Eclipse of the sun and moon. Solar and lunar eclipse
The sun is shining, but not as brightly as it was before, the temperature is slowly decreasing. The size of the resulting sickle decreases, and as a result, the black disk no longer allows the slightest rays of light to pass through. Instead of a bright and warm day, you are surrounded by an unusual night, and there is no Sun in the sky, only a large black circle shining with unusual silvery rays.
The noise of nature almost immediately subsides, and the plants begin to fold their leaves. After a few minutes, everything will return to its place and the city streets will come to life. Many years ago, such phenomena terrified people, instilling panic and fear of the inevitable in their hearts.
What is a lunar eclipse?
This is the moment the Moon enters the shadow area of the Earth. During this period, all three components: the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are located on the same line in such a way that the Earth does not transmit sunlight to its satellite. Therefore, this phenomenon occurs only during the full moon.
During the period when this happens, you will be able to see the Moon in a completely darkened appearance or in partially darkened conditions. The phenomenon can be observed by half of the Earth's population, from which the moon is visible at the time of the eclipse.
Since the diameter of the Moon's shadow is more than 2 times smaller than the diameter of the Earth, it will be able to completely cover the disk of the Moon. This is it total eclipse. If the Moon partially plunges into the Earth's shadow, this phenomenon is called private.
Given the curved line created by the placement of the three main objects, people may not see a total eclipse at all. If the earth's shadow covers only a small part of the lunar disk, then as a result one can see the covering of the lunar disk with penumbra. Their location will influence the duration of the eclipse phases.
A total lunar eclipse does not mean that it will disappear from view. It’s just that the lunar disk takes on a different color – dark red. The scientific explanation for the color change is the refraction of the sun's rays going to the moon. Passing along a tangent path to to the globe the rays dissipate and only red rays remain (blue and cyan color spectra are absorbed by our atmosphere).
It is these rays that reach the surface during an eclipse. The nature of the "focus" is exactly the same as during sunset, when a delicate pink or orange.
How does solar happen?
Planets with their satellites, as everyone knows, are constantly moving: The Moon is around the globe, and the Earth is around the solar disk. In the process of constant movement, specific moments may arise when the Sun can be obscured by the lunar disk. This can happen in full or partial form.
A solar eclipse is the shadow of the lunar disk falling on the Earth. Its radius reaches 100 kilometers, which is several times less than the radius of the globe. Because of this, it is possible to observe a natural phenomenon only on a small strip of Earth.
If you are in this band of shadow, you will be able to see a total eclipse, during which the solar globe will be completely obscured by the Moon. At this point, the lighting will disappear and people will be able to watch the stars.
Residents of the planet who are located near the strip will be able to admire this phenomenon only in private. A partial eclipse is characterized by the passage of the Moon outside the central part of the Sun, covering only a small part of it.
At the same time, the onset of gloomy darkness around you is not so strong, and you will no longer be able to see during the day. About 2,000 kilometers is the distance from the total eclipse area at which you can observe a partial eclipse.
Solar eclipse is for real unique phenomenon , which we can observe. This is possible only for the reason that the sizes of the Sun and the Moon are almost the same when viewed from the Earth, despite the colossal difference in their sizes (the Sun is almost 400 times larger than the Moon). The difference in size is compensated by the location of the solar disk, which is located at a great distance.
A total solar eclipse is sometimes accompanied by an effect called the solar corona - people can see layers of the atmosphere of the solar disk that cannot be seen in usual time. A very mesmerizing spectacle that everyone needs to see.
Which total eclipse lasts the longest and why?
About 1.5 hours is the maximum duration of a total lunar eclipse.
The moon's brightness may be different levels(at the beginning of the eclipse). In some cases, the lunar disk is not visible at all, and sometimes, on the contrary, it may seem that there was no eclipse at all - the Moon can be so bright.
A solar eclipse can only be seen during a new moon., when the lunar disk cannot be seen from the Earth due to its location in solar system. This creates the illusion that during an eclipse the solar disk is covering something else, which cannot in any way be connected with the Moon.
The shadow cast by the Moon on the surface of the globe has a cone-shaped shape. Its tip is located a little further from the Earth, which leads to the formation of a black spot when the shadow hits the Earth's surface.
The diameter of the spot is approximately 150-250 kilometers. Its speed of movement across the Earth’s surface is 1 km per second, which is why any one place on the planet cannot be closed for a long time.
The total phase of a solar eclipse lasts no more than 7.5 minutes, the partial phase 1.5-2 hours.
What's the difference between them?
The main difference between a solar and lunar eclipse is that the former is considered more external, affecting events occurring around a person. Consequently, lunar eclipses are considered more internal, having a connection with the emotional side of a person (life problems, thoughts, and so on).
In some cases, internal reflections lead to new events that have a direct connection with the external part. Reasoning on a psychological level, we can come to a logical conclusion: events that are not consciously caused by a person will be brought along with the appearance of solar eclipses, and conscious events that come to light thanks to our feelings and will be associated with lunar eclipses.
