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January
01, 1386
New Years total solar eclipse in
January
01, 1889
Last year where there
are two total solar eclipses in one
calendar year. First total solar eclipse
is on 1 January, second on 22 December 1889.
The same year, there is an annular eclipse on 28 June. The next calendar year where there are two
total solar eclipses is in 2057 (5 January and 26 December). Ref. More Mathematical Astronomical Morsels
by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
January
01, 1981
Minor planet (2761) Eddington 1981 AE. Discovered
1981 January 1 by E. Bowell at
January
01, 2606
Next total solar eclipse for
January
02, 1424
The annular eclipse on January 2, 1424 was visible
on New Years day for the South pacific,
east of
January
02, 1892
Death of Sir George Biddell Airy (1801-1892) in
“White House,”
January
03, 1976
Minor Planet (2490) Bussolini 1976 AG. Discovered 1976 January 3 at the
Felix Aguilar Observatory at El Leoncito.
Named in memory of Juan A. Bussolini, S.J. (1905-1966), solar physicist,
director of the Observatorio de Fisica Cosmica de San Miguel and a member of
the commission of the International Year of the Quiet Sun. He was also an
important benefactor to the Felix Aguilar Observatory. (M 8800) Dictionary of
Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
January
04, 1989
Minor planet (4499) Davidallen 1989 AO3. Discovered 1989 January 4 by R. H.
McNaught at Siding Spring. Named in
honor of David {Anthony} Allen {1946-1994}, staff astronomer at the
Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO). Following his Ph.D. from
January
05, 1935
Extreme solar eclipse. Magnitude of the eclipse was 0.0012. The maximum is only 0.12 percent of the solar
diameter. This solar eclipse was
<visible> in the
January
05, 1989
Minor planet (4498) Shinkoyama 1989 AG1. Discovered 1989 January 5 by T.
Seki at Geisei. Named in honor of the
solar physicist Shin Koyama, who has served as a professor at
January
05, 2057
Next year where there
are two total solar eclipses in one calendar year. There is a total solar eclipse on 5 January
and one on 26 December 2057. The same
year there is as well an annular eclipse on 1 July. The last occurrence there were two total
solar eclipses in one calendar year was in 1889. Ref. More Mathematical Astronomical Morsels
by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
January
07, 1976
Minor Planet (2062) Aten 1976 AA. Discovered 1976
January 7 by E. F. Helin at Palomar.
Named for the Egyptian sun god. This object is distinguished among the
Apollo asteroids as the first discovered to have a semi major axis less than 1
AU and a period less than one year. (M 4420) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names -
ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
January
08, 1587
Johannes Fabricius was born. Fabricius was a Dutch astronomer who discovered the sunspots and Sun rotation. Died in 1615. (ref DD. 01/00)
January
08, 1642
Death of Galileo Galilei. Discovered his eye illness in January 1637. He could not read or write without technical help in June of the same year. Before the end of the year he was completely blind. His sight was eclipsed forever. Ref. De jonge Galileo, Davidfonds nr. 341. After he became blind, Galileo was permitted to have his 2 friends (Vincenso Viviani, geometrician, and Evangilista Torricelli, a physicist) to live with him until he died on 8 January 1642. Ref. The Bibliographical Dictionary of Scientists, edited by David Abbott, 1994.
January
08, 1868
Sir Frank W. Dyson was born in Ashby de la Zouch,
Leicestershire
January
09, 1201
<Within the sun there was a black spot as large as a date> (ref BAA 12/00)
January
10, 1829
Birth of James Francis Tennant (1829-1915). During an eclipse seen from the Red Sea through India to Malaysia and New Guinea, prominences are first studied with spectroscopes and shown to be composed primarily of hydrogen by James Francis Tennant (1829-1915), UK, John Herschel (UK - son of John F.W. Herschel, grandson of Wiilliam), Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907, France), George Rayet (France), and Norman Pogson (UK/India). (Ref. Rc 1999)
January 12, 1983
Minor planet (3819)
Robinson 1983 AR. Discovered 1983
January 12 by B. A. Skiff at Anderson Mesa.
Named in honor of Leif J. Robinson, editor of 'Sky and Telescope'.
Robinson's career as an observer began with a series of planetary drawings and
observations of the rapidly changing variable stars in the Orion Nebula. He worked
at the Griffith Planetarium in Los Angeles before joining the staff of the
magazine in 1962 as an editorial assistant, and he succeeded the late Joseph
Ashbrook {see planet (2157)} as editor in 1980. Robinson has been an active
promoter of professional-amateur cooperation in astronomy, and retains
interests in solar-eclipse viewing and bird watching. (M 16246) Citation provided by D. H. Levy, S. J. Edberg
and J. K. Beatty at the request of the discoverer. Dictionary of Minor Planet
Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
January
12, 1986
Death of Ludwig Biermann, German astro physician. His research of comet tails made him predicting the solar wind in 1951 with success. He described models of the corona and chromosphere of the sun s. (ref DD 01/00)
January
13, 1983
Minor Planet (5862) Sakanoue 1983 AB. Discovered 1983 January 13 by T.
Seki at Geisei. Named in honor of
Tsutomu Sakanoue (1921- ), professor
emeritus of
January 14, 0484
"A year before his death there were various
omens. There was an eclipse of the Sun which was so pronounced as to turn day into
night and the darkness was deep enough for the stars to become visible; it
occurred in the eastern horn of the sign of Capricorn. And the almanacs
predicted another eclipse that would occur after the first year. They say that
such events that are observed to happen in the heavens are indicative of things
that happen on the earth; so that these eclipses clearly foretold us of the
privation and departure as it were of the light of philosophy." Refers to
a total solar eclipse in
January
14, 0484
"The eclipse of Sun was so pronounced that it turn day into night and the darkness permitted to see stars..." Marinus Neapolitanus. Life of Proclus, chapter 37 (ref. PG01/00)
January
14, 1742
Death of Edmond Halley (1656-1742 or 1743) in
January
15, 1815
Birth of
Warren de la Rue (1815-1889), Guernsey
January
15, 1948
Death of Henri Alexandre Deslandres (1853-1948) in Paris, French physicist and astronomer. Did spectroscopic solar research. Designed independent but at the same time from Hale the spectra heliograph. (Rc 1999)
January
15, 1976
German satellite Helios 1 passes the Sun at only 48 million km.
January
15, 2005
SOHO COMET
CATCHER On January 15th, just seven
months after the 800th comet was found in images obtained by the
January
15, 2010
In the 21st
century there are 3 annular solar eclipses, of the same saros, with a duration
exceeding 9 minutes: 15 January 2010
with 11m11s, 26 January 2028 with 10m31s and 5 February 2046 with 9m46s. Ref. More Mathematical Astronomical Morsels
by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm For the Annular Solar Eclipse of 15 January
2010 see http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEplot/SEplot2001/SE2010Jan15A.GIF .
Longest annular solar eclipse until 3043, with a maximum duration of 11
min 8 sec. Visible in Africa and
January
15, 2010
During the 20th Century
there were 11 solar eclipses with a Greatest Complete Duration (GCD) larger
then 4 hours, and during the 21st century there will be 7. The greatest GCD of the period 1900-2100 is that
of the eclipse of 1955 December 14, namely 4 hours 26 minutes 30 seconds. The last eclipse with GCD exceeding 4 hours was
that of 1995 April 29, with GCD = 4 hours 05 minutes 48 seconds, at longitude
78°W, latitude 5°S. The next eclipse with GCD larger then 4 hours will be that
of 2010 January 15 (3 Saros periods after the record one of 1955 December 14),
with a GCD of 4 hours 13 minutes 06 sec. Ref. SEML October 2005.
January
16, 1135
"Shao-hsing reign period, 5th year, 1st month, the first day of the month. A man named Ch'en Te-I predicted that the Sun should be 8-1/2 tenths eclipsed with the beginning of loss in the initial half of the hour of the sxu. (These predictions) were verified by observation." Refers to a partial solar eclipse of 16 January 1135. From: Sung-shih (Chinese). Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 253.
January
16, 1135
Lin-an Shao hsing reign period, 5th year, first month, the first day. Ch'en Te-I predicted that the Sun should be eclipsed..." Sung-shih, chapter 81 (ref. PG 01/00)
January 16, 2005
DAVID LUNT (1942-2005) David Lunt, founder and principal optical
designer of Coronado Technology Group in
January
16, 2094
Total solar eclipse on
the South Pole. Ref. More Mathematical
Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
January
17, 1938
William H. Pickering, American astronomer died. He studied several solar eclipses. Born in 1858. (ref DD 01/00)
January
17, 2447
Three total solar eclipses visible within a strip
of the Pacific Ocean south of
January
18, 0120
"On the day wu-wu, the 1st day of the 12th
lunar month, the Sun was eclipsed; it was almost complete. On the Earth it
became like evening. It was 11 degrees in the constellation of Hsu-nu [the
Maid]. The woman ruler [ie the Empress Dowager] showed aversion to it. Two
years and three months later, Teng, the Empress Dowager, died." Refers to
a solar eclipse of 18 January AD 120. From: the Hou-Han shu ("History of
the Later Han Dynasty"). (
January
18, 0120
Lo yang "Yuan ch'i reign period, 6th year, 12th month, day wu wu. The Sun was eclipsed. It was almost completes. On Earth, it was like evening..." Hou-han-shu, chapter 28. (Ref PG 01/00)
January
18, 0120
Of the 14 summits 8000 meter, 9 did witness a total
eclipse of the sun: Everest,
Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu,
January
18, 1898
Total solar eclipse on the Everest. The next total solar eclipse on Everest will
be on March 18th 2360 (totality : 94 sec) and the last one occurred on Jan 18th
1898 (65 sec). Totality is also on the
8000-meter summits Lhotse and
January
19, 0301
From
January
19, 1952
Birth of Fred Espenak. Fred was a "Jr." until his dad, Espenak
Sr. died 21 December 2005. He was actually born in a hospital in a place called
January
21, 1292
"Chiih-yuan reign-period, 29th year, first month, day chia-wu. The sun was eclipsed. A darkness invaded the Sun, which was not totally covered. It was like a golden ring. There were vapors like golden earrings on the left and right and a vapor like a halo completely surrounding it." Refers to an annular eclipse of 21 January 1292. The halo is caused by ice crystals in the Earth's atmosphere. From: Yuan-shih . Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 258.
January
22, 1969
Launch Orbiting Solar Observatory 5, American spacecraft for solar research.
January
23, 0901
Antakyah "We observed the solar eclipse at Antakyah on the 23rd of Kanun al thani in the year 1212 of Dhu al Qarnayn... more than half of the Sun was eclipsed..." Al Battani (Ref. PG 01/00)
January
24, 1004
January
24, 1544
Rainer Gemma observed the solar eclipse by using of solar projection. (ref DD 01/00)
January
24, 1882
Harold Delos Babcock was born in
January
24, 1914
Sir David Gill, Scottish watchmaker and astronomer
died. Designed the value of a helio
meter. Born in 1843 on 12 June. He
retired in 1906, for health reasons, and lived in
January
24, 1925
Capt. F. B. Littell took the company of 19 crew and
scientists to an altitude of 4500 feet with a Zeppelin. Of the scientists, there were E. T. Pollock,
G. H. Peters, H. H. Barnes, J. A. Jennings, and C. B. Watts, of watts limb
charts fame. It was a normal eclipse
expedition but on a platform unique among them all. (ref. S and L E observations 1943-1993, F.
Graham). This nearly turned out to be
tragedy in American aviation. The airship in question was the
January
24, 1925
Famous
January
24, 1925
Mabel L. Todd also was passionately interested in
total solar eclipses, and traveled to a dozen of them at a time when
expeditions often lasted for many months.
He photographed the
January
24, 1982
Minor planet (2602)
January
24, 1992
Minor Planet (6731) Hiei 1992 BK. Discovered 1992 January 24 by Y.
Kushida and O. Muramatsu at Yatsugatake.
Named in honor of Eijiro Hiei (1931-
), professor at
January
25, 1736
Birth of Joseph Louis
Lagrange (1736-1813), French mathematician and astronomer. Described the 3 points, later called Lagrange
points. (Ref. Rc 1999) The "Gallica" site of the French
national library has the paper by Lagrange "Essai sur le problème des
trois corps" available. See http://gallica.bnf.fr/Metacata.htm
and write Lagrange as the author. Select the 6th volume of the collected works:
"Oeuvres / Joseph Louis de Lagrange. 6 / publ. par les soins de J.-A.
Serret" and then go to page 229.
Beside, Gallica has many other vintage astronomy books and papers
available for download. Ref. HASTRO
September 2004.
January
25, 1908
The corona of the Sun was photographed for the first time (not during a TSE).
January
25, 1944
Hergé, with his famous
Adventures of TINTIN (Kuifje) published his book Prisoners of the Sun in
1949. The Total Solar Eclipse described
in this book is the one in
January
26, 2003
Start up of the SEWP Mailing List by Joanne and Patrick Poitevin. December 10, 1997 the Solar Eclipse Mailing List (SEML) started. There were so many briefings and postings to private addresses, professional and amateur eclipse enthusiasts, that there was a need to start with the SEML. After 5 years, it seemed the SEML was so big, with over 300 subscribers, and up to 10 messages a day. It is a live READ and WRITE mailing list. In the meanwhile, postings where send to those whom did not want to have the daily live messages. Such as the SECalendar, updates on the SEWebPages, the SENewsletter, and the latest status on SEConferences. Over 150 contacts in addition to the SEML and to make sure the addresses could not be used or miss-used, the SEWP Mailing List started 26 January 2003. It is a READ only list and there is maximum one message a week. If you are subscribed to the SEML, there is no need to subscribe as well to the SEWP. All messages of the SEWP will appear as well on the SEML. The SEWP stopped together with the Solar Eclipse Mailing List (SEML in August 2004)
January
28, 1611
Born of J. Hevelius, Polish amateur astronomer, discovered the libration of the Moon.
January
29, 1932
(2485) Scheffler
1932 BH. Discovered 1932 January 29 by K. Reinmuth at
January
30, -0280 (0281 BC)
Solar eclipse in
January
31, -0253 (0254 BC)
Solar eclipse in
January
31, 1310
"On the last day of January at the 8th hour of
the day at
January
31, 1972
Launch of HEOS 2 (US). Research of magnetosphere, solar wind and the interaction between. Ref. DD 2/99.
January
31, 1981
Minor planet (7324) Carret 1981 BC. Discovered 1981
January 31 at the
February
02, 1907
Death of Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleeff (1834-1907),
Russian. Uses a balloon to ascend above
the cloud cover to an altitude of 11.500 feet (3.5 km) to observe an eclipse in
February
02, 1998
ACE (
February
02, 2002
The E-Team, Joanne and Patrick Poitevin got married. Patrick and Joanne hosted the Solar Eclipse Mailing Lists (from 1997 to 2004), organize Totality Day (TD2001, TD2003) and the international Solar Eclipse Conference (SEC2000, SEC2004) and edited the Solar Eclipse Newsletter (from 1996 to 2004), and their Solar Eclipse WebPages.
February
03, 1965
Launch of OSO 2 (US). Studied solar flames and influence of it on earth. Ref. DD 2/99.
February
03, 3051
Last calendar year where there were two Annular-Total Solar Eclipses was in 1825. There was an annular-total solar eclipse on 16 June and one on 9 December 1825. The next occurrence we have as such is in 3051. There will be an annular-total solar eclipse on 3 February and one on 30 July.
February
05, -0001 (2 BC)
A Partial Solar Eclipse on Feb. 5 of the year 2 BC
in Chang-An, the capital of the Han Dynasty in China, was seen as a good omen
for Confucianist Wang Mang, who would soon wrest control of the government from
the reigning emperor. Ref. Rudi Thomsen,
Ambition and Confucianism, A Biography of Wang Mang. And F.R. Stephenson, Atlas of Historical
Eclipse Maps,
February
05, 1934
Minor planet (3707) Schröter 1934 CC. Discovered 1934 February 5 by K.
Reinmuth at
February
05, 2002
Solar explorer successfully launched by Pegasus
rocket. The L-1011 aircraft
"Stargazer" takes off from
February
06, 1612
Death of Christophorus Clavius (Christoph Klau), German mathematician and astronomer. He observed the total solar eclipse of 1567 and observed the corona. Born in 1537. Ref. DD 2/99
February
07, 1824
Birth of William Huggins, British amateur
astronomer. He built his own observatory
on Tulse Hill, 8 km out of
February
07, 1834
Birth of Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleeff (1834-1907),
Russian. Uses a balloon to ascend above the cloud cover to an altitude of 11.500
feet (3.5 km) to observe an eclipse in
February
08, 1739
The longest eclipse
less period is 22.32 years. It is the
southern
February
08, 1984
Minor Planet (3315) Chant 1984 CZ. Discovered 1984 February 8 by E.
Bowell at
February
08, 1994
Minor Planet (7436) Kuroiwa 1994 CB2. Discovered
1994 February 8 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami. Named in memory of Goro Kuroiwa (1912-1990),
Japanese astronomer and observer of variable stars. A student in the department
of astronomy at the
February
08, 2003
Second edition of Totality Day, held in the Open University of Milton Keynes, England. Organizers of TD2003, Joanne and Patrick Poitevin welcomed lectures and presentations from Chris O’Byrne (Ireland), Daniel Fischer (Germany), Eric Strach (UK), David Forshaw (UK), Joanne Poitevin (UK), Olivier "Klipsi" Staiger (Switzerland), Prof. Dr. Barrie W. Jones (UK), Sheridan Williams (UK), Dr. Eric Jones (UK), Derek Hatch and Mike Foulkes (UK), Dr. Alan Ridgeley and Dr. Brian Sheen (UK), Dr. Voyto Rusin (Slovakia) and Prof. Dr. Miloslav Druckmuller (The Czech Republic), Andrew and Val White (UK), Ted Thurgur (UK), Nigel Evans and Patrick Poitevin. There were 70 attendees.
February
09, 2912
Least possible
magnitude a single solar eclipse can have (only one eclipse in an eclipse
season) is on 9 February 2912 with magnitude 0.154. It must be close to the theoretically minimum
possible for the smallest single solar eclipse.
Ref. More Mathematical Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell,
2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
February
11, 1868
Death of Jean Bernard Leon Foucault (1819-1868), French physicist. Photographed the sun and measured the speed of light together with (Armand) Hippolyte Louis Fizeau (1819-1896). (Ref. Rc 1999)
February
11, 1988
Minor planet (6001) Thales 1988 CP2. Discovered 1988
February 11 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Named for the famous Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus (c.625-547
B.C.). None of Thales' writings has come down to us, but from Aristoteles {see
planet (6123)} we know that he was the first to suggest a single substratum
(water) for the Universe. The correct prediction of the solar eclipse of -584
May 28 contributed considerably to his reputation as an astronomer. Thales'
significance, however, lies in the fact that he attempted to explain natural
phenomena by causes within nature itself, rather than by caprices of
anthropomorphic gods. He must be credited with at least five important
geometrical theorems. (M 24766) Thales
is also honored by a lunar crater. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN
3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
February
12, 1431
"In (the month of) Jumada al-Ukhra, the
astrologers warned that the Sun would be eclipsed, and in
February
12, 1431
"On February 12 at about the 21st or 22nd
hour, the Sun was completely obscured and in front of the Sun was placed a
black circle like a little wheel. It became as dark as night and the sky
revealed the stars. The birds went to roost as they usually do at night.
Everyone was feeling ill at ease as a result of this event. It began half an
hour before the Sun was covered over. It gradually lost its light even to the
hour stated above. . ." Refers to a total solar eclipse in
February
12, 1831
The black slave preacher Nat Turner witnessed an annular solar eclipse. It was a vision from God of a "black angel" overtaking a "white angel". The fomenting slave rebellion gained impetus and on August 13 Turner saw another spectacle - a naked eye sunspot. The rebellion began on August 21 but was quickly crushed and Turner hanged.
February 12, 1831
In the diary of Michael Shiner (1805-1880) Shiner from a manuscript in the Library of Congress. Shiner, was born a slave in MD and worked at the Washington Navy Yard for many years as a painter. In his diary he frequently makes reference to weather and occasionally to other phenomena. In an entry for 12 February 1831 he writes: " The darkest eclipse that I ever saw was in 1831 the 12th of February on Saturday. It lasted from half past 11 o'clock until half past 3 o'clock. It was so dark at diner in Washington Navy Yard that we had light to candles to see to eat in each of the ordnance room. At that time Mr. Howard could hardly see to (his master Thomas Howard the Navy Yard's chief clerk) haul the coal." Ref. corr John Sharp/PP Dec 05.
February
12, 1893
Marcel Minnaert (1893 – 1970) studied biology at
the
February
12, 2002
HESSI is operational. It detected its first flare, a C2 flare early on Tuesday morning, February 12, starting at 0214 UT. The spacecraft is balanced and spinning at 14 rpm about an axis within about 0.1 degrees of the Solar Aspect System (SAS) axis. We should get accurate aspect in-formation once the data from the SAS and the Roll Angle System are fully analyzed.
February
13, 1988
Minor Planet (4705) Secchi 1988 CK. Discovered 1988
February 13 at the Osservatorio San Vittore at
February
14, 1779
Death of James Cook (1728-1779), British circumnavigator and one of
the first scientific navigators.
He observed the Solar Eclipse of 1766 August 5 from
February
14, 1953
Last solar eclipse on Valentine's Day. This century was blessed with Valentine's Eclipses. There was a partial solar eclipse in 1953, a total solar eclipse in 1934 and an annular eclipse in 1915. Unfortunately, we do have to wait till 2306 and 2325 for the next Valentine Solar eclipses. Both will be Total Solar Eclipses.
February
14, 1980
Launch of Solar Maximum Mission, American Solar mission that achieved important results.
February
14, 1996
February
14, 2325
A region near 29 degrees East and 23.5 degrees North, in the
dessert of southern
February
15, 0538
The first solar eclipse recorded in
February
15, 1564
Birth of Galileo Galilei in
February 15, 1858
Birth of
February
15, 1961
Dr. Menzel notes that television coverage was
excellent, and almost everyone in
February
15, 1961
Russians studied for the first time the solar corona and upper-atmosphere phenomena during an eclipse from high-altitude stabilized platforms. On eclipse day, about noon, Russian scientists launched a series of rockets from an undisclosed base in the zone of totality. (ref. SaT 6/1961p328)
February
15, 1961
The first attempt to show a total solar eclipse on
television from several stations along the track was made by the BBC at the
eclipse of February 15, 1961. The track passed
from
February
15, 1961
The German astronomer K. O. Kiepenheuer, who was
director of the Fraunhofer Institute at Freiburg, went to
February
15, 1961
Widely viewed through southern
February
15, 1973
Launch of Prognoz 3, Russian mission for research of Solar and röntgenrays.
