[NatureNS] eclipse! 10:00

References: <C3E06A11.118B7%jimwolford@eastlink.ca> <f06230900c3e28c706e71@[24.224.176.88]> <02fe01c874e0$b0502d80$0a02a8c0@rolanddbee9aaa> <f06230900c3e3d53bbe9a@[24.224.176.88]> <033a01c87572$8e2d15a0$0a02a8c0@rolanddbee9aaa>
From: Sherman Williams <shermw@xcountry.tv>
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:22:42 -0400
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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I well remember the 1970 solar eclipse!  It was my very first solar  
eclipse.  My friend and I drove from the Valley (where it was cloudy)  
to the Southshore, until we encountered clear sky (we knew that it  
was clearing from the southwest -we found out that Clarks Harbour and  
Barrington were totally clear).

We ended up just beyond Liverpool, right beside the swimming pool at  
White Point Beach. Back then the pool was outside and it was frozen  
over with ice (March 7th).   It was a marvellous setting and not a  
cloud in the sky.  It was quite a sight for sure.  I, too, remimber  
the wavy shadow bands that swept over us just as totality began and  
again just after.

.....and certainly one can stare at a fully eclipsed Sun without  
special eye protection, without harm,  for as long as the Moon blocks  
ALL THE SUNLIGHT.  These are the most special few seconds / minutes  
to look at an eclipsed Sun. One can use whatever direct method one  
might have -telescope, binooculars, naked eyes. The solar corona  
surrounding the eclipsed Sun is quite striking to see and this is the  
only time one can see it directly;  it is NOT HARMFUL.

THE BIG DANGER is just before and just after totality, when the Sun  
not fully covered by the Moon.   In those moments sunlight coming  
from the uncovered edges appears to be dim enough that it would not  
seem to be harmful, however, in a few moments of direct gazing at any  
uncovered portion of sun can deliver enough INFARED TO DO DAMAGE to  
the retina.  The MOST DANGEROUS TIME to gaze at the Sun  would be any  
normal sunny day, especially at noon when we are receiving its most  
potent rays (radiation).

It is a mistaken notion by some that the Sun is giving off some  
mysterious, dangerous rays at the time it is eclipsed when in  
actuality, as long as the Sun is totally covered,  solar radiation is  
least harmful during a total eclipse.  The next TOTAL solar eclipse  
nearest us will be April 8th, 20024.  I believe it belongs to the  
same family of eclipses (saros) as the one we saw in 1970 .

You can find the paths of totality for these two eclipses at these  
links (they are the same links as the dates I linked above).
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEatlas/SEatlas2/SEatlas1961.GIF
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEatlas/SEatlas3/SEatlas2021.GIF


Sherman


Sherman Williams
shermw@xcountry.tv



On 22-Feb-08, at 12:47 PM, Roland McCormick wrote:

> Hello Angela -
>        I sat on a rock out in the centre of a field - I was  
> surprised by the waves of light that appeared as the eclipse became  
> total, the ring of light around the sun while it was in total  
> eclipse, and the wave s that appeared again as it came out of total  
> eclipse. I had never heard of this before and it caught me by total  
> surprise. And yes, I did stare at the sun, and no, it did not blind  
> me. I wanted to see everythin there was to see because I knew I  
> would never have that opportunity again.
>        You realize of course that you told us all how old you were  
> - for what it is worth, the same age as my twins.
>
> Roland.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Angela Joudrey"  
> <aljoudrey@eastlink.ca>
> To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008 9:29 PM
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] eclipse! 10:00
>
>
>> I remember that day in the 70's........
>>
>> I was an Elem. student at Beaverbank Kinsac Consolidated, before  
>> they built the "new" section on.
>>
>> I was 8. Not a lot of memories other than the dire warnings from  
>> our teachers " Don't you dare look at the sun or you will burn the  
>> eyes out of your head."
>>
>> I may have peeked.... I remember darkness.
>>
>> Angela
>>
>>
>>> Hello Angela -
>>>       I didn't have that decision to make - it was cloudy here  
>>> and we even had a bit of snow overnight caused by wind blowing  
>>> off the water. I console myself with the memory of those early  
>>> days in 1970 when most of the province was covered with clouds  
>>> and I had a perfect day to watch the eclipse of the sun. It was a  
>>> once in a lifetime experience.
>>>
>>> Roland.
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Angela Joudrey"  
>>> <aljoudrey@eastlink.ca>
>>> To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:05 PM
>>> Subject: [NatureNS] eclipse! 10:00
>>>
>>>> There's a bite outta the moon already!
>>>>
>>>> Yeah!
>>>>
>>>> I'm excited bc I won't be able to stay up late. I'll try to wake  
>>>> up later......
>>>>
>>>> Angela in Windsor
>>>> --
>>>> Angela Slaunwhite
>>>> aljoudrey@eastlink.ca
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database:  
>>>> 269.20.8/1289 - Release Date: 2/20/2008 10:26 AM
>>
>> -- 
>> Angela Slaunwhite
>> aljoudrey@eastlink.ca
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database:  
>> 269.20.9/1290 - Release Date: 2/20/2008 8:45 PM


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
I well remember the 1970 solar eclipse! =A0It was my very first solar =
eclipse. =A0My friend and I drove from the Valley (where it was cloudy) =
to the Southshore, until we encountered clear sky (we knew that it was =
clearing from the southwest -we found out that Clarks Harbour and =
Barrington were totally clear).=A0<div><br =
class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>We ended up just beyond =
Liverpool, right beside the swimming pool at White Point Beach. Back =
then the pool was outside and it was frozen over with ice (<a =
href=3D"http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEatlas/SEatlas2/SEatlas1961=
.GIF">March 7th</a>). =A0 It was a marvellous setting and not a cloud in =
the sky. =A0It was quite a sight for sure. =A0I, too, remimber the wavy =
shadow bands that swept over us just as totality began and again just =
after.<div><