Moon and omens
If a solar eclipse, according to many superstitions, does not bring anything good, then a lunar eclipse carries another symbol - a new beginning.
During a lunar eclipse, it is recommended to get rid of your bad habits, since this will become much easier during this period. It is believed that if you quit smoking during a lunar eclipse, you will not return to this harmful process.
Speaking about conception during a lunar eclipse, it is highly not recommended to do this. As the signs say, a child conceived at this time will receive all the bad qualities of his parents.
Our grandmothers also said that you should not lend money during a lunar eclipse.. Now, of course, it’s impossible to hear this without an ironic smile, but you shouldn’t be such a skeptic, because we all know how a lunar eclipse affects the human body. Some beliefs have a certain meaning.
What to avoid during a lunar eclipse, according to ancient beliefs:
- borrow money and borrow yourself
- get married and marry
- dissolve the marriage
- carry out operations
- move to another place of residence
- buy expensive goods
- make serious deals.
Superstitions and the celestial body
“In 15 minutes, residents of Yekaterinburg will be able to observe the solar eclipse,” was the phrase in the news release. But this is not only a reason for local residents to run out onto the street with tinted windows in the hope of seeing the unique process. Very often this natural phenomenon causes people to feel anxious or even panic.
Even despite great advances in the field of astronomy, genetic memory sometimes reminds itself loudly. Most residents experience severe stress or fear during eclipses, therefore, it is not advisable for overly impressionable citizens to start any business or make serious decisions.
Couples in love have one tradition - to offer their hearts and hands during solar eclipses., they say, it’s more romantic. At the time of proposal, the closed Sun is shaped a bit like wedding ring with a big diamond. It is believed that no girl can refuse such a romantic gesture.
If during this period you manage to twist your leg or break your heel, this means that the path you have chosen is the wrong one.
A folk sign says that the year in which this phenomenon occurs will be unfavorable for the harvest., and what you do manage to collect will not be stored for long.
But not all omens are bad. For example, if you spilled water during the eclipse or got caught in the rain, then this is considered good sign and awaits you.
If you listen to everyone folk signs, then during the solar eclipse you cannot:
- travel
- drink alcoholic beverages
- drive a car
- make expensive purchases
- make friends or just get acquainted
- risk.
For especially superstitious people there is one solution: during a solar eclipse, they simply close all the windows, thereby protecting themselves from the “light”.
The recommendations of most astrologers are that 2 weeks before the solar eclipse, it is necessary to solve all the problems that have accumulated before this time and complete all the work started. As star interpreters note, the period of a solar eclipse is very favorable for you to be able to successfully say goodbye to unnecessary connections, bad habits and pieces of furniture or clothing that you are tired of.
The period is not very long - only a week after the eclipse and 2 weeks before - try not to show weakness and not give in to temptations, control yourself (do not show aggression, greed and ambition). During this period, only kindness, generosity and nobility should radiate from you. This is the only way you can find peace in this life.
Many people know from school what a lunar and solar eclipse is. Someone had a chance to observe these astronomical phenomena with their own eyes. Lately even a trend arose to gaze at an eclipse, especially a solar one, in geographical area visual observation people rush as if on a free attraction. But is this spectacle actually harmless for its immediate spectators and all people in general? Only a few people know about the impact a lunar or solar eclipse has on life. In astrology there is a lot of information about these phenomena and their impact on humans, some of which is presented in this article.
Solar and lunar eclipses
Every year the Sun and Moon are eclipsed up to seven times. Alternating in pairs, these phenomena occur during full moons and new moons.
During periods of influence of eclipses of the Sun or Moon (at least a week before and after the event), the number of people seeking astrological consultation increases sharply. This is explained by the significant changes and fateful events that happen at this time in the lives of many people, and important role Solar and lunar eclipses play a role in this.
According to astrology, solar and lunar eclipses have a significant, often adverse effect on the destinies and health of all people. Eclipses have a particularly strong effect on those who are physically or mentally weak and those who were born during such a phenomenon or for whom the eclipse in their personal horoscope aspects planets and others important points. So, if the degree of the current eclipse coincides with a planet in the natal chart, then we can predict with 100% confidence the implementation of some important events in the life of the owner of the horoscope. If you analyze your personal birth horoscope more deeply, you can find out more specifically the most likely events.
However, it is a mistake to think of eclipses only as harmful phenomena playing a purely ominous role. Astrologers believe that eclipses, as a catalyst, launch the process of implementing a karmic program, not only individual, but also collective. Like a heavenly scalpel, they open the resulting abscess of karmic problems and allow them to be realized in the shortest possible time. Therefore, if some bad event happens to a person during an eclipse, it is actually not that bad. As in the expression: “No matter what happens, everything is for the better.” This means that a person has paid his debts and freed himself from part of his karmic burden. That is, the main function of eclipses is our cleansing and liberation. Although for many this “medical” procedure turns out to be very painful, because it takes place abruptly and without any “anesthesia”.
There is some difference between the effects of solar and lunar eclipses on humans. To understand what it is, you need to separately understand the essence of the influence of each phenomenon.