February
16, 0538
"The sun darkened on February 16th from dawn until nine in the morning." Refers to a solar eclipse in AD 538. From: The Anglo Saxon Chronicles translated and collated by Anne Savage, CLB Publishing Ltd. Ref FE 01/01
February
16, 1086
On the sixth day of the month of February between
the sixth and ninth hours the Sun was obscured for the space of three hours; it
was so great that any people who were working indoors could only continue if in
the meantime they lit lamps. Indeed some people went from house to house to get
lanterns or torches. Many were terrified." Refers to a solar eclipse of 16
February 1086. Goffredo Malaterra, Chronicle of the Norman rule in
February
16, 1980
The only cricket match to have been interrupted by
an Eclipse of the Sun was the Jubilee test between
February
17, 1865
May 20, 1825
Birth of George Phillips Bond at
February
18, 1977
Minor planet (5082) Nihonsyoki 1977 DN4. Discovered
1977 February 18 by H. Kosai and K. Hurukawa at Kiso. Named for the chronicles of
February
19, 1993
Minor planet (8387) Fujimori 1993 DO. Discovered
1993 February 19 by T. Seki at Geisei.
Named in honor of Kenichi Fujimori (1934- ), an amateur astronomer who observes
sunspots, faculae and prominences. A formal observer designated by the
February
20, 1990
Minor Planet (5403) Takachiho 1990 DM. Discovered 1990 February 20 by Y. Kushida
and M. Inoue at Yatsugatake. Named for
the home town of the wife of the second discoverer, Takachiho is located at the
center of
February
21, 1938
George Ellery Hale died in
February
22, 1824
Birth of Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907,
February
22, 1960
Death of Samuel A. Mitchell, American astronomer of
the
February
23, 1938
Minor planet 1722 Goffin 1938 EG. Minor Planet discovered 1938 February 23 by
E. Delporte at
February
23, 2005
Birth of Belgian
eclipse chaser and founder of Lichtenknecker Optics Joseph Ruland on September
09, 1933. Joseph passed away February
23, 2005. His son Hugo, took over
Lichtenknecker Optics. See http://www.lo.be/lo/nl/index.htm .
Joseph Ruland was a fanatic eclipse chaser and participated in most African
eclipse expedition. Most of the time, he
designed and made the equipment for many of his team members. Ruland sponsored an various occasions
telescopes and/or filters to Patrick Poitevin.
February
24, 0453
"Even the Sun appeared hideous, so that
scarcely a third part of it gave light, I believe on account of such deeds of
wickedness and the shedding of innocent blood." Gregorius Turonensis Refers to solar eclipse
of 24 February AD 453, when Attila the Hun was raiding
February
24, 1938
Minor planet 1552 Bessel 1938 DE. Minor Planet discovered 1938, February 24 by
Y. Vaïsälä at
February
24, 1996
Launch of Polar, American satellite. Studied Solarwind in polar orbit around the Earth.
February
25, 1598
"There is a tradition that some persons in the
north lost their way in the time of this eclipse, and perished in the
snow." Refers to the total solar eclipse of 25 February 1598. From:
Maclaurin, Philosophical Transactions, vol xi, p193, 1737. Quoted in
February
26, 1786
Birth of Dominique Francois Jean Arago (1786-1853), French astronomer. Studied solar eclipse of 8 July 1842 and noted it exists of gas. (Ref. Rc 1999)
February
26, 1842
Birth of Camille Nicolas Flammarion in Montigny le Roi in Hauter Marne. He died in Juvsy sur Orge on 3 June 1925. Ref. The Bibliographical Dictionary of Scientists, edited by David Abbott, 1994.
February
26, 1878
Death of Angelo Secchi (1818-1878), Italian astronomer. Photographed solar eclipse of 18 July 1860. Studied the sun and sunspots. (Ref. Rc 1999)
February
26, 1979
Total Solar Eclipse in
February
27, 1897
Birth of Bernard Ferdinand Lyot in Paris, French astronomer. Studied polarization of moonlight en planets. Later mainly Solar research. Constructed chronograph and the 'lyot-filter' or monochromatic polarizing filter.
February
27, 1906
Death of Samuel Pierpont Langley (1834-1906), American astronomer. Founded SAO (observatory), measured the solar constant, studied aerodynamics. The Royal Society does also mention 22 February 1906. (Ref. Rc 1999)
February
28, 2044
Next solar eclipse on
bissextile day (29 February). Last solar
eclipse on bissextile day was on 1 March 1756.
Ref. More Mathematical Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
February
29, -0356 (357 BC)
Last total solar eclipse on February 29. This 5 minutes total solar eclipse started off
in the Atlantic (near the NE coast of South America), through Africa and ending
in
February
29, 1908
Dutch scientists produces for the first time helium. Ref. DD 3/99.
March
01, 1737
"A little before the annulus was complete, a
remarkable point or speck of pale light appeared near the middle part of the
Moon's circumference that was not yet come upon the disc of the Sun . . .
During the appearance of the annulus the direct light of the Sun was still very
considerable, but the places that were shaded from his light appeared gloomy.
There was a dusk in the atmosphere, especially towards the north and east. In
those chambers which had not their lights westwards the obscurity was
considerable. Venus appeared plainly, and continued visible long after the
annulus was dissolved, and I am told that other stars were seen by some."
Refers to the total solar eclipse of 1 March 1737. From: Maclaurin, Philosophical
Transactions, vol xi, pp181, 184, 1737. Quoted in
March
01, 1891
Minor Planet (306) Unitas Discovered 1891 March 1
by E. Millosevich at
March 01, 1935
Birthday of Derald Nye, American eclipse
chaser. Derald on the Yahoo SEML March
05: The 7 March 1970 eclipse was my
first and I observed it from
March
02, 1904
There are 3 eclipses in March 1904: 1904 Mar 02 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, 1904 Mar 17 Annular Solar Eclipse and 1904 Mar 31 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. The next March with 3 eclipses is 2295: 2295 Mar 02 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, 2295 Mar 16 Annular Solar Eclipse and 2295 Mar 31 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. Ref. FE 6/00
March
02, 2002
The Institute for Solar Physics of the
March
02, 2910
Not before 2910 March 2 will the island of Tahiti see its first total solar eclipse since that of 1698 April 10. Ref. JM 06/1999.
March
03, 1337
Johannes de Muris remarked that the eclipse occurred about 16 minutes earlier than expected from the Alfonsine tables (ref. PG 3/99).
March
03, 1956
Death of Willem H. Keesom, Dutch physicist. Researched on lower temperature whereas he brought helium in solid condition (1926). He discovered the two kind of helium (Helium I and II). In 1942 he wrote the book Helium. Born in 1876. Ref DD 3/99
March
03, 1959
Launch of Pioneer 4 (US). Passed Moon at 60.000km, first satellite in orbit around the Sun. Ref. DD 03/99.
March
03, 1985
Death of Iosif S. Shklovskii, Russian astronomer. He studied the corona and proved a temperature of millions degrees. Born in 1916. Ref. DD 03/99. Also wrote a landmark book about SETI, later translated to English (with Carl Sagan as co-author) and published in 1966 under the title "Intelligent Life in the Universe". Ref. Fraser Farrell 28.02.02
March
03, 1987
Pioneer 9 (
March
03, 1990
Death of Charlotte E. M. Sitterly, American astronomer. End 20s, she worked together with Charles E. St. John and Harold Babcock at Mount Wilson Observatory on the study of the solar spectrum. She analyzed the lines in the spectrum of sunspots. Published books about solar spectra till she was 90 years old. Born in 1898. Ref. DD 3/99
March
04, -0180 (181 BC)
"Year 121 (SE), King An(tiochus), month XII,
29 solar eclipse beginning on the north-west side. In 15 deg day [. . .] over a
third of the disk was eclipsed. When it began to become bright, in 15 deg day
from north-west to east it became bright. 30 deg total duration. [During this
eclipse] east (wind) went. During this eclipse [. . .], Venus, Mercury and
Saturn [stood there]. Towards the end of becoming bright, Mars rose (?) The
other planets did not stand there. (Began) at 30 deg (= 1) beru after
sunrise." Refers to a partial solar eclipse of 14 March 190 BC.
March
04, -0180 (181 BC)
The Empress Dowager died on 18 August 180BC. The eclipse and the Empress' reaction are described in detail in the of Shih-chi, a work composed some 150 years before Han-shu. This is clearly based on an eyewitness report (ref. PG 3/99).
March
04, 1802
Matthew Flinders and his crew aboard "HMS
Investigator", while performing the first circumnavigation of
March
04, 1866
Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer (1936 - 1920) started his spectroscopic observations of the Sun. He proved quite quick that sunspots were colder places. Ref. DD 3/99
March
04, 1923
Birth of (Sir) Patrick Alfred Caldwell
March
04, 1932
Minor planet (1241) Dysona 1932 EB1. Discovered
1932 March 4 by H. E. Wood at
March
04, 1968
Launch of OGO 5, American geophysics satellite. Studied Solarwind and magnetosphere.
March
05, -1222 (1223 BC)
In references the oldest record of a verifiable
solar eclipse, on a clay tablet found in the ruins of
March
05, 1973
2001 Einstein 1973 EB. Minor Planet discovered and later named in honor of Albert Einstein (1879-1955), American theoretical physicist, mainly known for his relativity. (Ref. Rc 1999). More on the Einstein Project: www.einstein.caltech.edu and www.alberteinstein.info .
March
05, 1989
Minor Planet (4105) Tsia 1989 EK. Discovered 1989 March 5 by E. F.
Helin at Palomar. Named in honor of the
ancient sun symbol used by Indians of the Zia Pueblo in central
March
06, 1787
Birth of Joseph von
Fraunhofer in
March
06, 1915
Death of James Francis Tennant (1829-1915). During an eclipse seen from the Red Sea through India to Malaysia and New Guinea, prominences are first studied with spectroscopes and shown to be composed primarily of hydrogen by James Francis Tennant (1829-1915), UK, John Herschel (UK - son of John F.W. Herschel, grandson of William), Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907, France), George Rayet (France), and Norman Pogson (UK/India). (Ref. Rc 1999)
March
06, 1975
Death of Roderick Oliver Redman. On August 31, 1932 G.G. Cillie (UK) and Donald H. Menzel (US)
uses eclipse spectra to show that the Sun's corona has a higher temperature
(faster atomic motion) than the photosphere.
Confirmed, with much higher temperature, by Roderick Oliver Redman
(1905-1975) during an eclipse in
March
06, 1975
Minor Planet (2273) Yarilo 1975 EV1. Discovered 1975 March 6 by L. I.
Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named for the
ancient Slavic god of the Sun, spring, fertility and love. (M 7783) Dictionary
of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
March
07, 1951
Annular eclipse which was seen from
March
07, 1962
Launch of OSO 1, American solar satellite. Studied prominences, corona, XUV and X rays of the sun.
March
07, 1970
Total solar eclipse across
March
07, 1981
Minor Planet (5365) Fievez 1981 EN1. Discovered
1981 March 7 by H. Debehogne and G. DeSanctis at La Silla. Named in memory of Charles Fievez (1844-1890),
the pioneer of astrophysics in
March
08, 1967
Launch of OSO 3 and 4, American solar satellites, see 7 March 1962.
March
09, 1611
Johann Fabricius observed sunspots and determined the rotation period of the sun.
March
09, 1997
The total solar
eclipses of 9 March 1997 and 26 February 1998 were less then 365 days
apart. This was not the last time two
TSE happened in less then a year’s time.
The there after occurrence was the two total solar eclipses of 4
December 2002 and 23 November 2003.
After that we have the duo TSE year of 1 August 2008 and 22 July 2009,
and 22July 2009 and 11 July 2010. Ref.
More Mathematical Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
Patrick Poitevin observed following similar duo’s:
1990-1991, 1991-1992, 1994-1995, and 1997-1998.
He missed the duo 2002-2003 because of the missing Antarctic eclipse.
March 09, 1997
Comet Hale Bopp has
been observed during the total solar eclipse.
One of the observers was Belgian eclipse chaser Wasyl Mozowski whom
traveled together with Rita and Valentin Kinet and Patrick Poitevin to Chinese
Siberia, MoHe. They observed the eclipse
under excellent conditions, though only Wasyl did observe the faint comet
object. Picture of Hale
Bopp (top) by Carter Roberts.
See Eclipse Comet first coverage postage stamp picture. See as well our WebPages
about eclipse comets.
March
10, 0601
On 10th March there was an eclipse of the sun,
recorded on a stone tablet. Ref. BAA
6/00. The program WINEclipse indicates
that this total eclipse of the sun began in what is now
March
11, 1811
Birth of Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier (1811-1877), Verrier (1811-1877), French astronomer. Believer of the existence of planet Vulcan. (ref. Rc 1999)
March
11, 1965
Pioneer 5 Launch - Solar Orbiter. (ref. Space Calendar Ron Baalke)
March
11, 1965
Birthday of British eclipse chaser Michael Gill. Michael took over the Solar Eclipse Mailing List (Yohoo) in 2004.
March 11, 2005
The National Solar Observatory mourned the passing
of A. Keith Pierce, who died on March 11 2005 at the age of 86. Keith was the driving force behind the
siting, design and construction of the McMath-Pierce solar telescope, which,
more than 40 years later, remains the largest solar telescope in the world. He
also directed the solar program at the Kitt Peak National Observatory during
its first years of rapid growth, recruited the solar staff, built a strong
program, ensured that the best facilities would be available to the world's
solar astronomers, and established the spirit of the observatory: scientific
excellence in the service of the research and public communities. Keith's
publication record extends for 54 years, starting with a Physical Review letter
dealing with a radioactive isotope of beryllium based on work he did while at
the Radiation Laboratory at
March
12, 1835
Birth of Simon Newcomb (1835-1909) in
March
12, 1977
Minor Planet (6218) Mizushima 1977 EG7. Discovered
1977 March 12 by H. Kosai and K. Hurukawa at Kiso. Named for a site in the city
of
March
13, 1977
Minor Planet
(4009) Drobyshevskij 1977 EN1.
Discovered 1977 March 13 by N. S. Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in honor of Ehduard Mikhajlovich
Drobyshevskij, physicist and astrophysicist at the Ioffe Physical and Technical
Institute in
March
14, -0189 (190 BC)
"Year 121 (SE), King An(tiochus), month XII,
29 solar eclipse beginning on the north-west side. In 15 deg day [. . .] over a
third of the disk was eclipsed. When it began to become bright, in 15 deg day
from north-west to east it became bright. 30 deg total duration. [During this
eclipse] east (wind) went. During this eclipse [. . .], Venus, Mercury and
Saturn [stood there]. Towards the end of becoming bright, Mars rose (?) The
other planets did not stand there. (Began) at 30 deg (= 1) beru after
sunrise." Refers to a partial solar eclipse of 14 March 190 BC.
March
14, 1879
Birth of Albert Einstein (1879-1955), American theoretical physicist, mainly known for his relativity. (Ref. Rc 1999). More on the Einstein Project: www.einstein.caltech.edu and www.alberteinstein.info .
March
15, 1713
Birth of Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, French astronomer. Did measurements of the parallax of the sun and the moon. Observed transit of Venus in 1761.
March
15, 1975
Helios 1, German Solar mission reached the sun at 48 million km. That time a record.
March
16, 1485
"In the year of salvation 1485, in the month
of January, according to the ancient custom, the consuls of
March
16, 1485
(Wednesday) "On the 16th day of March, at the 3rd hour during meal-time, the Sun was totally eclipsed". Achilli Pirmini Gassari : Annales Augustburgenses (ref. PG 3/99).
March
16, 1914
Edward Singleton Holden (known pseudonyms Edward
Atherton, Adam Singleton), assistant to Simon Newcomb, wrote various pieces
about solar eclipses. Born in
March
17, 1846
Death of Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel (1784-1846), German astronomer and mathematics. Studied precession, nutation, aberration and inclination of the ecliptic. Known for the Bessel elements needed to calculate solar eclipses.
March
17, 1991
Minor Planet (5377) Komori 1991 FM. Discovered 1991
March 17 by S. Otomo and O. Muramatsu at Kiyosato. Named in honor of Yukimasa Komori, owner of
the Astro-Dome Company and a committee member of the Gotoh Planetarium and
March
18, 0489
T'ai-ho reign period, 13th year, 2nd month, day i-hai, the first day of the month. The Sun was 8 fifteenths eclipsed. Wei-shu, chap. 105 (ref. PG 3/99).
March
18, 2360
The next total solar eclipse on Everest will be on march 18th 2360 (totality : 94 sec) and the last one occurred on Jan 18th 1898 (65 sec). Everest will experience a 97% eclipse during the total of 2009. Ref. PA/MS 5/00
March
18, 2003
The Minor Planet Circulars published following on March 18, 2003: (14120) Espenak = 1998 QJ54 Discovered 1998 August 27 by the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search at the Anderson Mesa Station. Fred Espenak Jr. (b. 1952), of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, is widely recognized for his calculations of solar eclipses, his magnificent maps of these phenomena and his book 'Totality: Eclipses of the Sun'. Ref. SENL April 2003. See Fred (at right) together with Jay Anderson (left) and PP (middle) at SEC2004.
March
20, 0071
"As there was going to be an eclipse on his birthday, through fear of a disturbance, as there had been other prodigies, he put forth a public notice, not only that the obscuration would take place, and about the time and magnitude of it, but also the causes that produce such an event." Refers to solar eclipse of AD 45, on the birthday of the Roman Emperor, Claudius. From: Dion Cassius. "(Lucies) smiled thereat and said . . . 'Now grant me that nothing that happens to the Sun is so like its setting as a solar eclipse. You will if you call to mind this conjunction recently which, beginning just after noonday, made many stars shine out from many parts of the sky and tempered the air in the manner of twilight. If you do not recall it, Theon here will cite us Minnermus and Cydias, Archilochus and Stesichorus besides, and Pindar, who during eclipses bewail "the brightest star bereft" and at "midday night falling" and say that the beam of the Sun [is sped] the path of shade." "Even if the Moon, however, does sometimes cover the Sun entirely, the eclipse does not have the duration or extension; but a kind of light is visible about the rim which keeps the shadow from being profound and absolute." Both these quotations probably refer to a total solar eclipse of 20 March AD 71. Ref FE 01/01
March
20, 0071(?)
The Greek philosopher and biographer Plutarch gives a vivid account of a total eclipse in one of his dialogues entitles The Face on the Moon. In this same work, he also makes a brief reference to the corona (ref. PG 3/99).
March
20, 1140
"Afterwards in lent the Sun and the day darkened about the noontide of the day, when men were eating, and they lighted candles to eat by; and that was the 13th of the Calends of April [20 March]. Men were greatly wonder-stricken." The Anglo Saxon Chronicle Refers to the total solar eclipse of 20 March 1140.(Quoted in UK Solar Eclipses from Year 1 by Williams.)
March
20, 1140
"During this year, in Lent, on the 13th of the
Calends of April, at the 9th hour of the 4th day of the week, there was an
eclipse, throughout
March
20, 1140
(Wednesday) "There was an eclipse of the Sun
throughout the whole of
March
21, 1762
Death of Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, French astronomer. Did measurements of the parallax of the sun and the moon. Observed transit of Venus in 1761.
March
21, 1928
Death of Edward Walter Maunder F.R.A.S.. Born: 1851 April 12,
March
21, 1951
Birthday of eye safety specialist and eclipse
chaser Ralph Chou, associate professor at the university of
March
22, 1868
Birth of Alfred Fowler (1868-1940), British astronomer and physicist. Studied spectra of the Sun. (Rc 1999)
March
23, 1938
Minor planet (1492) Oppolzer 1938 FL. Discovered
1938 March 23 by Y. Väisälä at
March
27, 1951
Birthday of Jan Van Gestel from
March
28, 1998
The Solar Eclipse Section (Patrick Poitevin) organized for the VVS Belgium DDD2 (De Duistere Dag 2 or The Dark Day 2) in the Europlanetarium Genk, Belgium. Speakers were Wasyl Moszowski (Total Solar Eclipses since 1983), Jan Janssens (FNOES and EAGB eclipse observations) and Patrick Poitevin et al (Eclipse of February 26, 1998).
March
29, 2006
The interval between
the eclipses of 2006 March 29 and 2008 August 1 is 29 lunations. I checked the
period from AD 1500 to 2500, and during these ten centuries 29 lunations is the
greatest period between two successive total solar eclipses (including
annular-total ones). However, that
period of 29 lunations is not unusual. It occurs no less than 72 times during
the years 2000-2500. The next times are 2006
March 29 to 2008 August 1, 2010 July 11 to 2012 November 13 and 2024 April 8 to 2026 August 12 (one Saros after the 2006-2008 case). Ref. SEMLY Dec 2005
March
30, 1680
There was a total solar eclipse which has even much
importance for the chronology of
March
30, 1882
Minor Planet(224) Oceana Discovered 1882 March 30
by J. Palisa at
March
30, 1981
Minor planet (2452) Lyot 1981 FE. Discovered 1981 March 30 by E.
Bowell at
March
30, 2033
Last total eclipse of Saros cycle 120 passes
through both
March
31, 1984
Minor Planet (3078) Horrocks 1984 FG. Discovered 1984 March 31 by E.
Bowell at
April
01, 0637
Total solar eclipse on
April's fool day. Beside this date, and
the last and next April's fool day total solar eclipses in the years 740 and
2899, are these 3 total solar eclipses the only total solar eclipses on April 1
between 0 and 3000. April 01, 0740 is
the last total solar eclipse on April's fool day. April 01, 1764 Annular eclipse visible in Ukkel
and on April's fool day. The altitude
was 42 degrees. The other central
eclipses between 0 and 3000 where partial in
April
01, 1764
"It will be Eclipse first, the rest
nowhere." Dennis O‘Kelly (at Epsom,
3 May 1769) (Quoted in The Penguin
Dictionary of Quotations by Cohen and Cohen.
In UK Solar Eclipses from Year 1, Sheridan Williams says: "One of the world‘s most successful
racehorses was born around the time of this [annular eclipse of 1 April 1764]
and was named Eclipse. The Eclipse
Stakes, named after that horse, are still run today, and the horse of the year
awards in the
April
01, 1764
In a letter Reverend W. Stukely, Rector of St. George in Kent, to the Whitehall Evening Post (out of his dairy, volume XX p. 44): In regard to the approaching solar eclipse of Sunday April 1, I think it advisable to remark that, it happening in the time of divine services, it is desired you would insert this caution in your public paper. The eclipse begins soon after 9, the middle a little before 11, the end a little after 12. There will be no total darkness in the very middle, observable in this metropolis, but as people’s curiosity will not be over with the middle of the eclipse, if the church service beordered to begin a little before 12, it will properly be morning prayer, and an uniformity preserved in our duty to the Supreme Being, the author of these amazing celestial movements. (Ref. SLK 06/99).
