Photoelectric study of the sky brightness along Sun’s meridian during the March 29, 2006 solar eclipse

Photoelectric observations of the sky brightness along Sun’s meridian have been carried out at Salloum during the March 29, 2006 total solar eclipse. The measurements have been taken at different zenith distances along the Sun’s meridian using yellow and red wide band glass filters centered at 5500 Å and 7900 Å, respectively. The present results of the sky brightness during the total solar eclipse have been compared with that of twilight, and night sky obtained by the same instrument at Abu-Simbel and Kottamia observatory sites respectively. The variation of V–R color index with zenith distance have been also studied. The visibility of planets and stars during the March 29, 2006 total solar eclipse is given.     

Variation of Spectral Radiance of the Zenith Sky During the Annular Eclipse on May 21, 2012

The absolute brightness of the zenith sky was measured using a simple calibrated spectrometer during the annular solar eclipse event on May 21, 2012 in Fujioka City, Japan (36.2924°N, 139.0823°E). The sensitivity of the spectrometer was calibrated as a function of wavelength between 400 and 700 nm with an integral sphere. The brightness of the sky decreased to 6 % of its usual condition at the maximum magnitude of the annular eclipse of 0.95 for all wavelengths. The curve describing the variation of sky brightness accords well with the total luminosity of the solar disk estimated by a simple model that accounts for the limb darkening effect. This study provides zenith sky radiance as a function of wavelength and solar elevation angle, which is useful for the investigation of new optical instruments for atmospheric studies.     

Using a New Sky Brightness Monitor to Observe the Annular Solar Eclipse on 15 January 2010

For the future development of Chinese Giant Solar Telescope (CGST) in Western China, a new sky brightness monitor (SBM) has been produced for the site survey for CGST. To critically examine the performance and sensitivity of SBM, we used it in the observation of the annular solar eclipse in Dali City, Yunnan, on 15 January 2010. The observation met good weather conditions with an almost clear sky during the eclipse. The SBM measurement translates into the solar illuminance changes at a level of 2.4×10^?4 I?s^?1 during the eclipse. The time of the minimal sky brightness in the field of view (FOV) is found consistent with the time of maximum eclipse. Two local sky regions in the FOV are chosen to make a time series of the calibrated skylight profiles. The evolution of the sky brightness thus calibrated also shows good consistency with the eclipse, particularly between the second and the third contacts. The minimal sky brightness in each local sky region took place within half a minute from the corresponding predicted contact time. Such small time delays were mainly caused by occasional cirri. The minimal sky brightness measured during the eclipse is a few millionths of I _?? with standard deviation of 0.11 millionths of I _??. The observation supports that the single-scattering process (optically thin conditions) is the main contributor to the atmospheric scattering. We have demonstrated that many important aerosol optical parameters can be deduced from our data. We conclude that the new SBM is a sensitive sky photometer that can be used for our CGST and coronagraph site surveys.     

An Ancient Solar Eclipse Record “Tian-da-yi“ in the 10th Century BC

The ancient record“Tian-da-yi“(the sky darkened greatly )is identified with the solar eclipse on May 31,976BC.This identification is demonstrated in this paper through a palaeographic ,astronomical and chronological analysis,It is probably the earliest solar eclipse in Chinese histroy that can be so identified.     

带食而出的天光变化

作为“夏商周断代工程．天再旦”研究的一部分,讨论带食而出的天光变化．用照相机测光的方法测定正常日出前后的天光变化规律,建立带食而出的天光视亮度变化计算方法,并给出计算“天再旦”现象的范围和强度的方法．为此于1997年3月9日在新疆组织了群众性的日食观测．实测证实带食而出的确可以引起“天再旦”现象,同时与理论计算有很好的符合.     

Optical Response of the Atmosphere During the Caribbean Total Solar Eclipses of 26 February 1998 and of 3 February 1916 at Falcón state,Venezuela

An investigation of the optical response of the atmosphere before, during, and afterthe total solar eclipse of 26 February 1998 at the Caribbean Peninsula of Paraguaná (Falcón State) in Venezuela, was made by measuring photometrically the intensity of the sky brightness in three strategic directions: zenith, horizon anti-parallel or opposite the umbra path, and horizon perpendicular to this path. From these measurements, and by applying in an inverse way an empirical photometric model, very rough estimations of theextinction coefficient, and also of the average optical depth, were obtained in one of these particular directions. However based on meteorological measurements such as those of relative humidity and temperature, and applying a different model, a better estimation in the visual of the total global extinction coefficient of the sky (except the horizon), were made considering the contribution of each component: atmospheric aerosol, water vapour, ozone and Rayleigh scattering. It is shown that this global coefficient is mostly dependent upon aerosol extinction. In spite of the strong reduction of sky brightness photometrically observed during the totality, the results show that the sky was not dark. This is confirmed by the results obtained for the total global extinction coefficient. Additionally it is estimated that the total solar eclipse that took place also in Falcón State, Venezuela, at the beginning of the last century on 3 February 1916, was 30% darker that the 1998 eclipse, and that atmospheric aerosol played a relevant and similar role in the scattering of sunlight during the totality as it was for 1998's. Visual observations made during each event, which show that at length only one or two bright stars could be seen in the sky, support the results obtained for both eclipses.     