Solar eclipse
The sun is the source solar energy("life-giving prana") necessary for the life of all living things. In astrology, the Sun is identified with masculine energy. It symbolizes vitality, creativity, the spirit and consciousness of a person, his ego or “I”. However, the events triggered by solar eclipses are not always caused by us and are often associated with external factors, with our surroundings and environment, but they are sure to reflect on us. For example, if something happens to a person close to you or on a global level - in your country of residence, then this will naturally affect you.
A solar eclipse occurs on a new moon. During a solar eclipse, the “vital prana” is interrupted or reduced, which negatively affects all living beings. Finding yourself in the darkness of an eclipse, the consciousness seems to darken, the will weakens, the human mind is less oriented in situations, thoughts are confused, and the percentage of erroneous and inappropriate actions increases. It is believed that men and women have the hardest time during a solar eclipse. creative individuals both sexes.
During a solar eclipse, the well-being of many people worsens. It is especially difficult for the main organ of the body – the heart. Already an hour after the Moon begins to cover the Sun, the power of the heart’s release of blood into the circulatory system increases, blood pressure, there is a failure in the system of regulation and blood supply to all organs of the body. The number of strokes, heart attacks and other health disorders associated with heart failure is increasing.
On a global scale, a solar eclipse adversely affects the entire society. The negative effect that an eclipse produces on an individual basis accumulates in society and increases tension in it, contributing to destructive tendencies, which leads to mass unrest, a tense political situation and military conflicts, and outbreaks of epidemics. The number of accidents, disasters and accidents is increasing, especially due to human fault. In this “dark” time, the ego of politicians is off the charts and in order to satisfy it, they lose control of themselves, make disastrous and erroneous moves that can lead to various adverse consequences for entire countries.
Lunar eclipse
Lunar eclipses coincide with the full moon and occur at least twice a year. Since the Moon in individual astrology symbolizes the human soul, his subconscious and controls unconscious processes, emotional sphere, then the result of the impact of a lunar eclipse is mental imbalance and increased emotionality.
During the period of influence of the lunar eclipse, the mind is wounded and suppressed by emotions rushing out, often negative. “Subconscious demons,” which until now had been dormant, waiting for their “finest hour,” awaken and break free. A lunar eclipse is this very hour when the number of conflicts and related situations increases in society. People who are emotionally excitable, especially women and children, begin to become hysterical, capricious, cry, and make scandals over every occasion. But for people striving for the Light and determined to do Good, an eclipse can cause spontaneous impulses of the soul, induce heroic deeds and good deeds.
A lunar eclipse is like a surgeon, they open us up and take out our internal problems and desires, what is hidden inside our soul, in the subconscious. Everything that a person has accumulated within himself, consciously held back, suddenly spills out and often leads to events. That is, during a lunar eclipse life situation is formed under the influence of our feelings, thoughts, internal problems and everything that happens is inextricably linked with them. This is where the effect of a lunar eclipse differs from that of a solar eclipse.
During the active phase of the influence of eclipses (one month before and the same amount after the eclipse), many people have a desire to do something important or new, but astrologers urge them to refrain from such actions, since a person at this time is less objective in his views. Negative influence a solar eclipse may persist for several months, but the consequences of events and important matters begun in active phase may take years.
By following the recommendations of astrologers and certain rules set out in a separate article devoted to this topic, you will learn what you need to do to avoid negative consequences eclipses and how to use for your benefit the time when lunar or solar eclipses occur in the skies.
Details Category: Sun Published 10/04/2012 16:24 Views: 9533
Solar and lunar eclipses are astronomical phenomena. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon completely or partially blocks (eclipses) the Sun from an observer on Earth. During a lunar eclipse, the Moon enters the cone of the shadow cast by the Earth.
Solar eclipse
Solar eclipses are already mentioned in ancient sources.
Solar eclipse possible only on new moon, when the side of the Moon facing the Earth is not illuminated and the Moon itself is not visible. Eclipses are only possible if the new moon occurs near one of two lunar nodes(the point of intersection of the apparent orbits of the Moon and the Sun), no more than about 12 degrees from one of them.
The Moon's shadow on the earth's surface does not exceed 270 km in diameter, so a solar eclipse is observed only in a narrow strip along the path of the shadow. If the observer is in the shadow band, he sees total solar eclipse, in which the Moon completely hides the Sun, the sky darkens, and planets and bright stars may appear on it. Around the solar disk hidden by the Moon you can observe solar corona, which is not visible in the normal bright light of the Sun. For an observer on earth, the total phase of an eclipse lasts no more than a few minutes. The minimum speed of movement of the lunar shadow on the earth's surface is just over 1 km/s.
Observers close to the total eclipse can see partial solar eclipse. During a partial eclipse, the Moon passes across the disk of the Sun not exactly in the center, hiding only part of it. At the same time, the sky darkens much less, the stars do not appear. A partial eclipse can be observed at a distance of about two thousand kilometers from the total eclipse zone.
Astronomical characteristics of solar eclipses
Full such an eclipse is called if it can be observed as total at least somewhere on the surface of the Earth.