April
01, 1764
Probably the first solar eclipse map with the complete eclipse visibility (including the zone of partial phase) drawn by Robert Health in <A General and Particular account of the Annular Eclipse of the Sun of 1763 April 1>. Since 1830, the English yearbook The Nautical Almanac, published eclipse maps. (Ref. SLK 06/99).
April
01, 1970
Minor planet (1976) Kaverin 1970 GC. Discovered
1970 April 1 by L. I. Chernykh at Nauchnyj.
Named in memory of Aleksej Aleksandrovich Kaverin (1904-1976), an
instructor in astronomy at Irkutsk Pedagogical Institute, expert in the field
of the theory of eclipses. (M 4190) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN
3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
April
01, 1976
Minor Planet (2849) Shklovskij 1976 GN3. Discovered 1976 April 1 by N. S.
Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in honor of
Iosif Samuilovich Shklovskij {1916-1985}, corresponding member of the USSR
Academy of Sciences, professor at
April
01, 1976
Minor Planet (4165) Didkovskij 1976 GS3. Discovered 1976 April 1 by N. S.
Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in honor of
Leonid Vladimirovich Didkovskij (1948-
), astrophysicist and deputy director of the Crimean Astrophysical
Observatory {see planet (1725)}. He is known for his research on the brightness
oscillations of the sun, for his development of scientific instrumentation for
the Soviet space telescope ''Astron'' and for his work with the active main
mirror on the 1.7-m Space Telescope ''Spectrum UV'', an international project.
(M 34340) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright ©
1999 by
April
01, 1976
Minor planet (4683) Veratar 1976 GJ1. Discovered
1976 April 1 by N. S. Chernykh at Nauchnyj.
Named in honor of Vera Petrovna Tarashchuk, an astrophysicist at the
Astronomical Observatory of Kiev University. An active observer of major
planets, minor planets and comets, she is known for her contribution to
photometric and spectroscopic research on minor bodies. She also studied the
association of commentary processes with solar activity, as well as the structure
and rotation of minor planets. (M 30095) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names -
ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
April
02, 1925
Death of Johann Palisa, Austrian astronomer. Discovered 125 minor planets (Ref. A by EE). He gave many names of Minor Planets to solar eclipse related places or persons. He also observed eclipses.
April
02, 1952
Death of Bernard Ferdinand Lyot in
April
02, 1998
Launch of Trace, American Satellite for research of the sun in UV and XUV.
April
03, 0033
"And I will show
portents in the sky above, and signs on the earth below - blood and fire and
drifting smoke. The Sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood,
before that great, resplendent day, the day of the Lord, shall come." Peter in Acts of the Apostles. This reference to a blood-red Moon, and the
following references in the Gospels to a darkening sky, have been interpreted
as placing the date of the crucifixion to 24 November AD 29, when there was an
eclipse of the Sun, or Friday, 3 April AD 33, when there was a partial eclipse
of the Moon over
April
03, 1976
Minor planet (3493) Stepanov 1976 GR6. Discovered 1976 April 3 by N. S.
Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in memory of
Vladimir Evgen'evich Stepanov (1913-1986), a corresponding member of the former
Soviet Academy of Sciences, well-known for his work in solar physics and
solar-terrestrial relations. For many years he led the solar researches at the
Siberian Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave
Propagation, and he did much for the development of astronomy in
April
04, 1807
Death of Joseph Jerome le Francois de Lalande (1732-1807), French astronomer. Calculated the distance of the sun in 1771 to 154,198 mio km. (Ref. Rc 1999)
April
06, -0647 (648BC)
"Nothing can be surprising any more or impossible or miraculous, now that Zeus, father of the Olympians has made night out of noonday, hiding the bright sunlight, and . . . fear has come upon mankind. After this, men can believe anything, expect anything. Don't any of you be surprised in future if land beasts change places with dolphins and go to live in their salty pastures, and get to like the sounding waves of the sea more than the land, while the dolphins prefer the mountains." May refer to a total solar eclipse of 6 April 648 BC. Archilochus, Greek poet (c680-640 BC). Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F. Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 338. Partly quoted in Encyclopaedia Britannica CD 98. Ref. FE 01/01
April
06, -0647 (648BC)
"Zeus, the father of the Olympic Gods, turned mid-day into night, hiding the light of the dazzling Sun; and sore fear came upon men." Archilochus (c680-c640 BC), Greek poet. Refers to the total solar eclipse of 6 April 648 BC. Ref. FE 01/01
April
06, 1852
Sir Edward Sabine (1788-1883) mentioned a correlation between sunspots and magnetic disturb on earth. (Ref. Rc 1999).
April
06, 1855
Minor Planet (34) Circe Discovered 1855 April 6 by J. Chacornac at
April
06, 1916
Minor Planet (857) Glasenappia Discovered 1916
April 6 by S. I. Belyavskij at Simeis.
Named in honor of Sergej Pavlov Glasenapp (1848-1937), director of the
Observatories in Pulkovo (1870-1877) and
April
07, 1942
Birthday of professor, eclipse chaser, and eclipse historian Bob Morris. Bob has written 2-page, 3-page plus cover, and 4-page plus cover eclipse articles for Ottawa's "Citizen's Weekly" about these eclipses: April 17, 1912 (Paris, London, and "Titanic"); Jan. 24, 1925 (New York "diamond ring"); Feb. 15, 1961 (in film "Barrabas"); June 30, 1973 ("Concorde, 74 minutes totality"); and August 11, 1999 (Europe/Asia). Bob was on-site on the Athens-Sounion road for one of the least-observed eclipses of the 20th century, the May 20, 1966 "broken-ring" eclipse, with his photos of the "diamond necklace" phase appearing in Sky & Telescope. Ref. Bob Morris April 2004.
April
08, 1652
". . . [ the Sun was reduced to] a very
slender crescent of light, the Moon all at once threw herself within the margin
of the solar disc with such agility that she seemed to revolve like an upper
millstone, affording a pleasant spectacle of rotatory motion." Dr Wyberg, observing the total solar eclipse
of 8 April 1652 at
April
08, 1946
Birthday of eclipse chaser Peter Tiedt from
April
08, 1947
Largest sunspot group ever observed. Surface 18.1 billion square km.
April
08, 1968
Death of Harold Delos Babcock, American astrophysics. Studied laboratory spectra, magnetic field of the sun, constructed solar magnetograph.
April 08, 2005
In the 12th century, Saint Malachy, an Irish saint,
produced a prophecy in which he listed a short motto for 112 popes - mottos
that have proven to be quite relevant to the lives of the popes and/or of
events during their reign. The motto he had for John Paul II was "De
labore Solis" (of the labor of the sun). Well, Karol Wojtyla RIP was born on
1920 May 18 - the day of a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere, and will
be buried 08 April 2005 - when many of the people on the SEML list enjoyed the
eclipse in the Pacific or central America.
The motto he had for the next pope is listed as Gloria Olivae – the
glory of the olive (a peacemaker?). That's the good news. The bad news is that Gloria Olivae is the
penultimate pope that he listed.... Although there is some controversy about
that - the last pope (the one to reign over the destruction of
April
08, 2024
Total Solar Eclipse in
April
09, 1046
<Ch'ing-li reign period, 6th year, 3rd month, day hzin-szu, the first day of the month. The Sun was eclipsed by 4 1/2 divisions. At 3 marks in the hour of shen it was restored> Wen-hsien, T'ung-k'ao, chap283 (Ref. PG 3/99)
April
09, 1567
Christoph Clavius (1537-1612) witnessed two spectacular Eclipses of the Sun in the space of 7 years. <The other I saw at Rome in the year 1567 also about midday in which although the Moon was placed between my sight and the Sun it did not obscure the whole Sun as previously but a narrow circle was left on the Sun, surrounding the whole Moon on all sides.>. Clavius 1593 p 508 In sphaeram Ioannis de Sacrobosco, Commentarius. (Ref. EJ 98, PG 3/99)
April
09, 2043
The only non-central total solar eclipse in that century. The central line of this total solar eclipse is missing the surface of the earth near the North Pole. The last century there were 3 such total solar eclipses: 19 May 1928, 23 October 1957 and 2 November 1967 all near the South Pole. The years 1957 and 2043 do have two non-central solar eclipses while also the central line of the annular eclipse does miss the earth. (Ref. SLK 6/99).
April
10, 0628
<36th year of Empress Suiko, spring, 2th month, 27th day. The Empress took to her sick bed. 3rd month, 2nd day. There was a total eclipse of the sun. 6th day. The Empress' illness became very grave and death was unmistakably near. 7th day. The Empress died at the age of seventy-five> Translation Aston 1972, p155 (Ref. PG 3/99)
April
10, 1698
This was the last total solar eclipse visible on
April 10, 1813
Death of Joseph Louis
Lagrange (1736-1813), French mathematician and astronomer. Described the 3 points, later called Lagrange
Points. The "Gallica" site of
the French national library has the paper by Lagrange "Essai sur le
problème des trois corps" available.
See http://gallica.bnf.fr/Metacata.htm
and write Lagrange as the author. Select the 6th volume of the collected works:
"Oeuvres / Joseph Louis de Lagrange. 6 / publ. par les soins de J.-A.
Serret" and then go to page 229.
Beside, Gallica has many other vintage astronomy books and papers
available for download. Ref. HASTRO
September 2004.
April
11, -0368 (369 BC)
<Artaxeres II, year 35, month XII. In 6 deg
daytime 1/3 of the disk was covered>
April
11, 1176
"In this year 1487 (Seleucid), on New Sunday,
the 11th of the month of Nisan [April], at daybreak, at the end of Office, that
is, after the reading of the Gospel, the Sun was totally obscured; night fell
and the stars appeared; the Moon itself was seen in the vicinity of the
Sun. This was a sad and terrifying
sight, which caused many people to lament with weeping; the sheep, oxen and
horses crowded together in terror. The
darkness lasted for two hours; afterwards the light returned. Fifteen days after, in this month of Nisan at
the decline of Monday, at dusk, there was an eclipse of the Moon in the part of
the sky where the eclipse of the Sun had taken place . . ." Refers to a total solar eclipse at
April
11, 1176
"In this year the Sun was eclipsed totally and
the Earth was in darkness so that it was like a dark night and the stars
appeared. That was the forenoon of
Friday the 29th of Ramadan at Jazirat Ibn 'Umar, when I was young and in the
company of my arithmetic teacher. When I saw it I was very much afraid; I held
on to him and my heart was strengthened.
My teacher was learned about the stars and told me, 'Now, you will see
that all of this will go away', and it went quickly." Refers to a solar eclipse of 11 April
1176. Jazirat Ibn 'Umar is now Cizre in
April
11, 1176
"The Sun was eclipsed and it became dark in
the daytime. People were frightened and stars appeared." Refers to the
solar eclipse of 11 April 1176. From:
Imad al-Din, Islamic. Chronicle of the crossing of the
April
11, 1176
(Sunday) <In this year 1487 (Seleucid), on New Sunday, the 11th of the month of Nissan, at daybreak, at the end of Office, that is, after reading the Gospel, the Sun was totally obscured, night fell and the stars appeared, the Moon itself was seen in the vicinity of the Sun. This was sad and terrifying sight which caused many people to lament with weeping, the sheep, oxen and horses crowded together in terror. The darkness lasted for two hours, afterwards the light returned. Fifteen days after, in this month of Nissan at the decline of Monday, at dusk, there was an eclipse of the Moon in the part of the sky where the eclipse of the Sun had taken place> Chronicle of Michael the Syrian, book XX, chap 3, translation from the rendering into French by Chabot (1905, vol3, p367). Ref. PG 3/99
April
11, 1862
Birth of William Wallace Campbell (1862-1938),
American astronomer. Studied spectra of
comets, corona and atmosphere of the sun.
(Ref. Rc 1999). Dr. Campbell had
been to many total solar eclipses: 1898 in
April
11, 1875
Death of Samuel Heinrich Schwabe (1789-1875), German amateur astronomer. Searched for the planet in the orbit of Mercury. Discovered in 1843 the sunspot cycles. (Ref. Rc 1999)
April
11, 1898
Birth of Robert d’Escourt Atkinson at Rhayader in
April
12, 1851
Birth of Edward Walter Maunder F.R.A.S. in
April
12, 1889
Death of Warren de la
Rue (1815-1889),
April 13, 1763
The only central
eclipse which will be visible in
April
14, 1905
Death of Otto Wilhelm von Struve (1819-1905) in
April
14, 1972
Launch of Prognoz 1, Russian satellite for research of the sun and X-rays.
April
14, 1976
Helios 2, German Solar mission comes close to the sun at 43,4 million km.
April
14, 1991
Minor planet (6558) Norizuki 1991 GZ. Discovered 1991
April 14 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami. Named in memory of Sojiro Norizuki
(1912-1995), founder of Norizuki Technical Works. Under the guidance of H.
Tanaka, he constructed the first parabolic antenna for solar observations in
April
14, 2005
Transit of NEA 30825 (1990 TG1) in front of the Sun
as a tiny dot (
April
15, -0135 (136 BC)
<Year Se 175, month XII. the 29th, at 24 deg
after sunrise, solar eclipse, when it began on the south-west side, in 18 deg
day towards noon it became entirely total>
April
15, -0656 (657 BC)
<On the 28th day, at 2 1/2 double hours of the
day in the west it also covered 2 fingers towards it made an eclipse>
April
15, 1707
Birth of Leonhard Euler (1707-1783), Swiss mathematician and astronomer. Observed the transit of Venus in 1769 and concluded that the sun has a distance of 151.225.000 km. (Ref. Rc 1999)
April
15, 1985
(5100) Pasachoff
1985 GW. Discovered 1985 April 15 by E. Bowell at
April
15, 1997
Dr. Richard Tousey, a physicist and long-time
employee at the Naval Research Lab, died of pneumonia at
April
16, -1177 (1178BC)
". . . and the Sun has perished out of heaven, and an evil mist hovers over all." Said to refer to a total solar eclipse of 16 April 1178 BC. From: Homer (Greek), The Odyssey (8th century BC).
April
16, 1893
As per Edward
Singleton Holden (1846 - 1914), Schaeberle discovered a comet like object on
the plates of the eclipse from Chili.
The comet was 0,8 moon diameters from the moon. In May 1894 Schaeberle
identified the comet on the plates of the British eclipse expeditions to Brazil
and Africa, and the measured distances were respectively 1,15 en 1,5 moon
diameters. See our webpages. The
'eclipse comet' of 1893 has been questioned, cf. E.W. Cliver,, "Was the
Eclipse Comet of 1893 a Disconnected Coronal Mass Ejection?", _Solar
Physics_, vol. 122 (1989), pp. 319-333.
The ADS link to the article is http://adsabs.harvard.edu//full/seri/SoPh./0122//0000319.000.html Also of interest is the following article: M.
Solc, "A Note on Eclipse Comets", _Contributions of the Astronomical
Observatory Skalnate Pleso_, vol. 28 (1999), pp. 296-299. The ADS link is http://adsabs.harvard.edu//full/seri/CoSka/0028//0000296.000.html Ref. Yahoo SEML Robert van
April
16, 1993
Minor Planet (6201) Ichiroshimizu 1993 HY.
Discovered 1993 April 16 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami. Named in honor of Ichiro Shimizu (1923-1996),
who began work for the Tokyo Astronomical Observatory in 1945 and was heavily
involved in the construction of the Corona Observing Station on
April
17, 1912
Central solar eclipse in
April
17, 1912
Titanic went down in the early morning of the 15th.
In
April
17, 1912
In 1912 there was one
Total Annular Eclipse on 17 April, but as well a total solar eclipse on 10
October 1912. Ref. More Mathematical
Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
April 18, 0497
Marcellini:
"Comitic V.C. Chronicon" "(A. C. 497.) Ind. V, consulship
of Anastasius Aug. solar eclipse happened." The Annals of Ulster, The Chronicon Scotorum,
The Annals of Tigernach (
April
18, 1955
Death of Albert Einstein (1879-1955), American theoretical physicist, mainly known for his relativity. (Ref. Rc 1999). More on the Einstein Project: www.einstein.caltech.edu and www.alberteinstein.info .
April
19, 1064
The first solar eclipse in Russian chronicles
(letopises), described together with famous apparition of comet Halley (of
April
19, 1882
Minor Planet (225) Henrietta Discovered 1882 April
19 by J. Palisa at
April
19, 1989
Warren de la Rue (1815-1889) died in
April
19, 1941
Minor planet (3892) Dezsö 1941 HD. Discovered 1941 April 19 by L.
Oterma at
April
21, 1697
Of the 14 summits, higher then 8000 meter, this
total solar eclipse is visible on 7:
Mount Everest, Lothse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, and
April
21. 2088
Total Solar Eclipse in S.E. Europe (and N. Africa
and Central Asia), just 7 years after the last one in Europe (
April
23, 1984
Minor planet (4478) Blanco 1984 HG1. Discovered
1984 April 23 by W. Ferreri at La Silla.
Named in honor of Carlo Blanco, professor of astronomy at
April
24, 1932
Minor Planet
(1862) Apollo 1932 HA. Discovered
1932 April 24 by K. Reinmuth at
April
24, 1967
Images of Surveyor 3 have been made of the 24 April
1967 lunar eclipse. This was a lunar
eclipse across
April
25, 0822
<C'hang-ch'ing reign period, 2nd year, 4th
month, day hsin-yu. The first day of the month. The Sun was eclipsed> Chiu-t'ang-shu, chap36 (Ref. PG 3/99) This eclipse was also visible on 4 of the 14
summits, higher then 8000 meter: Mount
Everest, Lothse, Makalu, and
April
25, 1890
Birth of George van den Bergh in
April
25, 1979
Minor planet (3885) Bogorodskij 1979 HG5. Discovered 1979 April 25 by N. S.
Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in memory of
Aleksandr Fyodorovich Bogorodskij (1907-1984), Soviet astrophysicist, director
of the Astronomical Observatory of Kiev University, well known for his works on
Einsteinian gravitation, solar physics and planetary nebulae. (M 19693)
Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
April
26, 1941
Birthday of Francis Richard Stephenson, specialist in Historical Eclipses. One of his books Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997.
April
26, 1957
(Sir) Patrick Alfred Caldwell Moore launched his first program, the longest running show on television <The Sky at Night>. He is host of the program without a break. He observed many solar eclipses and he showed them many times in his program. (Ref. A-S 3/98). He observed his first total solar eclipse in 1954.
April
27, 1943
No solar eclipse related item on this day? Although, the birthday of Pat Totten, eclipse chaser and partner of Eclipse Guru MrEclipse Fred Espenak.
April
28, 1774
Birth of Francis Baily (1774-1844) in Newbury,
April
29, 1921
Birth of Cornelis de Jager, Dutch astronomer. Studied the Sun and solar eclipses. Still active astronomer and gives many lectures.
April
29. 1995
During the 20th Century
there were 11 solar eclipses with a Greatest Complete Duration (GCD) larger
then 4 hours, and during the 21st century there will be 7. The greatest GCD of the period 1900-2100 is that
of the eclipse of 1955 December 14, namely 4 hours 26 minutes 30 seconds. The last eclipse with GCD exceeding 4 hours was
that of 1995 April 29, with GCD = 4 hours 05 minutes 48 seconds, at longitude
78°W, latitude 5°S. The next eclipse with GCD larger then 4 hours will be that
of 2010 January 15 (3 Saros periods after the record one of 1955 December 14),
with a GCD of 4 hours 13 minutes 06 sec. Ref. SEML October 2005.
April
29, 2014
Next annular solar eclipse which will not be a central solar eclipse on earth. This limit solar eclipse is like the one of 03 October 2043 a miss, the two only exceptions next century. The central line of the solar eclipse will not be visible on earth. Both central lines are near the South Pole. This century there where as well two misses, 18 March 1950 near the North Pole and 30 April 1957 near the South Pole. The value of Gamma for the April 29, 2014 eclipse will be (to 3 significant figures) exactly equal to minus 1.000 (-1.000). This is fairly rare. Following solar eclipses that have a value of Gamma equal to 1.000 (both positive and negative) at maximum eclipse are –1339 Jul 03 (A-), -1320 Jun 04 (T+), -0869 Sep 25 (A+), -0196 Feb 01 (P), 2014 Apr 29 (A-), 2507 Apr 13 (A-) and 2662 Jan 12 (A+). Ref. SLK 6/99 and Michael Gill 4/01. Meeus calculated all non-central total or annular solar eclipses during the period 1950-2050: 1950 Mar 18 -0.9990 non-central annular; 1957 Apr 30 +0.9990 non-central annular; 1957 Oct 23 -1.0024 non-central total; 1967 Nov 02 -1.0008 non-central total; 2014 Apr 29 -1.0001 non-central annular; 2043 Apr 09 +1.0030 non-central total; 2043 Oct 03 -1.0104 non-central annular. Ref Yahoo SEML Dec 04.
April
30, -0462 (463 BC)
In his book, Les Eclipses
de Soleil, M.G.Bigourdan mentioned four eclipse comets. Besides the ones of 418, 1882 and 1893, he
notes that Posidonius did observe a comet during the eclipse in -462. No other references have been found. The source for the eclipse comet of Poseidonius
(listed under 30 April -462) is Lucius Annaeus Seneca, _Naturales Quaestiones_,
book VII, 20.4 The Latin text is online
at http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/sen/sen.qn7.shtml
The passage is translated in the Loeb Classical Library edition as "We do
not see many comets because they are obscured by the rays of the Sun. Poseidonius reports that once during an
eclipse a comet appeared which the nearness of the Sun had
concealed". Ref. Yahoo SEML Robert
van Gent October 2004. See Eclipse
Comets link on our WebPages.
April
30, -0462 (463BC)
"Beam of the Sun! O thou that seest from afar,
what wilt thou be devising? O mother of mine eyes! O star supreme, reft from us
in the daytime! Why has thou perplexed the power of man and the way of wisdom
by rushing forth on a darksome track? Art thou bringing a sign of some war, or
wasting of produce, or an unspeakably violent snow-storm, or fatal faction, or
again, some overflowing of the sea on the plain, or frost to bind the earth, or
heat of the south wind streaming with raging rain? Or wilt thou, by deluging
the land, cause the race of men to begin anew? I in no wise lament whate'er I
shall suffer with the rest!"
"God can cause unsullied light to spring out of black night. He can
also shroud in a dark cloud of gloom the pure light of day" Both these quotation probably refer to the
solar eclipse of 30 April 463 BC, which was nearly total at
April
30, 0059
Simultaneous eclipse in
May
01, 0664
"In this year the Sun was eclipsed on the 5th of the Nones of May; and Earcenbryht, the King of the Kentish people died and Ecgbryht his son succeeded to the Kingdom." Refers to the total solar eclipse of 1 May AD 664. From: The Anglo Saxon Chronicles. Ref SW Solar Eclipses from Year 1.
