A new photographic method for mapping lunar eclipse shadow

A new photographic method suitable for digital processing of a two-dimensional density distribution of lunar eclipse shadow has been developed and it has been applied to the observation of the eclipse of December 30, 1982. The principle of this method is to extract the terrestrial shadow by utilizing immediate post- or pre-eclipse full Moon image as a reference template. The uncertainties of the obtained shadow maps in density and position are mostly 0.03–0.05 and 10–15 respectively. Iso-density contours of the penumbra have revealed unknown systematic deviations from a geometrical (concentric) shadow model in terms of their directions of center and radii of curvature. A density map of the umbra has shown very irregular shapes of isophotoes and density variation in the outer umbra has been proved to be consistent with the optical depth measurement of the stratosphere performed in the same period of time with lidars and aircrafts. Geographic consideration of the shadow terminator on the Earth suggests that the remnant aerosols above the northern Pacific and northern Europe flown up by a Mexican volcano 8 months ago prior to this eclipse will be mainly responsible for the formation of such variation of density in the outer penumbra.On leave from Tokyo Astronomical Observatory as Visiting Scientist (from 28 Aug. 1984 to 27 Aug. 1985).     

Observations of the total lunar eclipse on March 24, 1978, at 3.4-mm wavelength

Observations of the total lunar eclipse were made at 3.4-mm wavelength (87.4 GHz) on March 24, 1978. Eclipsr cooling curves with the best S/N ratio among those published thus far were obtained for the three points (the mountain area near the crater of Hipparuchus, Sinus Medii, and Copernicus). Each of the curves can be decomposed into the three parts which apparently correspond to ingress, totality, and egress. The derived cooling rate and heating rate differ significantly at the three points.     

Observational effect for the lunar gravity on meteor streams

Meteoroids always posed a great hazard to spacecraft security. A meteoroids stream assembled by a large massive body will further enhance the hazard severalfold. For example, the radiant of Northern Taurids (NTA) will be occulted by the Moon on Nov. 12, 2011. Since the gravitational lensing effect of massive bodies can gather together the orbits of meteoroids, the observable flux of meteoroids will increase. In this paper a set of numerical methods was built to discuss the observational effect of this kind of phenomena. The ZHR of NTA is generally small. But it can be local strong on the Earth by the lunar gravitational assembling. The calculated result suggests that a ten times stronger than normal NTA will appear in the sea area of Tristan da Cunha islands during 00h45m UT to 02h00m UT on Nov. 12, 2011.     

Broadband submillimeter measurements of the full Moon center brightness temperature and application to a lunar eclipse

We report on observations of the full Moon brightness temperature covering the frequency range of 300-950 GHz, and also on observations of the lunar eclipse of July 16, 2000, though only covering the frequency range of 165-365 GHz due to poor atmospheric transmission at higher frequencies. All observations were performed from the summit of Mauna Kea (HI) using a Fourier Transform Spectrometer mounted on the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory and supplemented by measurements of the atmospheric opacity using a 183 GHz Water Vapor Monitor. The telescope was pointed to the center of the lunar disk (with a footprint of ∼45-15 km on the Moon at 300 through 900 GHz). In order to obtain the correct values of the Moon brightness temperatures at all frequencies we carefully corrected for the atmospheric absorption, which varies across the submillimeter domain. This correction is fully described. The measured pre-eclipse brightness temperature is around 337 K in the 165-365 GHz range. This temperature slightly increases with frequency to reach ∼353 K at 950 GHz, according to previous broader band data. The magnitude of the temperature drop observed during the eclipse at 265 GHz (central frequency of the band covered) was about ∼70 K, in very good agreement with previous millimeter-wave measurements of other lunar eclipses. We detected, in addition, a clear frequency trend in the temperature drop that has been compared to a thermal and microwave emission model of the lunar regolith, with the result of a good match of the relative flux drop at different frequencies between model and measurements.     

Temperature dependence of electrical conductivity and lunar temperatures

Numerous investigations of the electrical conductivity of lunar and terrestrial materials as a function of temperature have been performed to date in an attempt to provide data on which to base lunar interior temperatures from magnetometer-derived lunar conductivity profiles (Schwereret al., 1971, 1972, 1973; Dubaet al., 1972 and others). There are several pitfalls inherent in the extrapolation of lunar temperatures from laboratory measurements of electrical conductivity. These include the choice of representative material for the lunar interior, appropriate environmental conditions (pressure, fugacity, etc.) and the various measurement difficulties.Presented at the Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration of the Moon and Planets Conference, January, 1973, Lunar Science Institute, Houston, Tex., U.S.A.     

Behavior of Titan's atmosphere during a total eclipse

The edge-on presentation of Saturn's rings and satellites system has provided a rare opportunity to observe total eclipses of Titan. During its emersion from the Saturnian shadow (1980, June 28), Titan has been observed simultaneously in the visible and the infrared ranges (6000–9000 Å, 11.8 μm and 20 μm). No change has been recorded in these three spectral ranges. Our observations tend to support the thick-atmosphere model, which has been shown to be valid by Voyager a few months later.     