When an observer is in the shadow of the Moon, he is observing a total solar eclipse. When he is in the penumbra region, he can observe partial solar eclipse. In addition to total and partial solar eclipses, there are annular eclipses. An annular eclipse occurs when, at the time of the eclipse, the Moon is further away from the Earth than during a total eclipse, and the cone of the shadow passes over the Earth's surface without reaching it. During an annular eclipse, the Moon passes across the disk of the Sun, but turns out to be smaller in diameter than the Sun, so it cannot completely hide it. In the maximum phase of the eclipse, the Sun is covered by the Moon, but around the Moon a bright ring of the uncovered part of the solar disk is visible. During an annular eclipse, the sky remains bright, stars do not appear, and it is impossible to observe the solar corona. The same eclipse can be seen in different parts eclipse bands as total or annular. This eclipse is sometimes called full ring-shaped (or hybrid).
Solar eclipses can be predicted. Scientists have long calculated eclipses for many years in advance. From 2 to 5 solar eclipses can occur on Earth per year, of which no more than two are total or annular. On average, 237 solar eclipses occur every hundred years. different types. For example, in Moscow from the 11th to the 18th centuries. There were only 3 total solar eclipses. In 1887 there was also a total eclipse. A very strong eclipse with a phase of 0.96 occurred on July 9, 1945. The next total solar eclipse is expected in Moscow on October 16, 2126.
How to watch a solar eclipse
When observing a solar eclipse, special attention should be paid to protecting your eyes from sunlight. To do this, it is recommended to use special filters coated with a thin layer of metal. You can use one or two layers of high-quality black and white photographic film coated with silver. A total solar eclipse can be observed through optical instruments even without darkening screens, but at the slightest sign of the end of the eclipse, you must immediately stop observing. Even a thin strip of light, greatly amplified through binoculars, can cause irreparable damage to the retina, and therefore experts strongly recommend the use of darkening filters.
Lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon enters the cone of the shadow cast by the Earth. This is clearly visible in the diagram presented. The diameter of the Earth's shadow spot is about 2.5 times the diameter of the Moon, so the entire Moon can be obscured. At each moment of the eclipse, the degree of coverage of the Moon's disk by the Earth's shadow is expressed by the eclipse phase F. When the Moon completely enters the Earth's shadow during an eclipse, the eclipse is called a total lunar eclipse, when partially - a partial eclipse. Two necessary and sufficient conditions for the occurrence of a lunar eclipse are the full moon and the proximity of the Earth to the lunar node (the point of intersection of the Moon’s orbit with the ecliptic).
Observing lunar eclipses
Complete
It can be observed on half of the Earth's territory where the Moon is above the horizon at the time of the eclipse. The appearance of the darkened Moon from any observation point is almost the same. The maximum possible duration of the total phase of a lunar eclipse is 108 minutes (for example, July 16, 2000). But during even a total eclipse, the Moon does not disappear completely, but becomes dark red. This is explained by the fact that the Moon continues to be illuminated even in the phase of total eclipse. sun rays, passing tangentially to the earth's surface, are scattered in the Earth's atmosphere and, due to this scattering, partially reach the Moon. Earth's atmosphere It is most transparent for rays of the red-orange part of the spectrum, therefore it is these rays that reach the surface of the Moon to a greater extent during an eclipse. But if at the moment of an eclipse of the Moon (total or partial) an observer was on the Moon, he would be able to see a total solar eclipse (eclipse of the Sun by the Earth).
Private
If the Moon falls only partially into the total shadow of the Earth, then a partial eclipse is observed. With it, part of the Moon is dark, and part, even in its maximum phase, remains in partial shade and is illuminated by the sun's rays.
Penumbra
Penumbra is a region of space in which the Earth only partially obscures the Sun. If the Moon passes through the penumbral region but does not enter the umbra, a penumbral eclipse occurs. With it, the brightness of the Moon decreases, but only slightly: such a decrease is almost imperceptible to the naked eye and is recorded only by instruments.
Lunar eclipses can be predicted. At least two lunar eclipses occur every year, but due to the mismatch of the planes of the lunar and earth's orbits, their phases are different. Eclipses repeat in the same order every 6585⅓ days (or 18 years 11 days and ~8 hours - this period is called saros). Knowing where and when a total lunar eclipse was observed, you can accurately determine the time of subsequent and previous eclipses that are clearly visible in this area. This cyclicality often helps to accurately date events described in historical records.
Solar and lunar eclipses
The plane of the Moon’s orbit is inclined to the plane of the Earth’s orbit at an angle of 5.9° and intersects it at two opposite points (nodes of the lunar orbit), and therefore eclipses occur only when, at the moment of the new moon or full moon, the Moon passes through one of its nodes, and precisely then the Sun, Earth and Moon “line up” in one line.When at such moments the Moon is at new moon, a solar eclipse occurs, and when at full moon, a lunar eclipse occurs.
