On Sunday afternoon (May possibly 20), the path of an annular solar eclipse will cross parts of eight western states. SPACE.com estimates that an estimated 6.6 million Americans reside inside of the path of annularity.
An annular solar eclipse is normally no match for a total solar eclipse. It is genuinely more like an embellished partial eclipse, with the stunning solar corona not becoming visible and the sky never obtaining truly dark. Nevertheless, an annular solar eclipse still ranks as one of the most remarkable of celestial sights for avid skywatchers.
Sunday’s eclipse track starts in East Asia and crossed the Pacific Ocean before reaching North America. In the United States, the U.S. National Park Service has invited skywatchers to view the solar eclipse from a national park, although the University of Colorado, at Boulder is opening its Folsom Stadium — a football stadium — to the public in what organizers are calling the world’s largest solar eclipse viewing party.
If you happen to be preparing to place yourself inside of the path of Sunday’s annular solar eclipse you’re going to have one of three observing options to choose from:
1) Position yourself at or near the center of the eclipse track.
2) Position your self just inside the northern or southern limit of the eclipse track.
3) Position your self near the sunset point of the eclipse track.
Let’s look closely at every single solution, beginning with being situated at or near the center of the eclipse track, which is most likely exactly where the lion’s share of eclipse chasers plan to go. [Solar Eclipse of Might 20 (Picture Observing Manual)]
From right here what you will see is a steadily increasing partial solar eclipse till the moon is nearly at the middle of the sun the annular eclipse begins when the moon detaches itself from one inner side of the sun.
Sources and more information:
• Viewing the Annular Solar Eclipse May 20, 2012
Copyright 2012 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved . My mother asked me if I was going to photograph the upcoming Annular Solar Eclipse , and said she wasn’t sure if they would be able to see it in the San Francisco Bay Area. I told her “Yes, I’m planning to view, and photograph it.” and that she will be able to see a “Partial Solar Eclipse”…
• Annular Solar Eclipse of May 20, 2012
• Annular solar eclipse here early Sunday night – Canada.com