Using eclipse observations to test scintillation models

Near second and third contact during a solar eclipse the spatial spectrum of the solar illumination changes as the relative power at high spatial frequencies increases strongly. Since groundlevel atmospheric scintillation depends on a weighted integral of the image power spectrum, we can expect to see a measureable time dependence to solar scintillation during an eclipse. This effect was observed during an annular solar eclipse and quantitatively compared with a scintillation model.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.     

Problem “13” for geostationary spacecraft

We consider the problem of ensuring an energy balance of geostationary spacecraft (SCs) that will arise on October 13, 2015, during the long-duration eclipse of the solar disk visible from the SC by the Moon and the Earth. A technique for assessment of the eclipse duration, taking into account the shaded area of visible solar disk, is set forth, and results of calculating the eclipse conditions for different SC “stationary” points in the geostationary orbit are given. The data presented will allow the specialists to be prepared in advance for specific ballistic conditions of SC operation at this date and to plan operations to ensure the power balance of the SC power supply system during the prolonged shading of the Sun by the Moon and the Earth.     

MACS for Global measurement of the Solar wind velocity and the Thermal electron temperature during the Total solar eclipse on 11 August 1999

MACS for Multi-Aperture Coronal Spectrometer is a fiber-optic-based spectrograph designed and used to perform global measurement of the solar wind velocity and the thermal electron temperature of the solar corona during the total solar eclipse on 11 August 1999. The motivation for the construction of MACS was provided by the theory formulated by Cram (1976) for the formation of the K-coronal spectrum and a method for determining the radial profile of the thermal electron temperature of the solar corona. Based on this theory a subsequent application was carried out by Ichimoto et al. (1996) using a slit-based spectroscopic study during the total solar eclipse on 3 November 1994. We have modified Cram's theory to incorporate the role of the solar wind velocity in the formation of the K-corona and have identified wind and temperature sensitive intensity ratios. Instead of a slit-based spectrograph MACS consists of twenty fiber optic tips placed at the focal plane of the telescope and positioned to see different radii and latitudes of the solar corona. Another fiber is placed at the center of the frame and uses the lunar shadow for a measure of the background signal. The other ends of the fibers are vertically aligned and placed at the primary focus of the collimating lens of the spectrograph thus providing simultaneous spectra from all of the fibers. In this first paper (Paper I) we describe our instrument and the obtained coronal spectra. The final and complete results will be presented in Paper II (Reginald and Davila, 2000).     

Statistical analysis of geomagnetic field variations during the partial solar eclipse on 2011 January 4 in Turkey

Some geophysical parameters, such as those related to gravitation and the geomagnetic field, could change during solar eclipses. In order to observe geomagnetic fluctuations, geomagnetic measurements were carried out in a limited time frame during the partial solar eclipse that occurred on 2011 January 4 and was observed in Canakkale and Ankara, Turkey. Additionally, records of the geomagnetic field spanning 24 hours, obtained from another observatory(in Iznik, Turkey), were also analyzed to check for any peculiar variations. In the data processing stage, a polynomial fit, following the application of a running average routine, was applied to the geomagnetic field data sets. Geomagnetic field data sets indicated there was a characteristic decrease at the beginning of the solar eclipse and this decrease can be well-correlated with previous geomagnetic field measurements that were taken during the total solar eclipse that was observed in Turkey on 2006 March 29. The behavior of the geomagnetic field is also consistent with previous observations in the literature. As a result of these analyses, it can be suggested that eclipses can cause a shielding effect on the geomagnetic field of the Earth.     

Spectroscopic Coronal Observations During the Total Solar Eclipse of 11 July 2010

The flash spectra of the solar chromosphere and corona were measured with a slitless spectrograph before, after, and during the totality of the solar eclipse of 11 July 2010, at Easter Island, Chile. This eclipse took place at the beginning of Solar Cycle 24, after an extended minimum of solar activity. The spectra taken during the eclipse show a different intensity ratio of the red and green coronal lines compared with those taken during the total solar eclipse of 1 August 2008, which took place toward the end of Solar Cycle 23. The characteristic coronal emission line of forbidden Fe xiv (5303 Å) was observed on the east and west solar limbs in four areas relatively symmetrically located with respect to the solar rotation axis. Subtraction of the continuum flash-spectrum background led to the identification of several extremely weak emission lines, including forbidden Ca xv (5694 Å), which is normally detected only in regions of very high excitation, e.g., during flares or above large sunspots. The height of the chromosphere was measured spectrophotometrically, using spectral lines from light elements and compared with the equivalent height of the lower chromosphere measured using spectral lines from heavy elements.     