May
01, 1185
"On the first day of the month of May, on the
day of the Saint Prophet Jeremiah, on Wednesday, during the evening service,
there was a sign in the Sun. It became
very dark, even the stars could be seen; it seemed to men as if everything were
green, and the Sun became like a crescent of the Moon, from the horns of which
a glow similar to that of red-hoot charcoals was emanating. It was terrible to see this sign of the
Lord." From: Lavrentievskaya
Letopis. "On the first day of the
month of May, during the ringing of the bells for the evening service, there
was a sign in the Sun. It became very dark for an hour or longer and the stars were
visible and to men everything seemed as if it were green. The Sun became like a crescent of the new
Moon and from its horns a glow like a roasting fire was coming forth and it was
terrible to see the sign of the Lord.
Then the Sun cleared and we were happy again." From: Novgorodskaya II Letopis Both of these quotations refer to a total
solar eclipse in
May
01, 1952
Minor planet (3428) Roberts 1952 JH. Discovered 1952 May 1 at the Goethe
Link Observatory at
May
01, 2079
The second of the pair hits the northeast beginning
at sunrise in central
May
03, -1374 (1375 BC)
May
03, 1715
"A few seconds before the sun was all hid, there
discovered itself round the moon a luminous ring about a digit, or perhaps a
tenth part of the moon‘s diameter, in breadth. It was of a pale whiteness, or
rather pearl-color, seeming to me a little tinged with the colors of the iris,
and to be concentric with the moon."
Refers to a total solar eclipse of 3 May 1715. From: Edmund Halley. Ref. Popular Astronomy by Newcomb, and in
May
03, 1715
Edmond Halley (1656-1742 or 1743) England, during
an eclipse in England, is the first to report the phenomenon later known as
Baily's Beads; also notes bright red prominences and the east-west asymmetry in
the corona, which he attributes to an atmosphere on the Moon or Sun. Halley observed from
May
03, 1715
Probably the first map of a path of totality, drawn
by the English astronomer Edmond Halley (1656-1742 or 1743). On a copper plate he engraved the totally
paths of the total solar eclipses of 3 May 1715 and 11 May 1724. On top of the map, the date 22 April 1705
(i.o. 3 May) is mentioned, but that is because the Gregorian Calendar in
May
03, 1769
"It will be Eclipse first, the rest
nowhere." Dennis O‘Kelly (at Epsom,
3 May 1769) (Quoted in The Penguin
Dictionary of Quotations by Cohen and Cohen.
In UK Solar Eclipses from Year 1, Sheridan Williams says: "One of
the world‘s most successful racehorses was born around the time of this
[annular eclipse of 1 April 1764] and was named Eclipse. The Eclipse Stakes,
named after that horse, are still run today, and the horse of the year awards
in the
May
03, 1880
Death of
May
03, 1981
Hess 2844 (1981 JP): Minor planet discovered May
03, 1981 by Edward L.G. Bowell at Anderson Mesa. Named in honor of Frederick Hess, Prof. of
natural sciences at the State Univ. of NY at
May
04, 0292
Last total solar
eclipse visible in
May
05, 0840
"In the third year of the Indiction, the Sun was hidden from this world and stars appeared in the sky as if it were midnight, on the third day before the Nones of May (May 5) during the Litanies of Our Lord. There was great distress, and while the people beheld it, many thought that this age would last no longer. But while they were contemplating these simple things, the Sun shone again and trembling as it were began to escape from its former shade." Refers to a total solar eclipse of 5 May AD 840. From: Andreas Bergomatis Chronicon. Ref. FRS 1997, page 387.
May
05, 1361
" Chih-cheng reign period, 21st year, 4th
month, day hsin-szu, the first day of the month. As the Sun was about to sink
(i.e. set) suddenly it lost its light. It took the shape of a plantain leaf.
The sky was as dark as night and the stars were shining brightly. For a short
time (literally: for the duration of a meal)., the sky became bright again.
Then in a short time (the light) disappeared once more." Refers to a total solar eclipse of 5 May
1361. From: Sung-chiang Fu-chih (History
of the town of
May
06, 1883
May
06, 1883
Oceana 224: Minor planet discovered 1882 March 30
by Johann Palisa at
May
07, 1819
Birth of Otto Wilhelm von Struve (1819-1905) in Dorpat, Russian astronomer. Discovered 547 double stars, studied rings of Saturn and parallax of the Sun.
May
09, 1988
Minor planet (4899) Candace 1988 JU. Discovered
1988 May 9 by C. S. Shoemaker and E. M. Shoemaker at Palomar. Named for Candace P. Kohl, American chemist
and a leading investigator of ancient solar activity through analysis of solar
cosmic-ray-produced nuclides in lunar samples. She has also contributed
importantly in the development of techniques for dating surface exposure of
materials on the earth from cosmic-ray-produced nuclides. Through her popular
lectures on meteorites, the moon and the solar system, Kohl has reached a wide
audience ranging from primary-school children to high-school students and the
lay community. (M 25443) Citation
provided by K. Nishiizumi at the request of the discoverers. Dictionary of
Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
May
11, 1904
Minor Planet (536) Merapi Discovered 1904 May 11 by
G. H. Peters at
May
11, 1916
Death of Karl Schwarzschild, German astronomer. Explained the difference in light intensity of the edge of the Sun in 1906.
May
11, 1924
Birth of Antony Hewish, British physicist and astronomer. Studied Solarwind. Got Nobelprice of physics in 1974.
May
11, 1956
Death of Walter S. Adams, American astronomer. Studied spectra of Sunspots and stars.
May
11, 2078
11 May 2078
For the second time in the century, this is the first of a pair of total
solar eclipses to pass through the
May
12, 1706
An English ship captain named Stannyan, on vacation
in
May
12, 1706
If Duillier’s account is to be trusted, the Moon’s shadow was first seen in its swift approach. (ref. Total E of the S, Todd, 1894). "This was also the occasion when, if DUILLIER'S account is to be trusted, the Moon's shadow was first seen in its swift approach." (p 110)
May
13, 1733
As per (Sir) Patrick Moore, Guinness Book of
Astronomy (1983), the shadow bands have been reported for the first time by H.
Goldschmidt in 1820. The description is
also mentioned in the book of Mabel Todd, Total Eclipses of the Sun, 1894. But during the total solar eclipse of 13 May
1733 (2 May 1733 Julian date), observations have been coordinated and collected
by Celsius. The eclipse was visible in
the north of
May
13, 1733
Birger Wassenius (
May
13, 1733
The first person who makes mention of earthshine during totality is Bigerus Vassenius the Swedish astronomer. In the account of that eclipse which he transmitted to the royal Society, he asserts that with the telescope of 21 feet focal length, he perceived several of the principal spots on the moon during the total obscuration. Ferrer also states, that during the total eclipse of 1806, the irregulations of the moon’s surface were plainly discernible. (ref. History of Physical Astronomy).
May
13, 2608
November 15, 1999 last
transit of Mercury which was partial for a region though complete in parts of
May
14, 1230
"On the 14th May, which was the Tuesday in Rogation Week, the unusual eclipse of the Sun took place very early in the morning, immediately after sunrise; and it became so dark that the laborers, who had commenced their morning's work, were obliged to leave it, and returned again to their beds to sleep; but in about an hour's time, to the astonishment of many, the Sun regained its usual brightness." Refers to the total solar eclipse of 14 May 1230. From: Rogerus de Wendover, Flores Historiarum, vol. ii. p.235. Ref. FRS 1997, 425.
May
14, 1973
Launch of Skylab, American spaceship. Got 3 times visitors of each time 3 astronauts. Research of the sun.
May
14, 1991
Minor Planet 5381) Sekhmet 1991 JY. Discovered 1991 May 14 by C. S.
Shoemaker at Palomar. The daughter of
the Egyptian god Ra and wife of Ptah {see planets (2100) and (5011),
respectively}, Sekhmet was a lion-headed sun goddess. Her role was that as
defender of the divine order, not as creator of it. Her title was the
"Mighty One", and she was a fierce goddess of war and strife and
bringer of destruction to the enemies of Ra. She was considered the Eye of Ra,
representing the scorching, destructive power of the sun. (M 24917) Dictionary
of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
May
15, 1836
Francis Baily (1774-1844) UK, during an annular eclipse in Scotland, calls attention to the brief bright beads of light that appear close to totality as the Sun's disk is blocked except for the sunlight streaming through lunar valleys along the limb. This phenomenon becomes known as Baily's Beads.
May
15, 1921
First record of Aurora Borealis observation during
day time?
May
16, 1990
Transit of asteroid. See http://pedia.newsfilter.co.uk/wikipedia/t/tr/transit_of_minor_planets.html which states: "One example was the May 16 1990 transit of 3838 Epona (the provisional designation was 1986 WA), with a diameter of 2.5 km. At a distance of 0.53 AU from Earth, its angular diameter was only 7 milliseconds of arc, far too small to see." Ref. Yahoo SEML Feb 05.
May
17, 1836
Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer (1836-1920), British
physicist and astronomer was born at Rugby on May, 17th 1836 to Mr. Joseph
Hooley Lockyer, a lecturer on scientific subjects at
May
17, 1882
A comet is discovered and photographed by Sir
Arthur Schuster (1851-1934), Germany/UK,
during an eclipse in
May
18, -0602 (603 Bc)
". . . there was war between the Lydians and
the Medes five years. . . . They were still warring with equal success, when it
chanced, at an encounter which happened in the sixth year, that during the
battle the day turned to night. Thales of Miletus had foretold this loss of
daylight to the Ionians, fixing it within the year in which the change did
indeed happen. So when the Lydians and Medes saw the day turned to night, they
ceased from fighting, and both were the more zealous to make peace."
Probably refers to the total solar eclipse of 28 May 585 BC in
May
18, 1901
Merapi 536: Minor planet discovered 1904 May 11 by
G. H. Peters at
May
18, 1901
Rainbow observed during the total solar eclipse on
May 18, 1920
In the 12th century, Saint Malachy, an Irish saint,
produced a prophecy in which he listed a short motto for 112 popes - mottos
that have proven to be quite relevant to the lives of the popes and/or of
events during their reign. The motto he had for John Paul II was "De
labore Solis" (of the labor of the sun). Well, Karol Wojtyla RIP was born
on 1920 May 18 - the day of a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere, and
will be buried 08 April 2005 - when many of the people on the SEML list enjoyed
the eclipse in the Pacific or central America.
The motto he had for the next pope is listed as Gloria Olivae – the
glory of the olive (a peacemaker?). That's the good news. The bad news is that Gloria Olivae is the
penultimate pope that he listed.... Although there is some controversy about
that - the last pope (the one to reign over the destruction of
May
19, 1985
Dr. Rudolf Gulyaev, once made attempt to carry out
photographic observation of the partial solar eclipse below the horizon (May
19, 1985). He put the task to estimate
how much the sky brightness at the horizon is reduced during the eclipse
occurring under the horizon. Maximum
eclipse magnitude was about 0.8 by the Sun altitude of minus 3 degrees. The observations were made at elevation more
than 2000 meters above the sea level (Mondy, near
May
20, 1825
Birth of George Phillips Bond at
May
20, 1903
Minor planet (510) Mabella Discovered 1903 May 20 by R. S. Dugan at
May
20, 1947
George Van Biesbroeck did observe a comet the day of the total solar eclipse of May 20, 1947. The comet was of magnitude 4 to 5. Several sources do mention as he observed this comet during the eclipse. This is wrong. He observed the comet on the morning of eclipse day, before dawn. See Eclipse Comets link on our WebPages and picture stamp of the 1947 Eclipse sold on eBay November 2004.
May
20, 2012
The next partial solar
eclipse visible from the west coast of the
May
21, 1951
Birthday of (eclipse) eye specialist Ralf
Chou. Ralph (
May
22, 0133
Solar eclipse which is the nearest with Whitsunday (25 May 133). A solar eclipse can never be on Whitsunday. Easter is on a Sunday, 21 days after full moon. Whitsunday is 49 days after Easter. The age of the moon can only be between 5 to 11 days, or short before first quarter of short before full moon. On Whitsunday, or on Easter there will never be a solar eclipse. Whitsunday of 133 is only 3 days after new moon, or the solar eclipse of 22 May 133.
May
22, 1724
Giacomo Filippo Maraldi (Italy/France) concludes that the corona is part of the Sun because the Moon traverses the corona during an eclipse.
May
23, 1221
"On the first day of the fifth month (May 23), at noon, the Sun was eclipsed and it was total. All the stars were therefore seen. A short while later the brightness returned. At that time we were on the southern bank of the river. The eclipse (began) at the south-west and (the Sun) reappeared from the north-east. At that place it is cool in the morning and warm in the evening; there are many yellow flowers among the grass. The river flows to the north-east. On both banks there are many tall willows. The Mongols use them to make their tents. [Later] (Ch'ang-ch'un) asked (an astronomer) about the solar eclipse on the first day of the month (May 23). The man replied: 'Here the Sun was eclipsed up to 7 fen (6/10) at the hour of ch'en (7-9 h)'. The Master continued, 'When we were by the Lu-chu Ho (Kerulen River), during the hour wu (11-13 h) the Sun was seen totally eclipsed and also south-west of Chin-shan the people there said that the eclipse occurred at the hour szu (9-11 h) and reached 7 fen. At each of these three places it was seen differently. According to the commentary on the Ch'un-ch'iu by K'ung Ying-ta, when the body (of the Moon) covers the Sun, then there will be a solar eclipse. Now I presume that we must have been directly beneath it; hence we observed the eclipse to be total. On the other hand, those people on the sides (of the shadow) were further away and hence (their view) gradually became different. This is similar to screening a lamp with a fan. In the shadow of the fan there is no light or brightness. Further away from the sides (of the fan) then the light of the lamp gradually becomes greater." Refers to a total solar eclipse of 23 May 1221. From: Ch'ang-ch'un Chen-jen Tao-ts'ang('The Journey of the Adept Ch'ang-ch'un to the West'). Ref. FRS 1997, page 254.
May
25, 1267
"At that time the Moon obscured the Sun when
it was in the 4th part (degree) of Gemini, at the 3rd hour before midday on the
25th day of May in the year 6775 (AD 1267). It was a total eclipse of about 12
digits or points. Also, such darkness arose over the Earth at the time of
mid-eclipse that many stars appeared. No doubt this portended the very great
and destructive calamities which were soon to be vented on the Romans by the
Turks." Refers to a solar eclipse
in
May
25, 1939
Sir Frank W. Dyson died off the coast of
May
25, 2142
Next total solar eclipse in
May
27, -0668 (669 BC)
"If the Sun at its rising is like a crescent and wears a crown like the Moon: the king wll capture his enemy's land; evil will leave the land, and (the land) will experience good . . . " Refers to a solar eclipse of 27 May 669 BC. Rasil the older, Babylonian scribe to the king. FRS 1997, page 125.
May
28, -0584 (585 BC)
". . . there was war between the Lydians and
the Medes five years. . . . They were still warring with equal success, when it
chanced, at an encounter which happened in the sixth year, that during the
battle the day turned to night. Thales of Miletus had foretold this loss of
daylight to the Ionians, fixing it within the year in which the change did
indeed happen. So when the Lydians and Medes saw the day turned to night, they
ceased from fighting, and both were the more zealous to make peace." Probably refers to the total solar eclipse of
28 May 585 BC in
May
28, -0584 (585 BC)
A total eclipse in the midst of a battle between the Lydians and Medes scares both sides; hostilities are suspended, according to the Greek historian Herodotus (several other dates are possible).
May
28, -0584 (585 BC)
The first known prediction was made by the Greek philosopher Thales, who forecast the eclipse of May 28, 585 BC (by year, day, place, time?). This occurred at sunset in the Mediterranean area, and is said to have put an end to a battle between the forces of King Alyattes of the Lydians and King Cyaxares of the Medes. It was in the midst of their battle and scared both sides. Ref. ENB013
May
28, 1900
". . . the semi-darkness, for there was no
real blackness, came on suddenly, and during totality, computed to last 1m
28s., everything terrestrial took on a cold iron hue, altogether different from
the gloom of evening. The distant town and more distant mountains were almost
blotted out from view, whilst in the heavens above round the moon‘s black disk,
as if by the touch of a magician‘s wand, there flashed out the corona in
grandeur of form and of pearly whiteness. Mercury, too, in close proximity,
shone with the brilliance of a miniature sun, and enveloping the whole was a
halo of soft white light; a spectacle whose unique beauty words fail utterly to
describe." Refers to a total solar
eclipse at
May
28, 1900
Total Solar eclipse where Mercury is very close or touching the corona or only 7 radii from the eclipsed sun. For a Mercury corona transit you have to wait till 3269 and 3853. (ref. ENB 9/1998)
May
28, 2291
Regarding the reoccurrence of eclipses observable
from the same location on a 300 year cycle, but looking in to this, one finds
that eclipses 6 saros numbers higher, and 6 to 7 series numbers higher are
frequently visible at the same location.
One might be total and the others partial, but still visible from the
same location. The path of the 2291 May
28 total eclipse of saros 142 nearly duplicates that of 1991 July 11 saros 136 eclipse over the Baja
and mainland
May
29, 1919
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) predicted that light passing the Sun would be bent a certain amount by the object’s gravitational field. The Solar Eclipse of this date gave the light from the stars in Hyades were bent by the gravity of the Sun according to Einstein’s theory. Thus Einstein was propelled into permanent and worldwide celebrity. Prediction of Einstein confirmed by Eddington, Cottingham, Crommelin and Davidson. More on the Einstein Project: www.einstein.caltech.edu and www.alberteinstein.info .
May
29, 1919
Arthur S. Eddington (UK) and Co-workers, (Cottingham, Crommelin and Davidson) observing a total solar eclipse from Principe, an island W of Africa and Sobral, NE coast of Brazil, confirm then bending of starlight by gravity as predicted by Einstein in his general theory of relativity. Pictures of the stars near the sun compared with star pictures months later. More on the Einstein Project: www.einstein.caltech.edu and www.alberteinstein.info .
May
30, 1903
Minor planet (511) Davida Discovered 1903 May 30 by R. S. Dugan at
May
31, 1921
Death of John Herschel. During the eclipse of 18 August 1868 from the Red Sea through India to Malaysia and New Guinea, prominences are first studied with spectroscopes and shown to be composed primarily of hydrogen by James Francis Tennant (1829-1915), UK, John Herschel (1837-1921, UK - son of Sir John Frederick William Herschel 1792-1871, grandson of Sir William Herschel 1738-1822), Jules Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907, France), George Rayet (France), and Norman Pogson (UK/India). (Ref Rc 1999)
May
31, 1944
Birthday of Derryl Barr, very good friend and
eclipse chaser from
May
31, 2003
Some central eclipses
are so extreme, so they do not have a northern or southern limit. An example was the annular eclipse of 31 May
2003. Derryl Barr tried to observe this
eclipse on his birthday (1944) in northern
June
03, 1239
“The sun was obscured on Friday at the 6 th hour of the day, and it lasted for a while between the 6 th and 9 th hours and it lost all its strength and there was as though night. There appeared many stars, and then the Sun grew bright again of its own accord, but for a long time it did not regain the strength that it usually has.” Ref. Anales Toledanos Segundos, FRS 97.
June
03, 1239
“while I was in the city of Arezzo, where I was
born, and in which I am writing this book, in our monastery, a building which
is situated towards the end of the fifth latitude zone, whose latitude from the
equator is 42 and a quarter degrees, and whose westerly longitude is 32 and a
third, one Friday, at the 6 th hour of the day, when the Sun was 20 deg in
Gemini and the weather was calm and clear, the sky began to turn yellow and I
saw the whole body of the Sun covered step by step and it became night. I saw Mercury close to the Sun, and all the
animals and birds were terrified; and the wild beasts could easily by
caught. There were some people who
caught birds and animals, because they were bewildered. I saw the Sun entirely covered for the space
of time in which a man could walk fully 250 paces. The air and the ground began to become cold;
and it (the Sun) began to be covered and uncovered from the west.” Ref. Ristoro d’Arezzo, Della composizione
June
03, 1239
From Montpellier, France; Zurita, Anales de la Corona de Aragon: ”The King (James the Conqueror) entered the city of Montpellier on Thursday the 2 nd of June of the year 1239; and on the next day, Friday, between midday and the ninth hour, the King writes that the Sun was eclipsed in a way people did not remember ever having seen before, because it was entirely covered by the Moon and the day grew so dark that one could see stars in the sky.” Ref FRS 97 page 400.
June
03, 1239
From Split, Croatia:
(Thomae Historia Pontificum Salonitanorum et Spalatinorum): “At the same time, AD 1239 on the third day
from the beginning of the month of June, a wonderful and terrible eclipse of
the Sun occurred, for the entire Sun was obscured, and the whole of the clear
sky was in darkness. Also stars appeared
in the sky as if during the night, and a certain greater star shone beside the
Sun on the western side. And such great
fear overtook everyone, that just like madmen they ran about to and from
shrieking, thinking that the end of the world had come. However, it was a Friday, the 30th
day of the (lunar) month. And although
the same defection of the Sun appeared throughout the whole of Europe, it was
not however spoken of in Asia and
June
03, 1925
Death Camille Nicolas Flammarion in Juvsy sur Orge. He was born on February 26, 1842 in Montigny le Roi in Hauter Marne. Ref. The Bibliographical Dictionary of Scientists, edited by David Abbott, 1994.
June
04, 1769
Six hours after the transit of Venus there was a
total solar eclipse. This solar eclipse
was total in
June 05, 2005
George Richard Isaak (1933-2005) died in
June
07, 1434
In the Java Sea, near longitude 115 degrees 45 arcminutes East, latitude 5 degrees 15 arc minutes South, four total solar eclipses were visible in a time span of 13.7 years: on 7 June 1434, 30 September 1437, 23 January 1441 and 5 March 1448. Ref. JM 9/99.
June
07, 1826
Joseph von Fraunhofer
died in
June
08, 1937
At the total solar eclipse of 8 June 1937, Charles H. Smiley, Brown university, procured small-scale photographs, with a 4 inch f/1 Schmidt camera at an altitude of 14.000 feet, that showed a double wedge of light extending along the ecliptic from the sun. The almost vertical band of light may be identified with the zodiacal light. (ref. SaT 1/2-1938, SaT 3/1954)
June
10, 2002
The path of the 10 June 2002 annular eclipse crosses its successive Saros eclipse of 21 June 2020 one Saros later. Ref. FE Canon.
