is composed of hot, rarified plasma with a temperature of 1 to 2 million degrees Centigrade. It is only visible during a total eclipse when the Moon hides the Sun’s brilliant disk.

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Eerie Twilight During a Total Solar Eclipse

During “totality” the landscape is bathed in an eerie twilight. Bright stars and planets are visible.

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Earth and Eclipse from Space

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From space, the Moon’s umbra can be seen sweeping over Earth during a total solar eclipse. Only observers within the shadow’s path will see “totality” - outside the path a partial eclipse will be seen.

Total Solar Eclipse from Antarctica

It’s possible to see a total eclipse from anywhere on Earth. This image was shot in Antarctica in 2003.

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Partial Solar EclipsePartial eclipses are visible over a much larger part of Earth than total eclipses. So they are seen by many more people.

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Annular Solar Eclipse

Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 1994 (Toledo, Ohio)

The solar corona is NOT visible during an annular eclipse. The remaining ring of sunlight hides the corona in its glare.

Frequency of Solar Eclipse Types

Partial 35%Annular 33%Total 27%Hybrid 5%

Eclipses per Year: 2 to 7

Totals per Year: 0, 1 or 2

Fred Espenak, NASA’s GSFC

Total Solar Eclipse of March 29, 2006

QuickTime™ and aGIF decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Sun-Earth Day Eclipse Website

Four Contacts of a Total Solar Eclipse

22ndnd Contact - Total Eclipse Begins Contact - Total Eclipse Begins

33rdrd Contact - Total Eclipse Ends Contact - Total Eclipse Ends

11stst Contact - Partial Eclipse Begins Contact - Partial Eclipse BeginsMoonMoonSunSun

44thth Contact - Partial Eclipse Ends Contact - Partial Eclipse EndsMoonMoon SunSun

Fred Espenak, NASA’s GSFC

USA Times for the 2006 Eclipse From Side, Turkey

22ndnd Contact - Total Eclipse Begins Contact - Total Eclipse Begins

33rdrd Contact - Total Eclipse Ends Contact - Total Eclipse Ends

11stst Contact - Partial Eclipse Begins Contact - Partial Eclipse Begins

MoonMoonSunSun

44thth Contact - Partial Eclipse Ends Contact - Partial Eclipse Ends

MoonMoon SunSun

Fred Espenak, NASA’s GSFC

09:38 GMT

04:38 EST 03:38 CST 02:38 MST 01:38 PST

10:55 GMT

05:55 EST 04:55 CST 03:55 MST 02:55 PST

10:59 GMT

05:59 EST 04:59 CST 03:59 MST 02:59 PST

12:14 GMT

07:14 EST 06:14 CST 05:14 MST 04:14 PST

NASA Eclipse Home Pagesunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html

World Atlas of Solar Eclipse Paths

Solar Eclipses: 2001-2020

Links for the 2006 Total Solar Eclipse

NASA’s Sun-Earth Connection Website for 2006 Eclipse:

– sunearthday.nasa.gov/2006/index.phpNASA’s Sun-Earth Connection & Exploratorium Live Webcast of 2006 Eclipse:

– sunearthday.nasa.gov/2006/events/webcasts.php

NASA’s 2006 Total Solar Eclipse Website:

– sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/TSE2006/TSE2006.htmlNASA’s 2006 Eclipse Bulletin (Web Version):

– umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/eclipse/20060329/rp.htmlNASA’s 2006 Eclipse Bulletin (PDF Version):

– sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEpubs/TP212762.html

NASA’s Eclipse Home Page:

– sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html