Rice. 1 . Conditions for the possibility of eclipses
Solar eclipses are not visible from all areas of the Earth's daytime hemisphere, since due to its small size the Moon cannot hide the Sun from the entire Earth's hemisphere. Its diameter is approximately 400 times smaller than the diameter of the Sun, but at the same time, the Moon, compared to the Sun, is almost 400 times closer to the Earth, therefore the apparent sizes of the Moon and the Sun are almost the same, so that the Moon, although in a very limited area, can block the Sun from us . The nature of the eclipse depends on the distance of the Moon from the Earth, and since the Moon’s orbit is not circular, but elliptical, this distance changes, and depending on this, the apparent size of the Moon also changes slightly. If at the moment of a solar eclipse the Moon is closer to the Earth, then the lunar disk, being slightly larger than the solar one, will completely cover the Sun, which means the eclipse will be total. If it is further, then its visible disk will be smaller than the solar one and the Moon will not be able to cover the entire Sun - a light rim will remain around it. This type of eclipse is called an annular eclipse. Illuminated by the Sun, the Moon casts into space a converging cone of shadow and surrounding penumbra. When these cones intersect with the Earth, the lunar shadow and penumbra fall on it. A spot of the lunar shadow with a diameter of about 300 km runs along the earth's surface, leaving a trail 10-12 thousand km long, and where it passes, a total solar eclipse occurs, while in the area captured by the penumbra, a partial eclipse occurs, when only a part is covered by the Moon solar disk. It often happens that the lunar shadow passes the Earth, and the penumbra partially captures it, then only partial eclipses occur. Since the speed of movement of the shadow on the surface of the Earth, depending on the geographic latitude, ranges from 2000 km/h (near the equator) to 8000 km/h (near the poles), a total solar eclipse observed at one point lasts no more than 7.5 minutes, Moreover, the maximum value is reached in very rare cases (the nearest eclipse lasting 7 minutes 29 seconds will occur only in 2186).
Rice. 2. Solar eclipse diagram
Solar eclipses happen so rarely that not every generation of local residents manages to see them at least once - at one point on the earth's surface, total solar eclipses can be observed only once every 300-400 years. Lunar eclipses, especially total ones, were feared no less than solar ones. After all, this night luminary sometimes completely disappeared from the vault of heaven, and the darkened part of the Moon quite soon took on a gray color with a reddish tint, becoming more and more bloody dark. In ancient times, lunar eclipses were credited with a special ominous influence on earthly events. The ancients believed that the Moon was bleeding at this moment, which promised great disasters for humanity.
Solar eclipses: To understand the cause of solar and lunar eclipses, priests for centuries kept count of total and partial eclipses. First, it was noticed that lunar eclipses occur only on the full moon, and solar eclipses only on the new moon, then that solar eclipses do not occur at every new moon and lunar eclipses do not occur at every full moon, and also that solar eclipses did not occur when the Moon was visible. Even during a solar eclipse, when the light completely faded and the stars and planets began to appear through the unnaturally dark twilight, the Moon was nowhere to be seen. This aroused curiosity and gave rise to a thorough study of the place where the Moon should have been immediately after the end of the solar eclipse. It was soon discovered that on the night following the day of a solar eclipse, the Moon was always in its nascent form very close to the Sun. Having noted the location of the Moon before a solar eclipse and immediately after it, they determined that during the eclipse itself the Moon actually passed from the western to the eastern side of the place occupied by the Sun, and complex calculations showed that the coincidence of the Moon and the Sun in the sky took place precisely at the time when the Sun was eclipsed. The conclusion became obvious: the Sun is obscured from the Earth by the dark body of the Moon.
After finding out the causes of the solar eclipse, we moved on to unraveling the mystery of the lunar eclipse. Although in this case it was much more difficult to find a satisfactory explanation, since the light of the Moon was not obscured by any opaque body that stood between the night luminary and the observer. Finally, it was observed that all opaque bodies cast a shadow in the direction opposite to the light source. It was suggested that perhaps the earth, illuminated by the Sun, gives that shadow that even reaches the Moon. It was necessary to either confirm or refute this theory. And it was soon proven that lunar eclipses occur only during the full moon. This confirmed the assumption that the cause of the eclipse is the shadow of the earth falling on L y y, - as soon as the earth came between the Moon and the source of light - the Sun, the light of the Moon in turn became invisible and an eclipse occurred.
Lunar eclipses occur when the full moon passes near the nodes of its orbit. Depending on whether it is partially or completely immersed in the earth's shadow, both partial and total shadow lunar eclipses occur. Near the lunar nodes, within 17° on either side of them, there are zones of lunar eclipses. The closer to the lunar node an eclipse occurs, the greater its phase, determined by the proportion of the lunar diameter covered by the earth's shadow. The Moon's entry into the Earth's umbra or penumbra usually occurs unnoticed. A total eclipse is preceded by partial phases, and at the moment of the final immersion of the Moon in the earth's shadow it occurs, lasting about two hours. The frequency of lunar eclipses for any particular place on Earth is higher than the frequency of solar eclipses only because they are visible from the entire night hemisphere of the Earth. Moreover, the duration of the total phase of a solar eclipse on the Moon can reach 2.8 hours.