The continuum of the extreme limb and the chromosphere at the 1970 eclipse

The flash spectra of the partial Sun and the chromosphere were obtained at the total solar eclipse on 7 March, 1970. We studied the distributions of the surface brightness of the continuum at six wavelengths in the visual region to compare them with the previous observations and the existing model atmospheres. All of the distributions show a shallow dip and a small hump similar to those of Heintze's observation at the 1954 eclipse. But the hump in our results is of quite a different type from that given by Heintze's revised model. It was found that none of the existing model atmospheres can reproduce this hump. The intensity distribution in the low chromosphere was also examined.     

Gravity Anomaly During the Mohe Total Solar Eclipse and New Constraint on Gravitational Shielding Parameter

By using a high-precision LaCoste-Romberg gravimeter, continuous and precise measurements were carried out during the March 9, 1997 total solar eclipse in Mohe region in Northeast China. The gravity variations were digitally recorded during the total solar eclipse so as to investigate the possible anomaly of the Sun and the Moon's gravitational fields on the Earth. After the careful processing and analysis of the observed data, no significant anomaly during the very solar eclipse was found. However, there are two ‘gravity anomaly valleys’ with near symmetrical decrease of about 6 ∼ 7 μg at the first contact and the last contact. This is the anomaly phenomenon observed and reported for the first time in the literature. This paper is intended to explain the observed anomaly by conducting the tilt experiment due to the thermal stress and temperature change in the solar eclipse. A new constraint limit on gravitational shielding is thus obtained. Some analysis and discussions are presented although further studies and research are highly needed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Solar research at the Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory

The paper deals with the review of works on solar observations at Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory during the past 12 years. The works accomplished on the basis of patrol observations, with the horizontal solar telescope, small and large coronagraphs, and those based on the data obtained during eclipse observations are discussed separately.     

The sky brightness when the rising sun is in eclipse

Part of the “Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project” is the study of a historical record of “double dawn” and its astronomical interpretation. We used the light meter on ordinary cameras to determine the sky variation during normal sunrises and sunsets, set up a way of calculating the variation when the rising sun is in eclipse, and identified the range and intensity of the double dawn phenomenon. For this, we organized a mass participation of the observation of the 1997-03-09 eclipse in Xinjiang Province. The observations are in good agreement with our model calculation and prove that an eclipsed sunrise could indeed give rise to the phenomenon of “double dawn”     

Anomalous Variation of VLF Signals in the Total Solar Eclipse of 22nd July 2009

Using the sudden ionospheric disturbance (SID) monitor provided by the Stanford University, the very low frequency (VLF) signals were observed in Nanjing during the total solar eclipse on 22nd July 2009. It is found that the intensity of the VLF signal varied anomalously during the total solar eclipse, exhibiting the effect similar to the sunrise and sunset, and that the intensity of the VLF signal strongly fluctuated, exhibiting the effect similar to thunderbolts. Moreover, the signal intensity enhanced in short periods both before and after the total eclipse. Based on the discussion on the reliability of the observed data and the comparison with the previous observations, it is found that the ionosphere exhibits some variations previous to the total solar eclipse.     

现代日晕光度计多波段测光系统初步测试结果分析

现代日晕光度计是用于精确测定监测址点的多种大气参量的精密仪器,它已列为我国西部太阳设备选址工作中的重要设备。利用同一架日晕光度计首先对昭通大山包进行了多波段数据采集。在仔细分析初步测光结果的基础上,进一步完善日晕光度计的光学系统。使用改进后的设备对昆明凤凰山址点进行了多次数据采集,都获得了理想数据。这表明日晕光度计的多波段测光系统已能够用于西部太阳选址工作中。     

On the variation of the direct solar radiation during the annular solar eclipse of April 29, 1976

Measurements of the direct solar radiation during the annular solar eclipse of April 29, 1976 are given in three wavelength bands (centered on 800, 680, and 450 nm). A decrease of the solar radiation after the last contact was observed, especially in the red and infrared. This is considered in connection with the results of other direct light and zenith light measurements.     

White-Light Observations and Polarimetric Analysis of the Solar Corona During the Eclipse of 1 August 2008

In order to study the solar corona during eclipses, a new telescope was constructed. Three coronal images were obtained simultaneously through a single objective of the telescope as the coronal radiation passed through three polarizers (whose transmission directions were turned 0°, 60°, and 120° in the chosen direction); one image was obtained without a polarizer. The telescope was used to observe the solar corona during the eclipse of 1 August 2008. We obtained the distributions of polarization brightness, K-corona brightness, the degree of K-corona polarization and the total polarization degree; the polarization direction, depending on the latitude and radius in the plane of the sky, was also obtained. We calculated the radial distributions of electron density depending on the latitude. The properties of all these distributions were compared for different coronal structures. We determined the temperature of the coronal plasma in different coronal structures assuming hydrostatic equilibrium.