June
10, 2932
Jupiter will be
occulted by eclipsed Moon on 10th of June, 2932 (!!!) Mars - almost 500 years
earlier: on 26th of April, 2488 and Saturn - "only" in 3.5 centuries,
on 26th of July, 2344! Thus, although it will finally happen, no one presently
living on Earth will be able to see it with his/her own eyes. Even more, no
occultations of Regulus by the eclipsed Moon is expected before 22nd of
February, 2445! Ref. "Mathematical Astronomy Morsels" (Willmann-Bell,
ed., 1997), by Jean Meeus. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
June
11, 1983
Total Solar Eclipse in
June
11, 2002
See 2002 June 11
Saturn during Earth’s solar eclipse picture.
June
12, 1843
Birth of David Gill in
June
13, 1760
Last Total Solar Eclipse on a Friday 13 th. Last solar eclipse was a partial in 1974. The next solar eclipse on a Friday 13 th is in July 2018, also a partial solar eclipse. There are 24 solar eclipses on a Friday the 13 th between 0 and 3000. Of which 13 partial, 9 annular and 2 total solar eclipses. The most odd is the one of 13.03.313, which was an annular eclipse. June 13, 2132 is the next Total Solar Eclipse on a Friday 13 th.
June
14, 1938
Death of William Wallace Campbell (1862-1938), American astronomer. Had many eclipse expeditions. The Royal Society also mentions 14 or 15 June 1938. (ref. DD 6/98, Rc 1999)
June
14, 2151
Next total solar eclipse with possibility of seeing Aurora Borealis. Up to now no aurora has been seen during a total solar eclipse. There have been attempts before during solar eclipses of 29 June 1927, 30 June 1954, 20 July 1963, 10 July 1972 and , 22 July 1990. The solar eclipses need to be close near the aurora zone, the sun altitude must be favorable, solar activity preferred near maximum and the angle of the eclipse track to the zone not too large. Between 1950 and 2000, there are 9 eclipses of which 4 favorites (see above). The recent eclipse of 9 March 1997 was not that favorable. The next after this of 2151 will be June 4 2160. (ref. SaT 3/1954 and 12/1953)
June
15, -0762 (763 BC)
“On that day, says the Lord God, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.” Ref. Amos, Chapter 8, verse 9 (Old Testament)
June
15, -0762 (763 BC)
Assyria: "Insurrection in the City of
June
16, 0364
Four minutes of totality for those in the north of
June
16, 0885
The Chronicon Scotorum states "An eclipse of
the Sun; and stars were seen in the heavens.” is the 3rd longest British total
eclipse in the period 1 - 3000AD at nearly 5 minutes. It had a 300-km wide
track, which meant that virtually all of
June
16, 0885
The maximum theoretical length for a British total eclipse is 5.5 minutes. The eclipse of June 16, 885 lasted for almost 5 minutes and the same will be true for the Scottish total eclipse of 22 July 2381
June
16, 1406
The last total solar eclipse in
June
16, 1806
José Joaquin de Ferrer (Spain), observing at Kinderhook, New York, gives the name corona to the glow of the faint outer atmosphere of the Sun seen during a total eclipse; he proposes that the corona must belong to the Sun, not the Moon, because of its great size. Ferrer also states, that during the total eclipse of 1806, the irregulations of the moon’s surface were plainly discernible. (ref. History of Physical Astronomy)
June 16, 1806
Tecumseh's Eclipse. The
June
16, 1825
Last calendar year where there were two Annular-Total Solar Eclipses. There was an annular-total solar eclipse on 16 June and one on 9 December 1825. The next occurrence we have as such is in 3051, 3 February and 30 July.
June
17, 1433
From Al-‘Asqalani, Inba’al-Ghumr bi ‘Bna al-‘Umr: “On the 28 th of (the month of) Shawwal, the Sun was eclipsed after the ‘Asr (afternoon) Prayer and continued until the time of sunset. It cleared up after the conclusion of the eclipse prayer, which I led in the Great Mosque. Then the sun set and we prayed the Maghrib (sunset0 Prayer in the mosque. When the eclipse prayer was concluded, I sent a witness to ascend the minaret of the mosque to see if the Sun had cleared. He returned, saying that it had cleared completely.” Ref. FRS 97, pages 446.
June
17, 1433
From al-Maqrizi, Islamic: “On Wednesday the 28 th of Shawwal, the Sun was eclipsed by about two thirds in the sign of Cancer more than one hour after the afternoon prayer. The eclipse cleared at sunset. During the eclipse there was darkness and some stars appeared … On Friday night the 14 th of Dhu I-Qu’da, most of the Moon was eclipsed. It rose eclipsed from the eastern horizon. The eclipse cleared in the time of the nightfall prayer. This is rarity – the occurrence of a lunar eclipse 15 days after a solar eclipse.” The solar eclipse was on 17Jjune 1433, while the lunar eclipse on 3 July 1433. Ref. Encyclopedia Britannica.
June
17, 1433
In
June
17, 1906
Thomas George Cowling birth. Is a British applied mathematician and physicist who has contributed significantly to modern research into stellar energy with special reference to the sun. Ref. The Bibliographical Dictionary of Scientists, edited by David Abbott, 1994.
June
18, 0931
The area that was to become Disney World in
June
19, -0548 (549 BC)
“Duke Hsiang, 24 year, 7 th month, day chia-tzu, the first day of the Moon. The Sun was eclipsed and it was total.” Ref. Ch’un-ch’iu, book IX (Chinese), FRS 97.
June
20, 0540
“the sun darkened on June 20 th, and the stars showed fully nearly half an hour past nine in the morning.” Ref. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles and collated by Anne savage, CLB Publishing Ltd.
June
20, 0540
Totality at following 8000 meters summits: K2
(Chogori), Nanga Parbat,
June
20, 1061
“On Wednesday, when two nights remained to the
completion of the month Jumada, two hours after daybreak, the sun was eclipsed
totally. There was darkness and the
birds fell whilst flying. The
astrologers claimed that one-sixth of the Sun should have remained (uneclipsed)
but nothing of it did so. The Sun
reappeared after four hours and a fraction.
The eclipse was not in the whole of the Sun in places other than
June
20, 1955
In a used bookfair Eli Maor found a slim book
entitled, "Has the Earth a Ring Around It?" The author, one Frank G.
Back, was a friend of Einstein and once raised with him the question, why does
the moon look so dark during a TSE – or conversely, why does the background sky
look so bright? Einstein encouraged him to do some spectroscopic measurements
at a future eclipse, which the author did at the June 20, 1955 eclipse over the
June
20, 1955
Longest total solar eclipse is lasting 7m 31s but
has never been observed. But the total
solar eclipse of 20 June 1955 lasted 7m 8s in the
June
21, 0019
The millennium opened with a superb mid -morning
eclipse of over 4 minutes duration. It
ranks 8th longest British total eclipse in the period 1-3000AD, and holds the
record for the eclipse with highest altitude at 59° elevation. This eclipse is
broadly similar in track and time of day to the forthcoming August 1999
European Eclipse passing through central Europe and across the northern
June
21, 0122
Joint 3rd shortest British Total Solar Eclipse in
the period 1-3000AD, this 75 km wide eclipse occurred late on midsummer's day,
and would have been nonetheless spectacular for 20 seconds for the inhabitants
of the
June
21, 0400
An eclipse of the Sun on 21 st June, recorded by
June
21, 1629
The Chinese were able to predict eclipses, but not well. Imperial astronomers, who had failed to anticipate an eclipse in 1610, predicted a Solar Eclipse for this date. Jesuit missionaries, however, insisted that the prediction was an hour early and that rather than lingering for 2 hours the eclipse would last only 2 minutes. The Jesuits were correct. As a result, the emperor ordered that the Chinese calendar be revised.
June
21, 1874
Death of
Anders Jons Angstrom (1814-1874), astronomer and physicist of
June
21, 2001
It is possible that six successive solar eclipses are all non-partial eclipses. For example, following the *partial* solar eclipse of 2000 December 25, we have the following six eclipses: 2001 June 21 total 2001 Dec. 14 annular 2002 June 10 annular 2002 Dec. total 2003 May 31 annular 2003 Nov. 23 total after which we have the *partial* solar eclipse of 2004 April 19. By non-partial eclipse we mean an eclipse that is annular or total for some places on the Earth's surface. Of course, most observers see a partial event, but what is meant here is the type of the eclipse for the Earth generally. Is it possible to have exactly 7 successive non-partial eclipses? Yes, But this occurs very rarely. The last case took place in the 4th century, and there will be no other case until at least the year 5000. And exactly 8, 9, 10 or 11 successive solar eclipses cannot all be non-partial either. The big surprise is that it *is* possible that 12 successive solar Eclipses can all be non-partial. Between the years -2000 and +5000 this occurs only *three* times: the 12 solar eclipses from -1464 to mid-(-1459), the 12 solar eclipses from +2041 to +2046, the 12 solar eclipses from +3705 to +3710. But now comes the SECOND SURPRISE: these three cases coincide with the three lunar tetrads accompanied by non-partial solar eclipses which we mentioned in our previous message: those of the years -1462 and -1461, 2043 and 2044, and 3707 and 3708. Ref Yahoo SEML October 2004. See some 2001 eclipse stamps for Zambia and Zimbabwe.
June
22, 1633
Galileo Galilei appears for the Inquisition because he defends the heliocentric world of Copernicus. (ref. DD 6/98)
June
23, 1191
“In the month of June, the Vigil of the Nativity of St John the Baptist (June 23), the 9 th day before the Kalends of July, on the 27 th day of the Moon, at the 9 th hour of the day, the Sun was eclipsed and it lasted for three hours; the Sun was so obscured that the darkness arose over the Earth and stars appeared in the sky. And when the eclipse withdrew, the Sun returned to its original beauty.” This was an annular solar eclipse. Ref. Stubbs, Gesta Regis Henrici II et Ricardi (1867), FRS 97.
June
24, 1778
The first total solar eclipse recorded in the
June
24, 1940
Death of Alfred Fowler (1868-1940), British astronomer and physicist. Studied spectra of the Sun. (ref. DD 6/98, Rc 1999)
June
25, 1275
“Te-yu reign period, 1 st year, month VI, day keng-tzu, the first day of the month. The Sun was eclipsed; it was total. The sky and Earth were in darkness. People could not be distinguished within a foot. The chickens and ducks returned to roost. (It lasted) from the hour szu (9 – 11 h) to the hour wu (11 – 13 h); then it regained its brightness.” And “The Sun was eclipsed; it was total. Stars were seen. The chickens and ducks all returned to roost. In the following year the Sung dynasty was extinguished.” Ref. From Sung-shih, FRS 97, pages 257, 258.
June
25, 2150
Last total solar
eclipse with a maximum duration of totality longer than 7 minutes between year
0 and 4000 was June 30, 1973. The
eclipse was visible in
June
26, 1424
Of the 20 total eclipses to visit the Orkneys and
Shetland Islands in the period 1 - 3000AD it was the 13th longest in the whole
of the UK at 3 minutes 56 seconds it was surpassed in Orkney by those of 364, 885, 1185, 1433,
2681. The eclipse track traveled across
June
26, 1824
Birth of William Thompson (Kelvin), British physicist. Known for his absolute temperature scale. (ref. DD 6/98)
June
26, 1883
Death of Sir Edward Sabine (1788-1883). Mentioned a correlation between sunspots and magnetic disturb on earth. (Ref. Rc 1999).
June
26, 1940
Birthday of two solar eclipse specialists: Serge Koutchmy (France) and Tom Van Flandern
(
June
28, 1451
Sort of the American version of the Medes and Lydians. The Seneca and Mohawk tribes were preparing for war when a total solar eclipse swept over both their camps late in the afternoon of this early summer day. Both immediately sued for peace. (ref. DB 6/97: "A star Called the Sun" by George Gamow).
June
28, 1489
Last total solar
eclipse on
June
28, 1954
Jason G. Porter (June
28, 1954 – July 23, 2005) a solar astronomer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight
Center (MSFC). Jason was born on 28 June
1954 in Texes. He received his PhD from the Department of Astrophysical,
Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences in 1984. His thesis, “Ultraviolet Spectral
Diagnostics of Solar Flares and Heating Events,” was written under the guidance
of Kathrine Gebbie and Juri Toomre. The ideas behind his thesis and much of his
later work were formulated while he was a Graduate Research Assistant at
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) working on analysis of data from the
Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter, a major instrument on the Solar Maximum
Mission (SMM). While at Goddard, he met his wife-to-be, Linda
Zimmerman, who was working as a computer system administrator at the
June
29, 0512
Totality at following 8000 meters summits: K2
(Chogori), Gasherbrum I (
June
29, 1818
Birth of Italian astronomer Angelo Secchi (1818-1878). Photographed eclipse of 18 July 1860, studied sun spots. (ref. DD 6/98, Rc 1999)
June
29, 1868
George Ellery Hale is born in
June
29, 1927
From Dorothy Sabin near
June
29, 1927
Gellivara 1073: Minor planet discovered September
14, 1923 by Johann Palisa at
June 29, 1927
If you really speak about
June
29, 1970
Contact lost with first German satellite Azur. Studied interaction between solar wind and earth’s atmosphere. (ref. DD 6/98)
June
29, 1972
Launch of Russian satellite Prognoz 2. Studied sun and roentgen.
June
30, 1947
Birthday of Jay Anderson. No one will travel to a solar eclipse without
first consulting the weather forecasts of Jay Anderson (
June
30, 1535
In "Name in the Window" Margaret Demorest
proposes that Shakespeare's sonnets, nos 1-109, incorporate a calendar for the
years 1501-1609, each sonnet corresponding to a year. Peter Nockolds has investigated the 3
appearances of the word Eclipse.
"Clouds and eclipses staine both Moone and Stunne, And loathsome
canker lives in sweetest bud." This
Solar Eclipse was not visible from
June 30, 1954
Felix Verbelen: "mijn" eerste, bewust waargenomen zonsverduistering deze was van 30 juni 1954. Het werd voor mij een onvergetelijke gebeurtenis. Ik was toen een schoolknaap van pas 9 jaar en alhoewel het een woensdag was werd er toen ook in de namiddag naar school gegaan...”. First solar eclipse of Felix Verbelen. He was 9 years old and remembers the eclipse.
June
30, 1954
The last total solar eclipse in
June
30, 1954
Total Solar Eclipse in
June
30, 1954
Just before sunrise on June 30, astronomers at
stations in
June
30, 1973
During the eclipse in
June
30, 1973
Observation of rainbow during total solar
eclipse. Observation from a chartered
Chessna plane and at an elevation of 11500 feet: About three minutes before totality, a
rainbow was seen to the west. The
rainbow was very easy to see and the colors were quite brilliant. After totality a sundog (mock sun) was
seen. These were very interesting
phenomena. From the account The June
30, 1973 Total Solar Eclipse From Suriname,
June
30, 1973
Roger Tuthill and Harvard astronomer Donald Menzel
received a Legion of Merit award from the president of
June
30, 1973
Scientists use a Concorde supersonic passenger jet flying 1250 miles (2000 km) an hour over Africa to extend the duration of solar eclipse totality to 74 minutes, 10 times longer than can be observed from the ground. The Moon's shadow moves over the Earth at over 3000 km/h. The white corona was studied on board of the Concorde 001. (ref. L Astronomie SAF, 4/1975 p 149). The Concorde briefly exceeded the speed of the umbra by a few m/sec. This is the first and only time in history this has happened. And before the eclipse, it was not expected to happen. Ref. Bob Morris, private communications. See Concorde eclipse stamp.
June
30, 1973
Several teams of scientists studied the reactions
of people in Africa and
June
30, 1973
Picture of Moon next to eclipsed sun in National Geographic, page 469, October 1974: Earth’s Lunar companion passes almost before the sun on June 30, 1973, as seen by a ground controlled camera while Skylab was unmanned. Skylab’s position here makes the bodies appear out of alignment.
June
30, 1973
Last total solar
eclipse with a maximum duration of totality longer than 7 minutes between year
0 and 4000. The eclipse was visible in
July
01, 1916
Iosif S. Shklovskii, Russian astronomer was born. He researched the corona and proved the temperature of million degrees. (ref. DD 6/99).
July
01, 1943
Birthday of Professor Jay Pasachoff. Asteroid 5100 Pasachoff was named after him. "Pasachoff's broad range of astronomical work has centered on the sun, and especially on studies of solar eclipses."
July
01, 2000
The last occurrence
that there were 3 eclipses in one month, and of which two solar eclipses. For July 2000 being on 1stt a
partial solar eclipse, 16th a total lunar eclipse, and 31st
a partial solar eclipse. The next
occurrence with a month with 3 eclipses will be December 2206 with a partial
solar eclipse on 1st and 30th and a total lunar eclipse
on 16th. Ref. Fred Espenak
06/00 SEML.
July
01, 2000
Two duo eclipses in
the same calendar month: 1 July and 31 July.
The previous duo was 2 and 31 December 1880 and the next one will be 1
and 30 December 2206. A duo is when two solar
eclipses occur at an interval of one lunation.
Duo’s of which one eclipse is not a partial one: Last 19 May 1928 NC total and 17 June 1928
Partial 0,038; Next 7 July 2195 Partial 0.036 and total 5 August 2195. Duo eclipses followed by another duo a half
year later: Last 5 Jan 1935 and 3 Feb 1935 followed with 30 Jun 1935 and 30
July 1935; next 24 Apr 2134 and 23 May 2134 followed with 17 Oct 2134 and 11
Nov 2134. Ref. More Mathematical
Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
July
02, 1963
Death of Seth B. Nicholson, American astronomer. Besides the discovery of some Jupiter moons and Minor Planets, his mean task was observing the sun. He published for many years the annual reports of sunspots and magnetism of the sun. (ref. DD 6/99).
July
02, 2019
Total solar eclipse. Totality passes over the two Chilean Observatories - Cierra Tolo and La Silla. Ref. Daniel Fisher.
July
04, 1936
Birthday of Guy Otttewel, writer of the eclipse book Understanding Eclipses and many other astronomical publications.
July
06, 1815
Total solar eclipse on
the North Pole. Ref. More Mathematical
Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
July
07, 1339
This was an annular-total eclipse, with the total
part of the track finding its way between the Orkney and
July
07, 1942
Birthday of Vojtech Rusin, Slovak astronomer and famous eclipse chaser.
July
08, 1842
"The hour for the beginning of the eclipse
approached. Nearly twenty thousand people, with smoked glasses in hand,
examined the radiant globe projected on an azure sky. Scarcely had we, armed
with our powerful telescopes, begun to perceive a small indentation on the
western limb of the sun, when a great cry, a mingling of twenty thousand
different cries, informed us that we had anticipated only by some seconds the
observation made with the naked eye by twenty thousand unprepared astronomer. A
lively curiosity, emulation and a desire not to be forestalled would seem to
have given to their natural sight unusual penetration and power. Between this
moment and those that preceded by very little the total disappearance of the
sun we did not remark in the countenances of many of the spectators anything
that deserves to be related. But when the sun, reduced to a narrow thread,
commenced to throw on our horizon a much-enfeebled light, a sort of uneasiness
took possession of everyone. Each felt the need of communicating his impressions
to those who surrounded him: hence a murmuring sound like that of a distant sea
after a storm. The noise became louder as the solar crescent was reduced. The
crescent at last disappeared, darkness suddenly succeeded the light, and an
absolute silence marked this phase of the eclipse so that we clearly heard the
pendulum of our astronomical clock. The phenomenon in its magnificence
triumphed over the petulance of youth, over the levity that certain men take as
a sign of superiority, over the noisy indifference of which soldiers usually
make profession. A profound calm reigned in the air; the birds sang no more.
After a solemn waiting of about two minutes, transports of joy, frantic
applause, saluted with the same accord, the same spontaneity, the reappearance
of the first solar rays. A melancholy contemplation, produced by unaccountable
feelings, was succeeded by a real and lively satisfaction of which no one
thought of checking or moderating the enthusiasm. For the majority of the
public the phenomenon was at an end. The other phases of the eclipse had hardly
any attentive spectators, apart from devoted to the study of astronomy."
Refers to the total solar eclipse in the south of
July
08, 1842
Dominique Francois Jean Arago (1786-1853) observed this solar eclipse and attempts that the sun does exist of gas.
July
08, 1842
First attempt to photograph a total eclipse was made by the Austrian astronomer Majocci. He failed to record totality, though he did succeed in photographing the partial phase.
July
08, 1842
Following anecdote appeared according Dominique
Francois Jean Arago (1786-1853) in the Journal of the
July
08, 1842
Francis Baily (1774-1844)
July
09, 1945
Canadian astronomers, J. F. Heard and P. M.
Millman, while in the RCAF, got moderately good photographs of the corona and
flash spectrum during this solar eclipse. They were high above the clouds in
July 09, 1945
When in
July
09, 1974
American Satellite OSO 7, Orbiting Solar Observatories, falls back. (ref. DD 7/98)
July
09, 1996
With the satellite
July
10, 0028
This two and a half minute eclipse crossed south western Ireland and Cornwall before the Sun set in France shortly afterwards. (SW-UK Eclipse's)
July
10, 1910
Death of German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle. Besides the discovery of Neptun, he calculated the paralax of the sun from measurements of Minor Planets. (ref. DD 7/99)
July
10, 1972
Chukotka 2509 (1977 NG): Minor planet discovered
July 14, 1977 by Nikolaj S. Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named for a National Area of the
July
10, 1983
Minor planet (3222) Liller 1983 NJ. Discovered 1983 July 10 by E. Bowell
at
July
11, 1732
Birth of French astronomer Joseph Jerome le Francois de Lalande (1732-1807). Calculated the distance to the sun in 1771 and being 154,198 million km. (ref. DD 7/98, Rc 1999)
July
11, 1909
Death of Simon Newcomb (1835-1909), American
mathematician and astronomer. He used
carefully analyzed measurements of stellar and planetary positions to compute
motions of the sun, moon, planets, and their satellites. Studied the velocity of light and calculated
the distance to the sun. March 12,
1835 Birth of Simon Newcomb (1835-1909)
in
July
11, 1991
The so called Great Eclipse which was visible in
July
12, 1941
Jones, Barrie W. born 1941. Professor of Astronomy at the The Open
University of
July
13, 0158
This was the first total eclipse to have passed
over
July
13, 2018
Next solar eclipse on a Friday the 13 th. The last solar eclipse on a Friday 13 th was in December 1974. Both are partial solar eclipses. There are 24 solar eclipses on a Friday the 13 th between 0 and 3000. Of which 13 partial, 9 annular and 2 total solar eclipses. The most odd is the one of 13.03.313 which was an annular eclipse.
July
14, 1977
Minor planet (2509) Chukotka 1977 NG. Discovered 1977 July 14 by N. S.
Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named for a
National Area of the
July
15, 1975
During the nine-day mission launched July 15, 1975, astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, Vance D. Brand and Donald K. Slayton rendezvoused and docked their Apollo spacecraft with the Soyuz 19 spacecraft with cosmonauts Aleksey Leonov and Valeriy Kubasov onboard.
July
16, 0809
"The sun darkened at the beginning of the fifth hour of the day on Tuesday, July 16th, the 29th day of the moon." Refers to a solar eclipse in AD 809. From: The Anglo Saxon Chronicles translated and collated by Anne Savage, CLB Publishing Ltd. Ref FE 01/01
July
16, 1330
A short Eclipse at under 1 minute, but yet another
for northern
July
16, 2186
Closest approach to
maximum possible duration of totality with 7 min 29 sec in the
July
17, -0187 (188 BC)
"Before the new magistrates departed for their
provinces, a three-day period of prayer was proclaimed in the name of the
July
17, -0187 (188 BC)
"Emperor Hui, 7th year, 5th month, day ting-mao, the last day of the month. The Sun was eclipsed; it was almost complete. It was in the beginning of (the lunar lodge) Ch'i-hsing" Refers to a partial solar eclipse of 17 July 188 BC. Pan Ku Han-shu (AD 58-AD76). Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 234.
July
17, 0334
Firmicus (
July
17, -0708 (709 BC)
"Duke Huan, 3rd year, 7th month, day jen-ch'en, the first day (of the month). The Sun was eclipsed and it was total." Refers to a total solar eclipse of 17 July 709 BC.From: Ch'un-ch'iu, book I (Chinese). Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 226.Stephenson says: "This is the earliest direct allusion to a complete obscuration of the Sun in any civilisation. The recorded date, when reduced to the Julian calendar, agrees exactly with that of a computed solar eclipse." Reference to the same eclipse appears in the Han-shu ('History of the Former Han Dynasty') (Chinese, 1st century AD): ". . . the eclipse threaded centrally through the Sun; above and below it was yellow."
July
17, 1905
Birth of Roderick Oliver Redman. On August 31, 1932 G.G. Cillie (UK) and Donald H. Menzel (US)
uses eclipse spectra to show that the Sun's corona has a higher temperature
(faster atomic motion) than the photosphere.
Confirmed, with much higher temperature, by Roderick Oliver Redman
(1905-1975) during an eclipse in
July
18, 1860
"At the commencement of the obscuration, the sky was overcast, with heavy masses of cloud in the east, and there was much reason to fear that the celestial phenomenon would not be at all apparent hereabouts. But a brisk gale of wind having scattered the clouds, shortly before six o‘clock the sun became visible to the eager gaze of thousands, and again astronomical prediction was verified. The black shadow had eaten its way a considerable distance into the surface of the bright orb, and slowly but steadily the darkness appeared to extend itself over that dazzling surface. What a scrutiny the great change was attracting from all quarters of the earth! What an array of telescopes were eagerly searching the blue vault above during those precious moments!" Refers to a solar eclipse of 18 July 1860, at Upper Fort Garry, Manitoba (outside the path of totality). From: William Coldwell and William Buckingham, Nor'Wester. Reprinted, with permission, from Chasing the Shadow, copyright 1994 by Joel K Harris and Richard L Talcott, by permission of Kalmbach Publishing Co. Ref FE 01/01
July
18, 1860
"But at the moment of totality, all became
silent and dumb. Neither a cry nor a rustling, nor even a whisper (was heard),
but everywhere there was anxiety and consternation. To everyone the two minutes
of the eclipse were like two hours. I do not exaggerate or imagine any of these
details. Several people whom I questioned after the eclipse regarding the
duration of totality replied that it had lasted for two hours." Refers to
a total solar eclipse in
July
18, 1860
First wet plate photographs of an eclipse; they require 1/30 of the exposure time of a daguerreotype.
July
18, 1860
Warren de la Rue (1815-1889), UK and Angelo Secchi (1818-1878), Italy, use photography during a solar eclipse in Spain to demonstrate that prominences (and hence at least that region of the corona) are part of the Sun, not light scattered by the Earth's atmosphere or the edge of the Moon, because the corona looks the same from sides 250 miles apart.
July
18, 1898
The authors, Meeus-Grosjean-Vanderleen, started as close as possible with the 20 th century for their Canon Of Solar Eclipses 1898-2510 in 1966. They started with eclipse number 7401 of von Oppplozers’ Canon der Finsternisse, which was the solar eclipse of 18 July 1898 and so 600 eclipses could be compared from both Canons.
July
19, 0418
First report of a comet discovered during a solar
eclipse, seen by the historian Philostorgius in
July
19, 1975
The Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft undocked at 8:02 am EDT. While the spacecraft were in station-keeping mode, the crews photographed them. The Apollo spacecraft served as an occulting disk, blocking the sun from the Soyuz and simulating a Solar Eclipse, the first man-made Eclipse. Leonov and Kubasov photographed the solar corona as the Apollo backed away from the Soyuz and toward the sun.
July
21, 1979
Minor Planet (4013) Ogiria 1979 OM15. Discovered 1979 July 21 by N. S. Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in memory of Maiya Borisovna Ogir' (1933-1991), solar physicist and staff member of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory for more than 30 years, known for her research on the active processes on the Sun. (M 22500) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
July
21, 1990
Meteorologist Joe Rao was able to coerce American
Trans-Air Airlines to alter the course of one of their regularly-scheduled
flights in order to be in the right position to experience the total phase of
the July 22-21, 1990 total solar eclipse.
The eclipse began on Sunday, July 22, with the path of totality passing over
July
22, 1784
Astronomer Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel (1784-1846) was born in Muiden. Son of a government employee. Friedrich W. Bessel, German astronomer and mathematicus determined precession, nutation, aberration and inclination of the ecliptic. Famous for his Bessel elements for the calculation of Solar Eclipses. (ref. DD 7/98, Rc 1999)
July
22, 1990
The Finland-Russia eclipse, which was clouded out for many eclipse chasers.
July
22, 2009
Next total solar
eclipses with a totality duration longer than 5 minutes are 22 July 2009
(6m40s), 11 July 2010 (5m20s) and 2 August 2027 (6m23s). Ref. More Mathematical Astronomical Morsels
by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
. Longest Total Solar Eclipse for over a
century and the longest one since 1991.
Visible in
July
22, 2028
July
22, 2381
The maximum theoretical length for a British total
eclipse is 5.5 minutes. The eclipse of
June 16, 885 lasted for almost 5 minutes and the same will be true for the
Scottish total eclipse of 22 July
2381. This TSE will be the first total
solar eclipse in
July
22, 2381
October 2, 2350, there is a total solar eclipse in
July
23, 0594
The Sun was well up (17°) at 6:11 am when totality
occurred. On a warm summer's morning it must have got surprisingly cold as
totality approached, giving a clue that something unusual was about to happen.
At 258 km wide this was an Eclipse with a very wide track and a good duration
of over 3 minutes. The Eclipse track traveled into
July 23, 1899
Ferdinand Rudolf Thiel was born on 23 July 1899 In
July 23, 2005
Jason G. Porter (June
28, 1954 – July 23, 2005) a solar astronomer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight
Center (MSFC), died from complications associated with his 18-year battle with
a form of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Jason was
July
24, 1853
Birth of Henri Alexandre Deslandres (1853-1948) in Paris, French physicist and astronomer did spectroscopic research. Designed, independent from Hale but at the same time, the spectra helio graph. (ref. DD 7/98, Rc 1999)
July
25, 6337
Is in Santiago de Compostela, a religion place in
July
27, 1801
Birth of Sir George Biddell Airy (1801-1892),
British Astronomer and Astronomer Royal from 1835 till 1881, president of the
Royal Society from 1871 till 1873.
Calculated distance to the sun and observed transit of Venus, etc. (ref. DD 7/98, Rc 1999). Born in Alnwick,
Northumberland. Died in “White House,”
July
28, 0873
"This solar eclipse was observed by Abu al-'Abbas al-Iranshahri at Nishapur early in the morning on Tuesday the 29th of the month of Ramadan in the year 259 of al-Hijrah . . . (date on the Persian calendar) . . . He mentioned that the Moon's body (i.e. disk) was in the middle of the Sun'd body. The light from the remaining uneclipsed portion of the Sun surrounded it (i.e. the Moon). It was clear from this that the Sun's diameter exceeded in view that of the Moon." Refers to an annular eclipse of 28 July AD 873. From: al-Biruni al-Qanun al-Mas'udi (1030). Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 467.
July
28, 1851
"The observations were tolerably successful.
although the full beauty of the corona was not seen at
July
28, 1851
First American eclipse expedition to Europe when
George Phillips Bond (1825 - 1865) led a team to
July
28, 1851
Robert Grant and William Swan (UK) and Karl Ludwig
von Lottrow (
July
28, 1851
Sir George Biddell Airy (1801-1892) (
July
28, 1851
The first photograph of a total eclipse was taken
in 1851 by Berkowski in
July
29, -0430 (431 BC)
". . . the sun assumed the shape of a crescent and became full again, and during the eclipse some stars became visible." Thucydides (Greek, c460-400 BC).Refers to an annular solar eclipse of 3 August (29 July) 431 BC. Ref FE 01/01
July
29, -0430 (431 BC)
"The same summer, at the beginning of the new lunar month (the only time by the way at which it appears possible), the Sun was eclipsed after noon. After it had assumed the form of a crescent, and some of the stars had come out, it returned to its natural shape." Refers to an annular solar eclipse of 3 August (29 July) 431 BC. Thucydides (Greek historian, c460-400 BC) History of the Peloponnesian War. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 346, and, in part, in Encyclopaedia Britannica CD 98.
July
29, 1878
Height of search for intra-Mercurial planet Vulcan using eclipses to block the Sun. Several observers claim sightings, but they are never confirmed. The problem is finally resolved by Albert Einstein (1879-1955) in his general theory of relativity in 1916. More on the Einstein Project: www.einstein.caltech.edu and www.alberteinstein.info .
July
29, 1878
Possible observation of comet Encke (Johann Franz
Encke (1791-1865)) during the eclipse of 29 July 1878 by J.B.Rutherford from
July
29, 1878
Samuel Pierpont Langley (1834-1906), and Cleveland Abbe (US), observing from Pike's Peak in Colorado, and Simon Newcomb (1835-1909) (US) observing from Wyoming, notice coronal streamers extending more than 6 degrees from the Sun along the ecliptic and suggest that this glow is the origin of the zodiacal light.
July
31, 1995
European spacecraft Ulysses passes the northern pole of the Sun at 9,78. (ref. DD 7/98)
August
01, 1818
Birth of Maria O.
Mitchell (1818-?), American astronomer.
Observer of sunspots, discovered a comet in 1947 and was calculator at
the American Nautical Almanac. (ref. DD
7/98)
August
01, 2004
Patrick Poitevin
handed over the Solar Eclipse Mailing list to Michael Gill. Patrick ran the mailing list from 1997 to
2004. He also stopped editing the Solar
Eclipse Newsletter which he ran from 1996 to 2004. See SENLHeading.gif
August
01, 2008
The total solar
eclipses of 9 March 1997 and 26 February 1998 were less then 365 days
apart. This was the last time two TSE
happened in less then a year’s time. The
next occurance is the two total solar eclipses of 4 December 2002 and 23
November 2003. After that we have the
duo TSE year of 1 August 2008 and 22 July 2009, and 22July 2009 and 11 July
2010. Ref. More Mathematical Astronomical
Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002.
See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm Patrick Poitevin observed following similar duo’s: 1990-1991, 1991-1992, 1994-1995, 1997-1998. He will miss the duo 2002-2003 because of the
missing Antarctic eclipse.
August
02, 1133
"Duke Frederick . . . set fire to the town of
Augsburg and killed many of its citizens . . . An eclipse of the Sun occurred
on the 4th day before the Nones of August at midday for about an hour, such as
is not seen in a thousand years. Eventually the whole sky was dark like night,
and stars were seen over almost the whole sky. At length the Sun, emerging from
the darkness, appeared like a star, afterwards in the form of a new Moon;
finally it assumed its original form." Refers to a total solar eclipse in
August
02, 1133
"In the year of the Incarnation of our Lord
1133 . . . on the 4th day before the Nones of August (Aug 2), the 4th day of
the week (Wednesday) when the day was declining towards the ninth hour, the Sun
in a single moment became as black as pitch, day was turned into night, very
many stars were seen, objects on the ground appeared as they usually do at
night." Refers to a total solar eclipse in
August
02, 1133
"In this year King Henry went over sea at
Lammas, and the second day as he lay and slept on the ship the day darkened
over all lands; and the Sun became as it were a three-night-old Moon, and the
stars about it at mid-day. Men were greatly wonder-stricken and were
affrighted, and said that a great thing should come thereafter. So it did, for
the same year the king died on the following day after St Andrew‘s Mass-day,
Dec 2 in Normandy." The Anglo Saxon Chronicle Refers to the total solar
eclipse of 2 August 1133. (Quoted in
August
02, 1133
"That great eclipse of the Sun occurred on the 4th day before the Nones of August, the 27th day of the Moon, the 13th year of the Indiction. After midday, between the 7th and 8th hours, an eclipse of the Sun was seen in Leo . . . Very many stars were seen near the Sun; the hearts of many were transfixed, despairing of the light. The Sun, as if it did not exist was entirely concealed; for about half an hour it was like night. The face of the world was sad, terrible, black, wonderful." Refers to a total solar eclipse of 2 August 1133. From: Chronicon Magni Presbyterii. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 393.
August
02, 1133
"The elements manifested their sorrow at this
great man's [King Henry 1] departure from
August
02, 1133
The last total solar eclipse at
August
02, 1880
Greenwich time became civil time for
August
02, 1956
Birthday
of meteorologist and eclipse chaser Joe Rao.
On the day of the solar eclipse of 02
August 2046 he will be 90.
August
02, 2027
Another very long Total Solar Eclipse, Saros
successor of the Chinese one in 2009.
Visible in North Africa and
August
02, 2046
Two total solar eclipses at an interval of only 12
lunations (354 days) are possible, such as 12 August 2045 and 2 August 2046 in
the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of
August
03, -0430 (431 BC)
"The same summer, at the beginning of the new lunar month (the only time by the way at which it appears possible), the Sun was eclipsed after noon. After it had assumed the form of a crescent, and some of the stars had come out, it returned to its natural shape." Refers to an annular solar eclipse of 3 August (29 July) 431 BC. Thucydides (Greek historian, c460-400 BC) History of the Peloponnesian War. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 346, and, in part, in Encyclopaedia Britannica CD 98. Ref FE 01/01.
August
03, -0430 (431 BC)
Oldest European record of a verifiable solar eclipse (annular), by the Greek historian Thucydides.
August
03, 1872
Charles A. Young (US) observes a flare on the Sun with a spectroscope; he calls attention to its coincidence with a magnetic storm on Earth.
August
03, 1981
Minor planet (3115) Baily 1981 PL. Discovered 1981
August 3 by E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa.
Named for Francis Baily (1774-1844), English astronomer and one of the
founders of the Royal Astronomical Society. During his observation of the total
solar eclipse of 1836 he noticed intrusions of sunlight around the Moon's limb,
which have become known as Baily's beads. (M 10847) Name proposed by the discoverer following a
suggestion by B. Hetherington. Baily is
also honored by a lunar crater. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN
3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
August
03, 1998
First contact with SOHO (ESA) after more then one month silence. Ref. DD. 10/99.
August
05, 0761
Of the 14 summits 8000 meters, only
August
05, 1766
Cook 3061 (1982 UB1): Minor planet discovered
October 21, 1982 by E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa.
Named for James Cook
(1728-1779), British circumnavigator and one of the first scientific
navigators. He observed the Solar
Eclipse of 1766 August 5 from
August
05, 1766
Eclipse observed southeast of
August
06, 1618
Johannes Kepler determent the distance to the sun to be 22,5 milj km. (ref. DD 8/98)
August
06, 1766
Birth of William Hyde Wollaston (1766-1828), British Doctor and chemist. He saw in 1802 the Fraunhoferlines in the Solar spectrum but considered it as a limitation of colors. (Ref DD 8/99, Rc 1999)
August
06, 1963
Lost contact with OSO 1, American Orbiting Solar Observatory. Ref DD 10.99.
August
07, 1869
Charles Augustinus Young and William Harkness (US)
independently discover a new bright (emission) line in the spectrum of the
Sun's corona, never before observed on earth; they ascribe it to a new element
and it is named coronium. In 1941, this
green line is identified by Bength Edlén (
August
07, 1869
In the
August
07, 1869
The Baily's beads were first photographed at the
eclipse of August 7, 1869 by C. F. Hines and members of the Philadelphia
Photographic Corps, observing from
August
07, 1981
Minor planet (3727) Maxhell 1981 PQ. Discovered 1981 August 7 by A. Mrkos
at Klet. Named in memory of Maximilian
Hell (1720-1792), famous for his determination of the solar parallax from his
observations of the transit of Venus in 1769. Appointed director of the
Imperial Observatory in
August
07, 1985
Landing of STS-51F Challenger. 7 astronauts, Spacelab 2. Five telescopes on board study nearly continuous the sun and other stars. Ref. DD 10/99.
August
08, 2241
The last total solar eclipse at
August
08, 2001
Genesis was launched on August 8, 2001, and was
sent into a "halo orbit" around the L1 Lagrangian point of
gravitational equilibrium between the Earth and Sun. From December 2001 until
April 2004, the spacecraft gathered particles streaming from the Sun, capturing
them using wafers of silicon, sapphire, gold, and diamond. Scientists expected
to have about 0.4 milligram of solar-wind material to study. Genesis marked the
first of many planned sample-return missions from comets, asteroids, and
Mars. September 8, 2004 | NASA's Genesis
spacecraft returned to Earth this morning but made a crash landing in Utah
instead of the planned capture by a precision-flying helicopter stunt
pilot. The homecoming was proceeding as
planned up through the capsule's plunge into the atmosphere shortly before 10
August
09, 0975
"The Sun was eclipsed . . . . Some people say that it was entirely total. During the hours mao and ch'en (some time between 5 and 9 h) it was all gone. It was the colour of ink and without light. All the birds flew about in confusion and the various stars were all visible. There was a general amnesty (on account of the eclipse)." From: Nihon Kiryaku. "At the hour ch'en (7-9 h), the Sun was eclipsed; it was completely total. All under heaven became entirely dark and the stars were all visible." From: Fuso Ryakki. "The Sun was eclipsed; it was all gone. It was like ink and without light. The stars were all visible (or: stars were visible in the daytime)." From: Hyaku Rensho. These three Japanese quotations refer to a total solar eclipse of 9 August AD 975. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, pages 267 and 268.
August
09, 1819
Birth of
August
09, 1896
"If, during the progress of a total [solar]
eclipse, the gradually diminishing crescent of the sun is watched, nothing
remarkable is seen until very near the moment of its total disappearance. But,
as the last ray of sunlight vanishes, a scene of unexampled beauty, grandeur,
and impressiveness breaks upon the view. The globe of the moon, black as ink,
is seen as if it were hanging in mid-air, surrounded by a crown of soft,
silvery light, like that which the old painters used to depict around the heads
of saints. Besides this ”corona•, tongues of rose-coloured flame of the most
fantastic forms shoot out from various points around the edge of the lunar
disk. Of these two appearances, the corona was noticed at least as far back as
the time of Kepler; indeed, it was not possible for a total eclipse to happen
without the spectators seeing it. But it is only within a century that the
attention of astronomers has been directed to the rose-coloured flames,
although an observation of them was recorded in the Philosophical Transactions
nearly two centuries ago. They are known by the several names of
"flames," "prominences," and
"protruberances."" Simon
Newcomb Popular Astronomy 1890 See
Exploratorium: Eclipse Expeditions, 1890. Albert Bergman, On Board the
August
09, 1911
Birth of William Alfred Fowler in
August
09, 1953
Minor planet (1652)
Hergé 1953 PA. Discovered 1953 August 9 by S. Arend at
August
11, 1124
"In the month of August on the 11th day,
before the evening service, the Sun began to diminish and perished completely.
Great fright and darkness everywhere. And the stars appeared and the Moon
(sic). And the Sun began to augment and became full again and everyone in the
town was very glad." Refers to a total solar eclipse in
August
11, 1835
In 1835, Sir George Biddell Airy (1801-1892) began
his 46 year reign as
August
11, 1999
Last total solar eclipse in Europe and
August
11, 2001
First Totality
Day. TD2001 was held in the
Open University of Milton Keynes (
August
12, 0603
Last total solar eclipse on
August
12, 2026
Next total solar eclipses in
August
12, 2045
Last trio of total
solar eclipses at one place on earth and occurring within a span less then 20
years happened in 1941. The total solar
eclipses of 21 September 1941, 9 July 1945 and 25 February 1952 were visible in
Kazachstan east of
August
12, 2045
Total Solar Eclipse in North and South America,
just one year after the last in the
August
13, 1814
Birth of Anders Jonas Angstrom (1814-1874), Swedish astronomer and physicist, pioneer in the spectroscopy and spectra analysis. He found the relation between the fraunhoferlines in the solar spectra and the discontinue spectra of hot gases. Showed some elements in the atmosphere of the sun. Published in 1868 the atlas of the solar spectra. His name is used for the angstrom 10-10m. (ref. DD 8/98, Rc 1999)
August
14, 0733
"In this year Aethelbald captured Somerton;
and the Sun was eclipsed, and all the Sun‘s disc was like a black shield; and
Acca was driven from his bishopric."
The Anglo Saxon Chronicle.Refers to the annular solar eclipse of 14
August AD 733.(Quoted in UK Solar Eclipses from Year 1 by Williams, and in The
Sun in Eclipse by Maunder and
August
14, 0733
"In the year 733 an eclipse of the Sun
occurred on the 19th day before the Kalends of September (i.e. Aug 14), about
the third hour of the day, with the result that almost the whole of the Sun's
disc seemed to be covered by a black and horrid shield." Refers to an annular solar eclipse in
northern
August
14, 0733
"One year after the Arabs had been driven back
across the Pyrenees after the battle of
August
14, 1901
Minor Planet (475) Ocllo Discovered 1901 August 14 by D. Stewart at
August
15, -0309 (310 BC)
"Agathocles, who was already at the point of
being overtaken and surrounded, gained unhoped for safety as night closed in.