Eclipse cycles: as a result of long-term observations, it turned out that both lunar and solar eclipses inevitably repeat in the same order after the expiration of the period of time through which the mutual position repeats
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- Literally 2-3 minutes before the onset of the total phase of the eclipse, bright points flash - this is light breaking through the valleys and gorges between the lunar mountains. |
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Sun, Moon and nodes of the lunar orbit. The ancient Greeks called this gap saros. It is 223 revolutions of the Moon, that is, 18 years, 11 days and 8 hours. After Saros, all eclipses are repeated, but under slightly different conditions, since in 8 hours the Earth rotates 120°, and therefore the lunar shadow will move across the earth 120° further west than it was 18 years ago. The sequence of solar and lunar eclipses after triple saros is repeated on the same geographic longitude. It is believed that a large saros is equal to 19,756 days. Currently, eclipses have been calculated with a high degree of accuracy both thousands of years ago and hundreds of years ahead.
The study of ancient solar eclipses helps modern scientists correct the dates of many historical events and even make changes to their sequence. After all, each total solar eclipse occurs in a certain and fairly narrow strip of the earth’s surface, the position of which varies from year to year. Therefore, based on the area where it took place, it is possible, using calculations, to absolutely accurately determine their date. In addition, by comparing the movements of the lunar shadow on the earth's surface, it is possible to establish the natural evolution of the movement of the Moon. It was this comparison that first led scientists to think about the secular slowdown of the Earth’s rotation, which is 0.0014 seconds per century.
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In 1715 Edmund Halley accurately predicted the time and areas of the total solar eclipse on May 3, 1715, and also compiled a map indicating the size of the lunar shadow (295 km). |
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Eclipse statistics Due to the inclination of the lunar orbit to the ecliptic plane (the plane in which the Earth’s orbit is located), eclipses can only occur in those cases when, at the time of the new moon and full moon, the Moon is near one of the two nodes of its orbit (these are the points of intersection of the lunar orbit with the ecliptic plane ). The moon passes through this node of its orbit every 27.2 days (draconic month), and new moons and full moons repeat every 29.5 days (synodic month). The Sun passes through the same node of the lunar orbit in 346.6 days (draconian year). Due to the fact that this period is not equal to a year (the time the Earth rotates around the Sun), the number of solar and lunar eclipses during the year varies from year to year. However, 242 draconic months are equal to 223 synodic months and 19 draconic years. This interval - 6,585.36 days - is saros. However, due to the approximate nature of these equalities, the number of eclipses is also unequal during different saros. On average, 2-3 lunar and 2-3 solar eclipses occur per year, and about a third of them are total. If we talk about statistics, then, for example, in the 19th century there were 242 solar eclipses (of which 63 total), 70 times during the year there were two eclipses, 19 times - three, 10 times - four and once (in 1805) - five solar eclipses. There were 252 lunar eclipses (of which 63 were total), 67 times during the year there were two eclipses, 15 times - three, 17 times - four, and during 1879 - five lunar eclipses. During the 20th century, 228 solar eclipses occurred (of which 71 were total), 79 times during the year there were two eclipses, 15 times - four and once (in 1935) - five solar eclipses. There were 230 lunar eclipses (of which 81 were total), 78 times during the year there were two eclipses, 14 times three and 8 times 4 lunar eclipses. |
If three celestial bodies line up in a straight line in this order, the following may occur:
lunar eclipse: Sun-Earth-Moon
solar eclipse: Sun - Moon - Earth
N The diagram on the left shows the second case.
Conditions for the occurrence of solar eclipses
Let us imagine the ecliptic, the lunar path intersecting with it at the lunar nodes at an angle of 5.2 degrees, and the positions of the Sun and Moon at various new moons. During new moons that occur far from the lunar nodes (new moons 1, 7, 5, 75), solar eclipses are impossible! The Moon passes in the sky below (south) or above (north) the Sun. And only during new moons near the lunar nodes do partial (new moons 3, 5) and total or annular (new moons 4, 11) solar eclipses occur. For a partial eclipse to occur, it is necessary to have an external contact between the solar and lunar disks (new moons 2, 6, 12), the diameters of which are taken to be approximately 0°.5, and then the apparent angular distance between the centers of the disks is 0°.5. But due to its proximity to the Earth, the parallactic displacement of the Moon can reach 1°, and therefore, from a number of places on the Earth’s surface, the contact of the disks will be visible even at a true distance of 1°.5. Partial solar eclipses can occur at new moons occurring no further than 18° from the lunar nodes, and at distances less than 16° they occur without fail.
the arc of the ecliptic, within which solar eclipses occur and therefore called the zone of solar eclipses, has a length of 32°-36° (16°-18° on both sides of the lunar node), and the Sun moves along the ecliptic by about 1° every day , should pass this zone in 32-36 days. But the lunar nodes themselves shift towards the Sun per day by 0°.053, and in 32-36 days - by almost 2°, and therefore the Sun passes the eclipse zone in 30-34 days, during which at least one new moon must occur, and sometimes two (near the edges of the zone), since they alternate every 29.53 days (synodic month). Consequently, in the eclipse zone at each lunar node, one solar eclipse of one kind or another necessarily occurs, and sometimes, much less frequently, two partial eclipses with a small phase. But there cannot be two central, i.e., total or annular, solar eclipses in a row near one lunar node (i.e., within 34 days), because such eclipses occur no further than 11°.5 on either side of the lunar node. node, and the Sun passes this zone of 23° in 22 days, in the interval of which only one new moon is possible.
