title Total Solar Eclipse of March 29, 2006 Presented by Fred Espenak, NASA’s GSFC

Solar Eclipse Geometry 1 Full Moon To Sun Earth Moon Earth and Moon: Full Moon The Moon orbits Earth once every 29.5 days with respect to the Sun

Solar Eclipse Geometry 2 To Sun Earth New Moon Earth and Moon: New Moon Moon The Moon orbits Earth once every 29.5 days with respect to the Sun

Solar Eclipse Geometry 3 To Sun Earth New Moon Earth and Moon: Solar Eclipse Geometry Penumbra Umbra Moon An eclipse of the Sun is only possible during the New Moon phase.

Solar Eclipse Geometry 4 To Sun Earth New Moon Earth and Moon: Solar Eclipse Path Penumbra Umbra Path of Totality Moon During a total solar eclipse the Moon’s two shadows sweep across Earth.

Solar Eclipse Geometry 4 Full Moon To Sun Earth Moon New Moon Earth and Moon: Solar Eclipse Geometry Penumbra Umbra Path of Totality Moon The Moon orbits Earth once every 29.5 days with respect to the Sun

Partial Phases of a Total Solar Eclipse Credit: Dennis Mammana Every total eclipse begins with a series of partial phases which may last an hour or more. However, the total phase or “totality” never lasts more than 7.5 minutes. This time series photo shows an entire total solar eclipse, from start to finish over a period of over two hours.

Eclipse Shadows Astronomy Picture of the Day - August 13, 1999 Credit: E. Israel When sunlight passes through gaps between leaves of a tree, the shadows on the ground show little images of the eclipse happening in the sky above. This is the same principle as the pinhole camera.

“Diamond Ring” Effect Before Totality Begins In the last seconds before totality begins, the remaining bit of Sun resembles a dazzling jewel as the ring-like corona appears. Astronomy Picture of the Day - June 21, 2001 Credit: Fred Espenak

Total Solar Eclipse Video Video of the June 21, 2001 eclipse in Africa shows the Diamond Ring Effect as the Sun vanishes behind the Moon and Totality begins. Click on image to play video

Glorious Solar Corona The sun’s glorious corona is composed of hot, rarified plasma with a temperature of 1 to 2 million degrees Centigrade. It is only visible during a total eclipse when the Moon hides the Sun’s brilliant disk. Astronomy Picture of the Day - Sept. 15, 1999 Credit: Fred Espenak

Eerie Twilight During a Total Solar Eclipse During “totality” the landscape is bathed in an eerie twilight. Bright stars and planets are visible. Astronomy Picture of the Day January 08 Credit: Olivier Staiger

Earth and Eclipse from Space Astronomy Picture of the Day - August 30, 1999 Credit: Mir 27 Crew; Copyright: CNES From space, the Moon’s umbra can be seen sweeping over Earth during a total solar eclipse. Only observers within the shadow’s path will see “totality” - outside the path a partial eclipse will be seen.

Total Solar Eclipse from Antarctica It’s possible to see a total eclipse from anywhere on Earth. This image was shot in Antarctica in Astronomy Picture of the Day December 08 Credit: Fred Bruenjes

Partial Solar Eclipse Partial eclipses are visible over a much larger part of Earth than total eclipses. So they are seen by many more people. Partial Eclipse of Oct. 14, 2004 (Hawaii) Credit: Fred Espenak

Annular Solar Eclipse Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 1994 (Toledo, Ohio) The solar corona is NOT visible during an annular eclipse. The remaining ring of sunlight hides the corona in its glare.

Frequency of Solar Eclipse Types Partial35% Annular33% Total27% Hybrid 5% Eclipses per Year: 2 to 7 Totals per Year: 0, 1 or 2 Fred Espenak, NASA’s GSFC

Total Solar Eclipse of March 29, 2006

Sun-Earth Day Eclipse Website

Four Contacts of a Total Solar Eclipse 2 nd Contact - Total Eclipse Begins 3 rd Contact - Total Eclipse Ends 1 st Contact - Partial Eclipse Begins Moon Sun 4 th Contact - Partial Eclipse Ends MoonSun Fred Espenak, NASA’s GSFC

USA Times for the 2006 Eclipse From Side, Turkey 2 nd Contact - Total Eclipse Begins 3 rd Contact - Total Eclipse Ends 1 st Contact - Partial Eclipse Begins Moon Sun 4 th Contact - Partial Eclipse Ends MoonSun Fred Espenak, NASA’s GSFC 09:38 GMT 04:38 EST 03:38 CST 02:38 MST 01:38 PST 10:55 GMT 05:55 EST 04:55 CST 03:55 MST 02:55 PST 10:59 GMT 05:59 EST 04:59 CST 03:59 MST 02:59 PST 12:14 GMT 07:14 EST 06:14 CST 05:14 MST 04:14 PST

NASA Eclipse Home Page sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html

World Atlas of Solar Eclipse Paths

Solar Eclipses:

Links for the 2006 Total Solar Eclipse  NASA’s Sun-Earth Connection Website for 2006 Eclipse: –sunearthday.nasa.gov/2006/index.php  NASA’s Sun-Earth Connection & Exploratorium Live Webcast of 2006 Eclipse: –sunearthday.nasa.gov/2006/events/webcasts.php  NASA’s 2006 Total Solar Eclipse Website: –sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/TSE2006/TSE2006.html  NASA’s 2006 Eclipse Bulletin (Web Version): –umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/eclipse/ /rp.html  NASA’s 2006 Eclipse Bulletin (PDF Version): –sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEpubs/TP html  NASA’s Eclipse Home Page: –sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html