隋唐五代日月食记录

对隋唐五代时期的日食、月食记录进行了全面的搜集、勘误和统计分析.研究了这些记录的文献来源、时间分布、覆盖率和记录特征.这一时期记载了实际可见日食的65％和月食的28％.     

Modelling of temperatures of selected points in lunar maria

The purpose of this paper is to propose a numerical model representing the brightness temperature of ten selected sites of the Moon as measured in CERGA. A theoretical approach is proposed in which the temperature is expressed as a function of the local zenith distance of the Sun and a quantity depending upon the local zenith distance of the observer and the difference of their azimuths. The coefficients of this expression depend upon various integrals involving frequency function of the slopes of the lunar surface. The shadows are being qualitatively taken care of by introducing the phase angle .Using the observations, the most important coefficients of the formulae have been determined. The individual measurements are represented to about 2°.2. In the mean, the model seems to have an accuracy of about 1°, this number being confirmed by observations by the satellite METEOSAT.Finally, we give a tentative frequency function of the lunar slopes that is consitent with the temperature model.     

Limits on radiative decays of solar neutrinos from measurements during a total solar eclipse

During the 1999 total solar eclipse we intended to search for photons emitted by a possible radiative decay of the heavier component of solar neutrinos, using two telescopes: an airborne one, and another at mountain altitude, in Romania(the NOTTE experiment). The weather conditions did not allow us to perform the measurements. Alternatively, we analyzed a video tape of the eclipse offered to us by a local television, obtaining some qualitative estimations on the neutrino lifetimes. We present also a first report on the observations made 21 June 2001, from Zambia. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Implications for asteroidal regolith properties from comparisons with the lunar phase relation and theoretical considerations

The phase relations of several asteroids. Mercury, and the Moon display the same basic characteristics, but differ slightly in detail. An improved treatment of the photometric function for open-work particulate layers shows that for phase angles greater than about 7°, the shape of the curves is diagnostic of the presence of such layers, and that both the shape and slope of the curves is dependent primarily upon the bulk density of these layers. This treatment also strongly indicates that the “opposition effect” is not due to shadow hiding in a regolith of very low bulk density. Other data support the idea that this effect is unrelated to shadow-hiding phenomena, and that it may thus be a diffraction/scattering effect with or without internal reflection phenomena also.     

The radial brightness distribution of the Sun at 3.2 mm as determined from the June 30, 1973 total solar eclipse and a reanalysis of the March 7, 1970 total solar eclipse

The radial brightness distribution of the Sun at 3.2 mm is recalculated for the 7 March, 1970 total solar eclipse by an improved method. The results from the first contact of the 30 June, 1973 total eclipse are also analyzed. Limb brightening is apparent for the 1970 eclipse when all four contacts are averaged. The 1973 eclipse indicates strong limb brightening, although the detailed shape differs from the 1970 eclipse.     

Timing of the 1984 total solar eclipse and the size of the sun

We report accurate timing of second and third contacts made from videotape of the total solar eclipse of 23 November, 1984, observed in Papua New Guinea. The magnitude of the discrepancies between predicted and observed times indicates that the secular change in the size of the Sun reported by some observers is within the uncertainty.     

Changes in the concentration of mesospheric ozone during the total solar eclipse

Measurements of dayglow radiance of $\text{O}{}_2\text{(}{}^1\text{Δ}{}_{\mathrm{g}}\text{)}$ and OH(7,2) bands are reported. Ground based photometers were used to monitor zenith radiance of 1270 and 694 nm emissions during the total solar eclipse of 16 February 1980. Altitude distribution of 1270 nm intensity was derived from ground based observations. A set of altitude distributions of $\text{O}{}_2\text{(}{}^1\text{Δ}{}_{\mathrm{g}}\text{)}$ were thus obtained throughout the eclipse. These altitude distributions were converted into ozone distributions using the rate equations for formation and loss of ozone and $\text{O}{}_2\text{(}{}^1\text{Δ}{}_{\mathrm{g}}\text{)}$ molecules. Results indicate an increase in the ozone concentration at mid-eclipse. OH(7,2) emission did not show enhancement during totality. This may mean that there was no increase in OH concentration during the eclipse.     

Solar corona during the total solar eclipse on August 1, 2008

Shape and structure of the solar corona during the August 1, 2008, total solar eclipse is reported. The August 1, 2008, corona is classified as of near-minimum type with well developed northern and southern polar ray systems over polar coronal holes and several streamers of different brightness at the middle and low heliographic latitude. The flattening index was found to be 0.21.     

Observational arguments for a local dynamo

Regions of rigid rotation, or Pivot Points, can be seen in the deviations from the classical law of solar differential rotation. These Pivot Points set up a local dynamo that is reflected in the emergence of the magnetic flux of the Active Centers.     

Spectropolarimetric analysis of the solar corona during the 12 November 1966 total eclipse

Spectropolarimetric observations of the solar corona during the 12 November, 1966 total eclipse are analyzed. The trend of the intensity, the polarization degree p, and the polarization angle α of the coronal continuum are given as functions of ρ and compared with those of other authors. The H and K Caii lines have been observed in emission once again and, through a quantitative analysis, are attributed to scattered prominence light instead of to the corona as previously made.