Every year there are two periods (two epochs) in which solar eclipses occur. These epochs are separated by about six months, since the zones of solar eclipses are diametrically opposite. In fact, for a solar eclipse to occur, the New Moon Moon and the Sun must be in the same eclipse zone. The moon, but, of course, in different phases, passes through each of these zones every month, since the draconic month contains 27, 21 days. The Sun, with its daily displacement along the ecliptic to the east by approximately 1°, takes about six months to move along an arc of 180° between the lunar nodes. But due to the retreat of the lunar nodes by 19°.3 per year (365.3), the Sun returns to the same node after a period of time equal to 346.62 days, called the draconic year. Leaving one lunar node. The Sun enters the opposite node after half the draconian year, i.e. after 173 days, and six synodic months are 177 days, and the Moon in the new moon phase will also necessarily be in the eclipse zone. Therefore, solar eclipses occur every 177-178 days. Over the course of six months (about 183 days), eclipse epochs shift five days ahead, to earlier calendar dates, and gradually move to different seasons year; from summer and winter to spring and autumn, again to winter and summer, etc.
Since in each eclipse zone there is necessarily one solar eclipse of any kind, the minimum number of solar eclipses per year is two. But in each zone, two partial solar eclipses with small phases can occur, and then there will be four eclipses over the course of one calendar year. If the first pair of partial solar eclipses in one zone occurs at the beginning of January and February, then the next pair of partial eclipses in another zone may occur at the very beginning of July and August, and of the next probable pair of partial eclipses, only one is possible at the very end of December, and the second will occur in January of the next calendar year. Thus, greatest number There are no more than five solar eclipses in one calendar year, and all of them are necessarily partial with small phases.
However, such cases are extremely rare. Last time There were five solar eclipses in 1935, and this will not happen again until 2206. But there will be four partial eclipses in 1982, 2000, 2011, 2029 and 2047. Most often, there are 2-3 solar eclipses annually, and one of them, as a rule, is total or annular.
In different years, the lunar shadow runs across different places on the earth's surface, and therefore in each area total solar eclipses actually occur very rarely, on average once every 300-400 years, although there are exceptions. So, for example, in Moscow, total solar eclipses were visible on August 11, 1123, March 20, 1140 (i.e., after 16 years), June 7, 1415 (275 years later), February 25, 1476 (after 61 years old) and in its environs - August 19, 1887 (after 411 years). The next total solar eclipse in Moscow, lasting about 4 minutes, will occur only on October 16, 2126.
Partial solar eclipses occur in every area, naturally, more often than total eclipses, since the diameter of the lunar penumbra significantly exceeds the diameter of the lunar shadow. So, for example, over 30 years, from 1952 to 1981 inclusive, Moscow accounted for 13 partial solar eclipses, i.e. in Moscow they occur on average every 2-3 years. A similar picture is typical for many other places on the earth’s surface. But since partial solar eclipses with a small phase of weakening of sunlight are not noticeable, they are often ignored. Solar eclipses are periodically repeated, since their occurrence depends on three periods: the period of change of lunar phases, or synodic month 29.53, the period of the Moon’s return to one of the lunar nodes, or draconic month 27.21 and the period of the Sun’s return to the same lunar node , or a draconic year of 346.62 days. Each solar eclipse repeats itself after a period of 6585.3 days or 18 years 11.3 days (or 10.3 days if this period contains five leap years), called saros. During Saros, on average, 42-43 solar eclipses occur, of which 14 are total, 13-14 annular and 15 partial. However, after the end of Saros, each eclipse is repeated under different conditions, since Saros does not contain a whole number of days, and for an excess of about 0.3 days (over 6585 days), the Earth will rotate around its axis by approximately 120° and therefore the lunar shadow will run across the Earth’s surface the same 120° to the west than 18 years ago, and the Sun and Moon will be at slightly different distances from the lunar node.
The pattern of repetition of solar eclipses is more complex than it is represented by saros, since the synodic month, draconic month and draconic year are incommensurable with each other and after saros (6585.3 days) the Moon does not reach its previous position relative to the lunar node by 0°.47 .