On the next day there occurred such an eclipse of the Sun that utter darkness
set in and the stars were seen everywhere; wherefore Agathocles' men, believing
that the prodigy portended misfortune for them, fell into even greater anxiety
about the future. After they had sailed for six days and the same number of
nights, just as day was breaking, the fleet of the Carthaginians was
unexpectedly seen far away." Refers to a solar eclipse of 15 August 310
BC. From: Diodorus Siculus (Greek historian, 1st century BC), Library of
History. Agathocles was a tyrant who had made his escape, with a fleet of sixty
ships, from a blockade at
August
16, 1920
Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer (1836-1920) died August
16th, 1920, at Salcombe Hill,
August
16, 1984
Launch of AMPTE, three British satellites which study the solar wind and the interaction with the atmosphere. (ref. DD 8/98)
August
16, 1989
Minor Planet (4713) Steel 1989 QL. Discovered 1989
August 26 by R. H. McNaught at Siding Spring.
Named in honor of Duncan Steel, Anglo-Australian astronomer who has
conducted research on the origin and evolution of asteroids, comets and
meteoroids. In particular, he has shown that several Apollo asteroids are the
parents of meteor showers, indicating that these Apollos are likely to be
extinct or moribund cometary nuclei. He has also worked extensively on radar
observations of the meteoric influx to the atmosphere, planetary impact rates,
and the dynamics of small solar system bodies. (M 17982) Dictionary of Minor
Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
August
16, 2004
According to the new
theory developed by Bart De Pontieu (Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics
Lab) and his collaborators, the spicules are intimately related to the slight
pulsations of the Sun's visible surface (photosphere) caused by giant sound
waves called p-modes ricocheting in its interior. The p-modes are normally
trapped near the photosphere, but they can leak into the atmosphere above with
the help of strong magnetic-field structures called magnetic flux tubes. (ref. Sky & Telescope http://SkyandTelescope.com/news/article_1323_1.asp
August 17, 1966
Launch of Pioneer 7, American solar satellite. Studied prominences and solar atmosphere. (ref. DD 8/98)
August
18, -0179 (180 BC)
"Empress of Kao-tzu, 7th year, first month, day chi-ch'ou, the last day of the month. The Sun was eclipsed; it was total; it was 9 deg in (the lunar lodge) Ying-shih, which represents the interior of the Palace chambers. At that time the (Dowager) Empress of Kao-[tzu] was upset by it and said, 'This is on my account'. The next year it was fulfilled." Pan Ku Han-shu (AD 58-AD76). "On the day chi-ch'ou, the Sun was eclipsed, and it became dark in the daytime. The Empress Dowager was upset by it and her heart was ill at ease. Turning to those around her she said, 'This is on my account.'" Szu-ma Ch'ien Shih-chi Both of these quotations refer to a total solar eclipse of 4 March 181 BC. The Empress died on 18 August 180 BC. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 234.
August
18, 1868
During the eclipse of 18 August 1868 from the Red Sea through India to Malaysia and New Guinea, prominences are first studied with spectroscopes and shown to be composed primarily of hydrogen by James Francis Tennant (1829-1915), UK, John Herschel (1837-1921, UK - son of Sir John Frederick William Herschel 1792-1871, grandson of Sir William Herschel 1738-1822), Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907, France), George Rayet (France), and Norman Pogson (UK/India). All observers did see the spectra for a few moments. Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907) was so fascinated that he looked the next day when there was no eclipse. He saw the bright red line which he saw the day before. It was the first time that a prominence had been observed without an eclipse. A few days later, Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer (1836-1920) did the similar discovery. (ref. HD 1954, Rc 1999)
August
18, 1868
In his book Les Eclipses de Soleil, M.G. Bigourdan published a sketch of an
eclipse of , made by Bullock in
August
18, 1868
Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907,
August
19, 1646
Birth of John Flamsteed (1646-1719) who observed
the 1715 solar eclipse from
August
19, 1887
Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleeff (1834-1907),
Russian. Uses a balloon to ascend above
the cloud cover to an altitude of 11.500 feet (3.5 km) to observe an eclipse in
August
20, 1514
"At the hour of wu (i.e. between 11 and 13 h) the sun was eclipsed. The sky and Earth became dark in the daytime. All the birds flew about in alarm. The domestic animals went into the forest. At the hour of yu (17-19 h) the light came back." From: Fu-ning Chou-chih (local history of Fu-ning county). "At the hour of wu suddenly the Sun was eclipsed; it was total. Stars were seen and it was dark. Objects could not be discerned at arm's length. The domestic animals were alarmed and people were terrified. After one (double-) hour it became light." From: Chiang-hsi (Jiangsi) province. Both of these quotations refer to a total solar eclipse of 20 August 1514. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 261.
August
20, 2004
Second edition of the international Solar Eclipse Conference (SEC2004) in the Open University of Milton Keynes (UK) organized by Patrick (see picture) and Joanne Poitevin (see Picture) 20 to 22 August 2004). Speakers in alphabetical order: Jay Anderson (Canada), Ralph Chou (Canada), Friedhelm Dorst (Germany), Leo Dubal (France), Fred Espenak (USA), Nigel Evans (UK), Mike Foulkes and Derek Hatch (UK), Jean Paul Godard and Martine Tlouzeau (France), Pierre Guillermier (France), Peter Hingley (UK), Barrie Jones (UK), Serge Koutchmy (France), Jean Marc Lariviere (Canada), Eli Maor (USA), Chris O'Byrne (Ireland), John Parkinson (UK), Jay Pasachoff (USA), Vojtech Rusin, Milan Minarovjech (Slovakia) and Miloslav Druckmuller (Czech Republic), Eckehard Schmidt (Germany), Glenn Schneider (USA), F. Richard Stephenson (UK), Babak Tafreshi and Hamid Khodashenas (Iran), Peter Tiedt (South Africa), Tom Van Flandern (USA), and last but not least Robert van Gent (The Netherlands). There were 115 delegates (see picture) out of approx. 20 different countries. See Logo and see picture of Jay Anderson and Fred (PP in middle).
August
21, 1560
Christoph Clavius (1537-1612) witnessed two spectacular Eclipses of the Sun in the space of 7 years. "One of these I observed about midday at Coimbra in Lusitania (Portugal) in the year 1559 (after calculations it was 1560), in which the Moon was placed between my sight and the Sun with the result that it covered the whole Sun for a considerable length of time." (ref. EJ 97)
August
21, 1560
In "Name in the Window" Margaret Demorest
proposes that Shakespeare. sonnets, nos 1-109, incorporate a calendar for the
years 1501-1609, each sonnet corresponding to a year. The 3 appearances of the
word Eclipse have been investigated by Peter Nockolds. "Nativity once in the
August
21, 1977
Minor Planet (4010) Nikol'skij 1977 QJ2. Discovered 1977 August 21 by N. S.
Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in memory of
Gennadij Mikhajlovich Nikol'skij (1929-1982), Soviet astronomer, known for his
research on the sun and the solar corona and as a codiscoverer of the solar
wind. (M 19695) Obituaries published in
Zemlya Vselennaya, No. 3, p. 33-34 (1983); Properties and interactions of
interplanetary dust, p. XXIII-XXIV (1985). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names -
ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
August
21, 2017
Next total solar
eclipse in the
August
22, 1834
Birth of Samuel Pierpont Langley (1834-1906), American astronomer and physicist. Developed a bolometer and determent the value of the solar constant. (ref. DD 8/98, Rc 1999)
August
22, 1906
Minor Planet (754) Malabar Discovered 1906 August
22 by A. Kopff at
August
22, 2408
At a spot in the
August
23, 2044
Total Solar Eclipse in North America, first in a
rare pair of two only one year apart (
August
25, 1997
Launch of Advanced Composition Explorer (US) for solar study and study of the composition of solarwind. (ref. DD 08/98)
August
25, 2929
A fictive eclipse on
25 August 2929 followed by 17 July 2930.
In 2930 there would be an eclipse season without a solar eclipse **IF**
the eccentricity of the orbit of the
Earth was 0.033 (about twice its present value).Ref. More Mathematical
Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
August
26, 1718
A region in the
southwestern
August
26, 1865
Death of Johann Franz Encke (1791-1865), German astronomer. Studied the comet with the same name, discovered the gap in the A-ring of Saturn and determent an accurate value of the solar parallax. The Royal Society mentioned the death to be 26 or 28 August 1865. (ref. DD 8/98, Rc 1999)
August
26, 1962
Launch of Mariner 2 (US). Passed Venus and discovered solar wind. (ref. DD 8/98)
August
27, 1998
The Minor Planet Circulars published following on March 18, 2003: (14120) Espenak = 1998 QJ54 Discovered 1998 August 27 by the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search at the Anderson Mesa Station. Fred Espenak Jr. (b. 1952), of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, is widely recognized for his calculations of solar eclipses, his magnificent maps of these phenomena and his book 'Totality: Eclipses of the Sun'. Ref. SENL April 2003. Fred together with Jay Anderson (left) and PP (middle) at SEC2004.
August
28, 0360
"It was almost total and was in Chueh. Whenever an eclipse covers a small portion of the Sun the calamity it brings will be relatively small, but when it covers a large portion of the Sun the consequences will be much more serious. Chueh forms the 'Celestial Entrance', and hence misfortune would fall upon the Head of State - the next year the Emperor died." Refers to a solar eclipse of 28 August AD 360. From: Chin-shu ('History of the Chin Dynasty', Chinese). Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, pages 232 and 241.
August
29, 1886
Bettina 250: Minor planet discovered 1885 September 3 by Johann Palisa at Vienna. Named for Baroness Bettina von Rothschild of the Austrian plutocratic family. In Observator, Vol 8 p 63 (1885) the following info was published: "Herr Palisa, being desirous to raise funds for his intended expedition to observe the Total Solar Eclipse of August 29, 1886 will sell the right naming the minor planet N°244 for 50 English Pounds"... (ref. VK 97)
August
29. 1986
Discovery of Minor Planet Steyaert (Minor Planet
Circular nummer 53173 of 26 November 2004).
(3788) Steyaert = 1986 QM3 Discovered 1986 August 29 by Henri Debehogne
at the European Southern Observatory.
Belgian amateur astronomer Christian Steyaert (born
August 30, 1844
Death of Francis Baily (1774-1844) in
August
30, 1905
In "Chasing Eclipses" by Rebecca R. Joslin (Walton Ad-vertising and Printing, 1929).Spain. “Then as the moon moved slowly on, and off, the sun faintly pierced the cloud and lighted the earth and life returned. But we hardly had time to draw a breath, when suddenly we were enveloped by a palpable presence, inky black, and clammy cold, that held us paralyzed and breathless in its grasp, then shook us loose, and leaped off over the city and above the bay, and with ever and ever increasing swiftness and incredible speed swept over the Mediterranean and disappeared in the east-ern horizon. Shivering from its icy embrace, the seized with a superstitious terror, we gasped, "What was That?" Had the terrible Horsemen of the Apocalypse been riding over the city, and had we stood in their pathway? Had the Angel of Death held us in his arms for a moment, and then, as our time had not yet come, thrown us off for a little longer stay on earth? The look of consternation on M's face lingered for an instant, and then suddenly changed to one of radiant joy, as the triu m-phant reply rang out, "That was the Shadow of the Moon!" Ref. SENL 02.02
August
30, 1981
Minor planet (3123) Dunham 1981 QF2. Discovered 1981 August 30 by E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa. Named in honor of David W. Dunham, American astronomer and organizer of the International Occultation Timing Association. Dunham has played a cardinal role in collecting and analyzing occultation observations, particularly those involving asteroids and grazing occultations by the Moon. In addition, he has stimulated many observers to make accurate and useful timings of occultation phenomena. (M 10847) Name proposed by the discoverer following suggestions by E. Goffin and P. L. Dombrowski. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Dunham studies de diameter of the sun by his grazing (central) solar eclipses.
August
30, 1991
Launch of the Japanese solar mission Yohkoh (Solar-A). Study of prominences and other processes in roentgen and UV. Ref. DD 8/98. Yohkoh passed away on 12 September 2005.
August
31, 1821
Birth of Hermann L. F. von Helmholtz, Du. physiologist, doctor and physicist. In 1834 he mentioned that the contraction of material the cause was of energy on the sun. He calculated that the sun could remain for 15 mil years if it contracted 60 m per year. (Ref DD 08/99)
August
31, 1932
G.G. Cillie (UK) and Donald H. Menzel (US) uses
eclipse spectra to show that the Sun's corona has a higher temperature (faster
atomic motion) than the photosphere.
Confirmed, with much higher temperature, by Roderick Oliver Redman
(1905-1975) during an eclipse in
August
31, 1979
Comet Howard-Koomur-Michiels collapsed on the sun. (ref. DD 8/98)
September
01, 1859
In 1859, the first solar flare ever to be
recorded by humankind. An intense aurora
followed the next day. Two independent
observers, Richard C. Carrington and R. Hodson (UK), described their
experiences in volume twenty of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical
Society. They are the first to observe a
flare on the Sun and they both note that a magnetic storm in progress on earth
intensifies soon afterwards, but they refrain from connecting the two events.
September
02, 2817
Total solar eclipse in
September
03, 0118
". . . about this time while he was
pursuing his studies in
September
03, 1885
Bettina 250: Minor planet discovered 1885
September 3 by Jojann Palisa at
September
03, 1998
SOHO recharged his batteries after months
of inactivity. (Ref DD 09/99)
September
03, 2081
Next large partial solar eclipse in the
September
03, 2081
Next Total Solar Eclipse in
September
04, 0501
“The sun was red and dim; within it there
was a single black spot.” Ref BAA 6/00
September
05, 1923
Minor planet (1005) Arago Discovered 1923
September 5 by S. I. Belyavskij at Simeis.
Named in honor of François Arago (1786-1853), since 1843 director of the
Paris Observatory, life-secretary of the Academy of Sciences, politician and
author of the four volume Astronomie Populaire (1854-1857). (H 96) Arago is also honored by craters on Mars and
the Moon. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright ©
1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
05, 1984
Landing of STS-41D Discovery: 6 astronauts,
of whom 1 paid passenger. 3 satellites
launched. Big solar panel folded open
and shots made with IMAX-camera. 1rst
flight for Discovery, 12 for all shuttles together (Ref DD 9/99)
September
06, 1892
Birth of E. V. Appleton, British physicist. Studied relation between solar and earth
atmosphere. Got Nobel price in 1947 for
physics. (ref. DD 9/98)
September
07, -0246 (247 BC)
"[D]iary for year 65 (SE), king
Antiochus . . . [month V]. The 28th, 74 deg after sunrise, solar eclipse (at) 5
months' distance; when I watched I did not see it." Refers to a solar eclipse of 7 September 247
BC, predicted to take place in Babylon, but which was actually far north of
Babylon. Babylonian tablet in the
British Museum. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F
Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 122.
September
07, 1820
Partial eclipse in England but annular
over the Isles of Shetland. The trial of
Queen Caroline was going on in the House of Lords, and the House suspended its
sitting for a short time for the sake of the eclipse. (ref. Chambers, The Story of Eclipses, 1899)
September
07, 1858
Neither at Olmos nor
September
07, 1956
Minor Planet (2165) Young 1956 RJ. Discovered 1956 September 7 at the
Goethe Link Observatory at Brooklyn, Indiana.
Named in memory of Charles Augustus Young (1834-1908), known
affectionately as "Twinkle" Young by the Princeton students. He
accepted the professorship of astronomy at Princeton in 1877, the year that his
most famous student, Henry Norris Russell {see planet (1762)}, was born.
Earlier he was a professor at Dartmouth, as his father and grandfather had
been. He discovered the green line ($lambda$5304) in the solar corona in 1869,
and the following year he was the first both to observe the "flash
spectrum" and to photograph a prominence. In 1876 he made the first use of
the grating spectroscope in astronomy for the determination of the Sun's
rotation period. The last of his three successful textbooks, Manual of
astronomy, was updated by Russell, Dugan {see planet (2772)} and Stewart in
1926. (M 8798) Name proposed by F. K.
Edmondson. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright ©
1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
07, 1962
(2624) Samitchell 1962 RE. Discovered 1962 September 7 at the
Goethe Link Observatory at Brooklyn, Indiana.
Named in memory of Samuel Alfred Mitchell (1874-1960), a faculty member
of Columbia University from 1899 to 1913 and then director of the Leander
McCormick Observatory until 1945, known for his work on solar eclipses and
stellar parallaxes. His measurements of the flash spectrum at the eclipses in
1900, 1901 and 1905 referred to nearly 3,000 lines. His book Eclipses of the
Sun went through five editions. His photographic parallax work with the
McCormick refractor resulted in the publication of 2,001 parallaxes by 1950.
Subsequent work by van de Kamp {see planet (1965)} and Vyssotsky {see planet
(1600)}, encouraged and supported by Mitchell, yielded absolute proper motions
of 29,000 stars between magnitudes 8 and 12. (M 10844) Name proposed by F. K. Edmondson. Dictionary
of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September 08, 2004
NASA's Genesis spacecraft returned to
Earth this morning but made a crash landing in Utah instead of the planned
capture by a precision-flying helicopter stunt pilot. The homecoming was proceeding as planned up
through the capsule's plunge into the atmosphere shortly before 10 a.m.
Mountain Daylight Time. But as cameras
homed in on the falling capsule, the pictures revealed that neither its drogue
parachute nor parafoil had deployed. The capsule fell out of control and hit
the desert floor at an estimated 190 miles per hour. The impact cracked the
outer sample-return capsule and possibly ruptured the inner science capsule
containing the solar-wind collectors.
Genesis was launched on August 8, 2001, and was sent into a "halo
orbit" around the L1 Lagrangian point of gravitational equilibrium between
the Earth and Sun. From December 2001 until April 2004, the spacecraft gathered
particles streaming from the Sun, capturing them using wafers of silicon,
sapphire, gold, and diamond. Scientists expected to have about 0.4 milligram of
solar-wind material to study. Genesis marked the first of many planned
sample-return missions from comets, asteroids, and Mars.
September
09, 1933
Birth of Belgian
eclipse chaser and founder of Lichtenknecker Optics Joseph Ruland. Joseph passed away February 23, 2005. His son Hugo, took over Lichtenknecker
Optics. See http://www.lo.be/lo/nl/index.htm .
Joseph Rualdn was a fanatic eclipse chaser and participated in most African
eclipse expedition. Most of the time, he
designed and made the equipement for many of his team members. Ruland sponsored an various occasions
telescopes and/or filters to Patrick Poitevin.
September
09, 1934
Minor Planet (1670) Minnaert 1934 RZ. Discovered 1934 September 9 by H.
van Gent at Johannesburg. Named in honor
of the late Prof. Marcel G. J. Minnaert {1893-1970}, who was Director of the
Utrecht Observatory from 1937 until 1963. He made major contributions to solar
research and prepared (with Mulders and Houtgast) the Photometric Atlas of the
Solar Spectrum. He was an extraordinarily effective lecturer and writer in the
popularization of astronomy. (M 3185)
Minnaert is also honored by a lunar crater. Obituaries published in
Astron. Nachr., Vol. 292, p. 192 (1970); Orion, 28. Jahrg., p. 195 (1970);
Hemel en Dampkring, Vol. 68, p. 289-292 (1970); l'Astronomie, Vol. 84, p. 525
(1970); Observatory, Vol. 90, p. 272 (1970); Sky Telesc., Vol. 40, p. 344
(1970); Nature, Vol. 229, p. 214 (1971); Astrophys. Space Sci., Vol. 10, p.
183-185 (1971); Solar Phys., Vol. 17, p. 3-5 (1971); Astron. Tidsskr., Vol. 3,
p. 199-200 (1970); Icarus, Vol. 15, p. 147-148 (1971); Q.J.R. Astron. Soc.,
Vol. 12, p. 338-341 (1971); Irish Astron. J., Vol. 11, p. 161 (1973).
Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
09, 1991
Minor planet (7127) Stifter 1991 RD3.
Discovered 1991 September 9 by F. Börngen and L. D. Schmadel at
Tautenburg. Named for the most famous
Austrian narrator Adalbert Stifter (1805-1868). After formative years spent in
the Bohemian Forest, he studied near the Benedictine Abbey in Kremsmünster,
later living in Vienna and Linz {see planets (397) and (1469)}. In his brillant
novels and epics (The Timber Forest, Rock Crystal, Indian Summer and Witiko)
landscapes were described in a superb manner. Stifter described the correlation
of man and nature in a subtle manner, full of feeling. He dealt with questions
of education, love and piety, and he was also engaged in painting and science.
He gave full details of the total solar eclipse of 1842 July 8 as observed in
Vienna. (M 29149) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 -
Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
09, 1994
Launch of STS-64 Discovery with 6
astronauts for nearly 11 days.
Experiments with Spartan (solar wind and corona) and atmosphere research
with Lite. (ref. DD 9/98)
September
10, 1919
Robert B. Leighton, was born on 10 Sep
1919. OK, during the only total eclipse he tried to observe (Hawaii 1991), he
was clouded out. But, using the 60-ft.
solar tower at Mt. Wilson (California) more than 30 years earlier, he had
discovered the 5-min. and 15-min. oscillations of the Sun, thereby creating the
field of helioseismology, which occupies several dozen scientists around the
world today. (GONG, etc.) (Ref. AL 9/99)
September
10, 1923
Hildago 944:Minor planet discovered
October 31, 1920 by W. Baade at Bergedorf.
German astronomers observed the Total Solar Eclipse 1923 September 10 in
September
10, 1967
Surveyor 5 (US) makes a soft landing on
the moon. Made more then 19.000 pictures
and landed 25 km from the later landing place of Apollo 11. (ref. DD 9/98)
September
10, 1978
Minor Planet (2100) Ra-Shalom 1978 RA. Discovered 1978 September 10 by E.
F. Helin at Palomar. Named by the
discoverer for the Egyptian sun-god Ra, who symbolizes enlightenment and life,
and for Shalom, the traditional Hebrew greeting meaning peace. This name is
chosen to commemorate the Camp David mid-east peace conference, at which time
this unusual body was found. May it stand as a symbol for the universal hope
for peace. (M 4548) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 -
Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
11, 1972
Minor planet 2238) Steshenko 1972 RQ1. Discovered 1972 September 11 by N.
S. Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in honor
of Nikolaj Vladimirovich Steshenko {1927-
}, deputy director of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, whose
comprehensive support has contributed to the success of the program for the
discovery and observation of minor planets. Well-known for his work in solar physics,
he is in charge of the program of solar observations from space, and he is the
author of the design for the Soviet 25-m-diameter mosaic optical telescope. (M
5850) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999
by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
12, 1838
Birth of Arthur J. G. F. von Auwers,
German astronomer. He reviewed the
distance of the sun several times, using transits of Venus and a close
encounter of a minor planet. Ref DD
9/99.
September
12, 1851
Birth of Sir Arthur Schuster (1851-1934). A comet is discovered and photographed by Sir Arthur Schuster (1851-1934), Germany/UK, during an eclipse in Egypt: first time a comet discovered in this way has been photographed. The Total Solar Eclipse had been observed by Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer (1836-1920), Ranard and Schuster from England, Tacchini from Italy, Trépied, Thollon and Puiseux from France. Observation from Sohag at the Nile. (Ref. Rc 1999). See Eclipse Comets link on our WebPages.