Let us call a series, or a chain of eclipses, their totality, separated by an interval of one saros from another similar totality. If on some day a total solar eclipse of this series occurred at the lunar node itself and had the longest duration, then after 6585.3 days the Moon will not reach the same node, but will end up at a distance of about 0°.47 to the west of it, and therefore a total solar eclipse will occur at the same distance to the west of the node and will have a slightly shorter duration. After another Saros (18 years 11.3 days), this shift will repeat again, and a total solar eclipse will occur at a distance of 0°.94 to the west of the same lunar node, and after the next Saros - already at a distance of 1°.41 to the west from the node, etc. But the border of the zone of total solar eclipses is located on average 11° from the lunar node, and therefore in 24 saros (about 430 years), the Moon will no longer be in this zone, and instead of a total (or annular) solar eclipse, a partial solar eclipse will occur. Another 269 years (14 saros) will pass, and the Moon will move away from its node by more than 18°, that is, it will completely leave the zone of solar eclipses, and this will be the end of this series. But in its place, a new series of solar eclipses will arise, which will begin 18° east of the lunar node in the form of a partial eclipse of a very small phase and, gradually moving to the west, will turn into central eclipses, and then, 11° west of the node, the eclipses will again become partial, and finally, this series of eclipses will end.
One series of solar eclipses lasts from 66 to 74 saros (average 70 saros), or from 1190 to 1330 years, and consists of 18-32 partial and, respectively, 48-42 central eclipses. It begins with a short-term partial eclipse with a negligible phase always near one of the Earth's poles. After 18 years and 11 days, the lunar penumbra covers a somewhat larger zone of the Earth’s polar region, the phase of the partial eclipse increases, and it becomes longer. Over the course of 9 to 16 Saros, during the next partial eclipse, the lunar penumbra gradually moves from the polar zone to the temperate zone, and finally, the lunar shadow enters the region of the same pole - the sequence of central solar eclipses begins. Through each Saros, these eclipses occur closer to the lunar node, and the lunar shadow (with penumbra) gradually moves from the polar zone to the temperate zone of the earth's surface, and when the eclipses approach the node, the lunar shadow will rush across the tropical zone of the Earth. Further, as the eclipses move away from the node, the shadow and penumbra will begin to move into the temperate zone of the opposite earth's hemisphere, then into its polar zone, and finally, near the other pole, the lunar shadow will slide off the Earth. This ends the period of central eclipses, lasting from 48 to 42 saros, after which, for 9 to 16 saros, partial eclipses are repeated again, but with a decreasing phase. We hope that our visitors received a comprehensive answer about how solar eclipses occur. You could see how complex the movement of bodies in space is and what titanic work scientists do to show now generally known truths.
Observations of the Moon explained the causes of eclipses. It is clear that solar eclipses can only occur during a new moon, that is, when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun.
The Moon blocks the light of the Sun, casting a shadow on the Earth. In those places through which this shadow passes, a solar eclipse is observed.
A shadow strip 200-250 kilometers wide, accompanied by a wider penumbra, runs at high speed across the earth's surface. Where the shadow is thickest and darkest, a total solar eclipse is observed; it can last, at most, about 8 minutes: in the same place where the penumbra lies, there is no longer a total, but a particular, partial eclipse. And beyond this penumbra, no eclipse can be detected - the Sun still shines there.
So people finally found out why a solar eclipse occurs and, having calculated the distance from the Earth to the Moon, equal to 380 thousand kilometers, knowing the speed of movement of the Moon around the Earth and the Earth around the Sun, they could already determine with absolute accuracy when and where solar eclipses would be visible .
And when these hitherto mysterious heavenly phenomena became clear to people, people also realized that much of what was said in the Holy Scriptures did not correspond to reality. There is a fairy tale that on the day of Christ’s death the Sun darkened and “darkness reigned over the entire Earth from the sixth hour to the ninth hour.” And we know that this could not have happened. To do this, it was necessary to perform another miracle - to stop the movement of the heavenly bodies for three hours. But this is as absurd as the tale of Joshua, who ordered the Sun to stop.
Knowing the cause of a solar eclipse, it is easy to determine why lunar eclipses occur.
Lunar eclipses, as we can imagine, can only happen during the full moon, that is, when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon. Falling into the shadow cast by our planet into space, the Earth's satellite - the Moon - is eclipsed, and since the Earth is many times larger than the Moon, the Moon no longer enters the dense shadow of the Earth for a few minutes, but for two to three hours and disappears from our eye.
People were able to predict lunar eclipses two thousand years ago. Centuries-long observations of the sky have made it possible to establish a strict, but rather complex periodicity of lunar and solar eclipses. But why they happened was unknown. Only after the discoveries of Copernicus. Galileo, Kepler and many other remarkable astronomers made it possible to predict the onset, duration and location of solar and lunar eclipses with accuracy down to the second. Almost with the same accuracy it is possible to establish exactly when solar and lunar eclipses occurred - a hundred, three hundred, a thousand or tens of thousands of years ago: on the eve of the battle of the Russian army, Prince Igor with the Polovtsians, or on his birthday Egyptian pharaoh Psametikh or that distant morning when the progenitor modern man for the first time armed his hand with a stone.
Thus, we can conclude that solar or lunar eclipses do not at all represent any unusual celestial phenomena. They are natural, and, of course, there is and cannot be anything supernatural in these phenomena.
Eclipses of the Moon and Sun also happen quite often. Several such eclipses occur around the globe every year. Solar eclipses, of course, are observed only in certain places: where the shadow of the Moon runs across the globe, eclipsing the light of the Sun.