September 12, 2005
Yohkoh
passed away on 12 September 2005. The
Yohkoh spacecraft reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 12 September 2005 over
September
13, 1178
Vigeois, France .., on a clear day, about
the 5th hour, the Sun suffered an eclipse,... (Ex Chronico Gaufredi Vosiensis,
Bouquet, 1781, p447) Ref PG 9/99.
September
13, 1912
Birth of H. W. Babcock, American
astronomer. Studied magnetic fields of
the sun. (ref. DD 9/98)
September
13, 1955
Minor Planet (3167) Babcock 1955 RS.
Discovered 1955 September 13 at the Goethe Link Observatory at
September
13, 2003
Julena Duncombe passed away on Saturday,
September 13, 2003 at a hospital in Highlands, Texas. In the 60's and 70's she did the USNO Eclipse
Circulars, the most detailed data then available on solar eclipses. Ref. Bob Morris on the SEML January 2004.
September
14, 1923
Minor planet (1073) Gellivara Discovered 1923 September 14 by J. Palisa at
Vienna. Named for the small town
Gällivare in Swedish Lapland where in the year 1927 astronomers from several
countries observed the total solar eclipse of 1927 June 29. (H 101) Named by the Austrian astronomer J. Rheden
and endorsed by Anna Palisa. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN
3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
14, 1994
Ulysses (ESA) reached the south pole of
the sun (-80,22 degrees). (ref. DD 9/98)
September
14, 2099
Total Solar Eclipse in North America (Canada, USA).
September
16, 1950
Minor planet (1613) Smiley 1950 SD.
Discovered 1950 September 16 by S. Arend at Uccle. Named in honor of Charles Hugh Smiley
{1903-1977}, interested mainly in orbit computations by Leuschner's method,
director of the Ladd Observatory and professor at Brown University, Providence,
R.I. (M 3931) Smiley not only worked on
the field of minor planet dynamics. He led 14 solar eclipse expeditions, in
Peru, Canada, Brazil, Thailand, Pakistan, and the U.S.A., and did much work on
the study of the Mayan calendar. Obituaries are published in J.R. Astron. Soc.
Canada, Vol. 72, p. 46-47 (1978); Q.J.R. Astron. Soc., Vol. 19, p. 510-511
(1978). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright ©
1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
17, 1354
"In this year on 17 September that
novelty appeared. The Sun became dark on
a Wednesday at about the third hour and it lasted for the space of two
hours. Above the Sun and Moon, which
were joined together - that is, the Moon was covering the Sun - there appeared
a very large star with fiery rays like a torch . . . Many people viewed the rays of the small Sun
by reflection in a mirror or in clear water. And the rays of the Sun were so
small and so dark, on account of the Moon covering the Sun, that there did not
remain un-obscured as much as 3 fingers of the Sun. . . Everyone appeared deathly pale." Refers to a total solar eclipse in
September
17, 1354
September 17, 1982
Minor planet (4567)
Becvár 1982 SO1. Discovered 1982 September 17 by M. Mahrová at
Klet. Named in memory of the Czech
astronomer Antonín Becvár (1901-1965), founder and first director of the
Skalnaté Pleso {see planet (2619)} Observatory in
September
18, 1783
Death of Leonhard Euler (1707-1783),
Swiss mathematician and astronomer.
Observed transit of Venus in 1769 and determent herewith the distance to
the sun being 151.225.000 km. (ref. DD
9/98, Rc 1999)
September
18, 1819
Birth of Jean Bernard Leon Foucault
(1819-1868), French physicist.
Photographed the sun and measured the speed of light together with
(Armand) Hippolyte Louis Fizeau (1819-1896).
The Royal Society gives 18 or 19 September 1819. (ref. DD 9/98, Rc 1999)
September
18, 1896
Death of (Armand) Hippolyte Louis Fizeau
(1819-1896), French physicist. Known for
his measurements of the speed of light and he made a daguerreotype (picture) of
the sun together with Jean Bernard Leon Foucault (1819-1868). (ref.
DD 9/98, Rc 1999)
September
18, 1919
Minor planet (922) Schlutia Discovered 1919 September 18 by K. Reinmuth
at Heidelberg. Named in honor of the
important businessmen Edgar Schlubach (Hamburg) and Mr. Tiarks (London) who
together supported the Dutch-German solar eclipse expedition to Christmas
Island in 1922. (H 89) Named (AN 218,
253 (1923)) by Schlubach and Tiarks. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN
3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
18, 1959
Launch of Vanguard 3 (US). Studied the sun in roentgen. Weight only 50 kg and is still in orbit
around the earth. (ref. DD 9/98)
September
18, 2620
Next total solar eclipse on the
Portuguese island
September
19, 1710
Death of Ole Romer, Danish astronomer, in
Copenhagen. From his observations of the
moons of Jupiter in 1676, he determined the speed of light.
September
19, 1950
Minor planet 2513 Baetsle 1950SH. Minor planet discovered September 19, 1950 by
S. Arend at Uccle. Named in memory of
Paul-Louis Baetsle (1909-1983). See Ciel
et Terre Vol 100, No 1, p11-12 (1984).
Baetslé was a professional eclipse chaser.
September
20, -0600 (0601 BC)
"Duke Hsuan, 8th year, 7th month,
day chia-tzu. The Sun was eclipsed and it was total." Refers to a total solar eclipse of 20
September 601 BC. From: Ch'un-ch'iu,
book VII (Chinese). Quoted in Historical
Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University
Press, 1997, page 226.
September
20, 1984
Minor planet (3490) Solc 1984 SV.
Discovered 1984 September 20 by A. Mrkos at Klet. Named in honor of Ivan Solc, well-known Czech
inventor of birefringent polarizing filters for research on solar prominences
and surface activity. (M 25976) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN
3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
20, 1995
Minor planet (7442) Inouehideo 1995 SC5.
Discovered 1995 September 20 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami. Named in honor of Hideo Inoue (1917- ), Japanese astronomer. An astronomy
enthusiast while still a child, he studied at the Tokyo College of Physics and
at the Institute of Cosmical Physics in Kyoto. While participating in Kyoto
University's expedition to the solar eclipse on 1941 Sept. 21 he obtained color
photographs of the solar corona, the first in Japan. He later worked at the
Peking Observatory, where he calculated the national ephemeris. After the war
he taught at technical high schools in Japan. For the International Geophysical
Year he led the Higasimatuyama Moonwatch Team. He is also an enthusiastic ham
radio operator. (M 34343) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0
- Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berliin Heidelberg
September
21, 1941
Last trio of total
solar eclipses at one place on earth and occurring within a span less then 20
years. The total solar eclipses of 21
September 1941, 9 July 1945 and 25 February 1952 were visible in Kazachstan
east of
September 21, 1922
Chant 3315 (1984 CZ): Minor planet
discovered February 08, 1984 by E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa. Named in memory of Clarence Augustus Chant
(1865-1956), generally referred to as the "father of Canadian astronomy". He participated in five Solar Eclipse expeditions,
the most important being the one he led to
September
21, 1922
Malabar 754 : Minor planet discovered
1906 August 22 by A. Kopff at Heidelberg.
Named in remembrance of the Dutch-German Solar Eclipse expedition to
Christmas Island in 1922. Malabar is a
city on Java. (I. van Houten-Groeneveld) AN 218, 253 (1923) – Ref VK 6/97
September
21, 1922
Schlutia 922: Minor planet discovered
September 18, 1919 by Karl Reinmuth at Heidelberg. Named in honor of the important businessmen
Edgar Schlubag (Hamburg) and Mr. Tiarks (London) who together supported the
Dutch-German Solar Eclipse expedition to Christmas Island in 1922. Named by Schlubach and Tiarks AN 218, 253
(1923). – Ref. VK 6/97
September
21, 1922
William Wallace
Campbell (1862-1938) and Robert J. Trumler (US) reconfirm Einstein's
relativistic bending of starlight during an eclipse in Wallal, Australia. More on the Einstein Project: www.einstein.caltech.edu and www.alberteinstein.info
.
September
22, 1968
This Eclipse has been successfully
observed in Western Siberia. A number of outstanding Eclipse observers have
attended the site of observation (Yurgamysh, Siberia): M.Waldmeier, J.Houtgast,
M.Laffineur, G.M.Nikolsky, M.N.Gnevyshev, S.K.Vsekhsvjatsky. Younger scientists also made observations
there in; among those Serge Koutchmy and Rudolf Gulyaev. (ref. personal mail RG-9/97)
September
22, 1973
Minor Planet (2721) Vsekhsvyatskij 1973 SP2. Discovered 1973 September 22 by N.
S. Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in honor
of Sergej Konstantinovich Vsekhsvyatskij {1905-1984}, professor at Kiev
University, a prominent researcher on comets, the Sun and solar activity. (M
7785) Obituaries published in Ríse
hvezd, Vol. 66, No. 5, p. 88 (1985); Zemlya Vselennaya, No. 2, p. 60-63 (1985);
Vesmír, Vol. 64, No. 9, p. 538 (1985). - This planet and the following ones are
named on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the All-Union Astronomical
Geodetical Organization. The initial letters of the four names spell out the
Russian abbreviation VAGO (Vsesoyuznoe Astronomo-Geodezicheskoe Obshchestvo)
for this body. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright
© 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
22, 1977
Launch Prognoz 6 (USSR), for study the
effect of sunshine on magnetosphere.
(ref. DD 9/98)
September
22, 1982
2816 Pien 1982 SO. Minor Planet discovered 1982, September 22 by
E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa. Named in
honor of Armand Pien, of the Royal Meteorological Institute,
September
22, 1982
Minor Planet (3077)
September
23, 1791
Birth of Johann Franz Encke (1791-1865),
German astronomer. Studied comet which
has the same name (predicted return in 1822).
Determined an accurate value of the sun parallax. (ref. DD 9/98, Rc 1999)
September
23, 1819
Birth of (Armand) Hippolyte Louis Fizeau
(1819-1896)., French physicist. Known
for his measurements on light velocity and made daguerreotype (photo) of the
sun both together with Jean Bernard Leon Foucault (1819-1868). The Royal Society mentioned 23 or 24
September 1819. (ref. DD 9/98, Rc 1999)
September
23, 1877
Death of Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier
(1811-1877), French astronomer. Believer
of the existence of planet Vulcan. (ref.
Rc 1999)
September
23, 1950
In the paper, Monthly Notices of the
Royal Astronomical Society, vol 111, p 477, published in 1951, R. Wilson
reported a <blue sun> which was observed over Edinburgh on the afternoon
of 26 September 1950. The sun <was
observed to be a deep blue indigo blue> from 3 pm, when it was first
noticed, until sunset. The following
day, the sun’s colour had returned to normal.
Wilson, who worked on the Royal Observatory, had the presence of mind to
take a spectrogram of the blue sun. This
shows a marked extinction of the red part of the solar spectrum when compared
to a spectrogram of the <normal sun>, so the effect was not a product of
the observer’s imagination. Wilson noted
that extensive forest fires had been burning in Alberta, Canada, on 23
September. The smoke clouds had reached
eastern Canada on 24 September, when they were thick enough to blot out the
sun. When the sun did become visible
again, it was purple or blue. Ref. New Scientist 11/3/00
September
23, 1981
Brian Marsden did send an IAU circular of
the discovery with the coronograph Solwind (Satellite P78-1). A comet collision on the sun was
detected. The comet was already
photographed in August 1979 but due to the change of the magnet band pictures,
it was discovered one year later. The
comet is called Howard-Koomen-Michiels.
Many other sungrazers have been detected and reported later (also
September
23, 2090
Next total solar eclipse in
September
24, 1898
Birth of Charlotte E.M. Sitterly,
American astronomer. End 20s she worked
at Mount Wilson Observatory with Charles E. St. John and Harold Babcock on a
study of the solar spectrum. They
analyzed lines in the spectra of sunspots.
She published books about solar spectra and multiple spectra lines. Ref DD 9/99.
September
24, 1935
Minor Planet 2213 Meeus 1935 SO. Minor Planet discovered 1935 September 24 by
Eugène J. Delporte at
September
24, 1960
Minor Planet (2471) Ultrajectum 6545 P-L. Discovered 1960 September 24 by C.
J. van Houten and I. van Houten-Groeneveld at Palomar. Named in honor of the University Observatory
at Utrecht, best known for its work on solar physics. Ultrajectum was the Roman
name for Utrecht. (M 8799) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN
3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
24, 1960
Minor planet (4180) Anaxagoras 6092 P-L.
Discovered 1960 September 24 by C. J. van Houten and I. van Houten-Groeneveld
at Palomar. Named after the Greek
philosopher Anaxagoras (c. 500-428 B.C.). He lived in Asia minor and in Athens,
where he became friend of Pericles. He taught that solar and lunar eclipses originated
in a scientific way and not as an act of the gods. This was an asebie (outrage
against the gods) and Anaxagoras had to flee; he died in exile. (M 22501) Anaxagoras is also honored by a lunar crater.
Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
24, 1960
Minor planet (7147) Feijth 4015 P-L.
Discovered 1960 September 24 by C. J. van Houten and I. van Houten-Groeneveld
at Palomar. Named in honor of Hendrik
(Henk) Feijth (1944-1997), a devoted and true amateur astronomer: making
variable star observations is his passion. Since the early 1960s he has been an
observer in the variable star observing group Nederlandse Vereniging voor Weer
en Sterrenkunde, Werkgroep Veranderlijke Sterren. Since 1981 he has been this
group's representative to the American Association of Variable Star Observers.
Feijth has made nearly 100,000 observations of variable stars and has lectured
and written articles for journals and books. (M 29672) Name proposed and citation prepared by T.
Jurriens. Obituaries published in
Radiant, Jaarg. 19, Nr. 3, p. 49-50 (1997); Zenit, Jaarg. 24, Nr. 7/8 (1997);
Int. Comet Q., Vol. 20, No. 2, p. 53 (1993). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names -
ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Henk also observed several solar eclipses.
September
24, 1979
Minor Planet (4687) Brunsandrej 1979 SJ11. Discovered 1979 September 24 by N.
S. Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in honor
of Andrej Vladimirovich Bruns (1931-
), staff member of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, an authority
on space astrophysics who has originated several unique instruments for
ultraviolet observations of the sun, stars and galaxies from satellites and
spacecraft. He designed the large Orbiting Solar Telescope controlled by
cosmonauts on Salyut 4 in 1975. A relative of Ernst Heinrich Bruns {see planet
(901)}, director of the Leipzig Observatory at the beginning of this century,
he is related on his mother's side to Euler {see planet (2002)}. (M 26762; M
27749) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999
by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
September
24, 2007
Transit of Minor Planet Adonis 24 September 2007. Transit of minor planet (2101) Adonis in front of the solar disk as seen from Earth - with a diameter of 0.005 arc sec (Europe, Africa). Not visible. (Ref. Meeus, Wikipedia)
September
25, 1644
Birth of Ole Romer in Aarhus. From his observations of the moons of Jupiter
in 1676, he determined the speed of light.
September
26, 0702
Ch'ang-an reign period, 2nd year, 9th
month, day i-ch'ou. The sun was eclipsed, it was almost completes. It was in
Chueh (Hsin-t'ang-shu, chap 32) Ref PG
9/99.
September 28, 1791
Captain George Vancouver observed this
Wednesday morning a partial solar eclipse.
He went on the name the barren rocky cluster of isles, by the name of
Eclipse Islands. The actual date was
September 27, 1791 at 22h39m (local time Sep. 28, 6h39m) with a mag. of
0.936. Patrick Poitevin observed at
about the same place the partial eclipse of September 2, 1997 (mag. 0.551)
between the clouds.
September
28, 1971
Launch of Luna 19 (USSR). Studied magnetic field of the moon and
prominences. (ref. DD 9/98)
September 28, 1981
Ferdinand Rudolf Thiel was born on 23
July 1899 In Kaiserslautern, Germany, and died on 28 September 1981 in
Aschaffenburg. Rudolf Thiel, author of
"And there was light". He
studied natural sciences in Bonn and Munich, worked as teacher in Aschaffenburg
und then moved to Berlin as freelance writer. During WW I he returned to
southern Germany and later lived in Darmstadt and finally in
Aschaffenburg. Ref. Wolf Dick Jan. 2005 (HASTRO)
September
29, 1956
Minor planet (3447) Burckhalter 1956 SC.
Discovered 1956 September 29 at the Goethe Link Observatory at
September
29, 1971
Launch of Orbiting Solar Observatory 7
(VS). Got in a wrong orbit. Observed sun in UV, XUV and roentgen. (ref. DD 9/98)
September
29, 1973
Minor planet (5791) Comello 4053 T-2.
Discovered 1973 September 29 by C. J. van Houten and I. van Houten-Groeneveld
at Palomar. Named in honor of Georg
Comello (1942- ), Dutch amateur
astronomer. His interests in astronomy include variable stars, comets and
traveling around the world to observe solar eclipses. Since 1960 he has been
employed at the Kapteyn Institute of the
September
30, 1995
Ulysses (ESA) finished its first phase of
Solar research. (ref. DD 9/98)
October
02, 1853
Death of Dominique Francois Jean Arago
(1786-1853), French astronomer. Studied
solar eclipse of July 08, 1842 and concluded it exist of gas. (ref. DD 9/98, Rc 1999)
October
02, 1938
Minor Planet (2237) Melnikov 1938 TB. Discovered 1938 October 2 by G. N.
Neujmin at Simeis. Named in memory of
Oleg Aleksandrovich Melnikov (1912-1982), on the staff of the Pulkovo
Observatory since 1933 and a professor at
October
02, 1959
At the New England eclipse of October 2,
1959, Dr. E. H. Land, inventor of the
October
02, 1978
Partial Solar Eclipse. A small scientific group under the guidance
of R. Gulyaev had used the Partial Eclipse for cinematographic observation of
occultation of individual chromosphere spicules by the Moon. Observes have been carried out using the
large Lyot-type coronagraph (lens diameter is 53 cm, equivalent focal length is
18 meters) at the Tien Shan coronal station near Alma-Ata. The brightness
distributions across spicules were first derived. (ref. personal mail Rudolf
Gulyaev)
October
03, 1966
George van den Bergh, famous for the
Saros cycle past away October 3, 1966.
George was born in Oss (The Netherlands) on April 25, 1890.
October
03, 1986
The shortest possible duration of a total
solar eclips may be a fraction of a second.
The solar eclipse of October 3, 1986 was annular along most of the
central track, but was total for about a tenth of a second over a restricted
area in the North Atlantic Ocean. Eight
observers saw this eclipse total from a plane. Some one did “see” this eclipse
and was NOT on that plane. Russel D.
Eberst “observed” the eclipse around Edinburgh in Scotland. He wrote:
The evening of October 3, 1986 was quite clear and so observations of
artificial satelites could be done. When
the first satelite of that evening was observed, 1985-82A or Kosmos 1682, it
seemed to be fainter in magnitude then expected. In the first instance, it was considered as
the position of the satelite, in its long axis directed to me. But when the second and the following
artificial satelites were appeared, the all looked unusual faint. They all looked if they would enter the shadow
of the earth and where 1 1/2 magnitude less then expected. By a sudden, I realised their was a solar
eclipse partial in the United Kingdom, and the satelites whom still “saw” the
sun, would experience a partial solar eclipse.
Calculating the magnitude corresponding to the sun, it would be about a
75 procent eclipse. Parently, I saw an
eclipse, which was theoreticly not visible in Great Britain. ref. Zenit Feb
1987.
October
03, 1986
This remarkable
annular total solar eclipse was rather close to a non-central AT solar
eclipse. A non-central occurs at a mean
frequency of once every 600 mill eclipses. There are two separate regions on
the earth surface. One is an annular
eclipse, the other where it is a total solar eclipse. Ref. More Mathematical Astronomical Morsels
by Jean Meeus. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
October 04, 0590
Quote from Historia Francorum by Gregory
of Tours (ca 539 ED - ca 594), bishop of Tours:
... There was an Earthquake on
the eighteenth day before the Kalends (note June 14) of the fifth month, being
the fourth day (of the week), early in the morning when dawn was coming. The sun was eclipsed in the middle of the
eight month and its light was so diminished that it scarely gave as much light
as the horns of the moon on the fifth day.
... The eight month is October (Octo is the Latin for eight) but it can
be even the eclipse of 13 October AD 581 which was about the same magnitude
(0.66) at Tours. (ref. ENB 9/1998)
October
04, 1582
Switch over to the Gregorian calendar and
cut 10 days from the calendar. Gregory's Decree promulgating the Reform
directed that the day 4 Oct., 1582, should be followed by the day 15 Oct.,
1582. Not all the Catholic countries,
and not all the Protestant ones, switched precisely at that time. Ref. PP/TS-9/97
October
04, 1937
Birth of Eli Maor, author of Venus in
Transit. Chases solar eclipses. He was 20 years old when Sputnik I was
launched on his birthday. (ref. Personal correspondence Eli Maor)
October
05, 1882
Giorgio Abetti, Italian astro physicist
who is best known for his studies of the Sun, born in Padua 5 October
1882. He participated in numerous
expeditions to observe eclipses of the sun and led one such expedition to
Siberia to observe the TSE of 19 June 1936.
Ref. The Bibliographical Dictionary of Scientists, edited by David
Abbott, 1994.
October
05, 1931
Minor Planet 2359 Debehogne 1931 TV. Minor Planet discovered 1931, October 5 by K.
Reinmuth at Heidelberg. Named in honor
of Henri Debehogne, astronomer at the Royal Observatory in Uccle. Noted for his astrometric work on comets and
minor planets. He also did some
experiments on astrometry at eclipses.
October
06, 1241
"In this same year, namely 1241 from
the Incarnation, on the 6th day from the beginning of October, on Sunday, the
Sun was again eclipsed and all the air was darkened. There was gresat terror
among everyone, just as in that eclipse which happened three years previously,
as we have attested above." Refers to a solar eclipse in Split of 6
October 1241. From: Thomae Historia Pontificum Salonitanorum et Spalatinorum.
Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson,
Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 401.
October
06, 1990
Launch of Ulysses (ESA) with STS-41
Discovery. Orbit around Jupiter to
research sunpoles. Initially called
International Solar Polar Mission (ISPM).
There were 5 austronauts in STS-41 and the flight took only 4 days. (ref. DD 10/98)
October
07, 2135
Next total solar eclipse in the
Netherlands. Totality is in the north
part of Holland. Utrecht will have a
magnitude of 0.965. The eclipse of May
25, 2142 will be total in the Netherlands, south of the line Rotterdam-Zwolle,
and including a large part of Belgium.
October
08, 1953
Minor Planet (2528) Mohler 1953 TF1. Discovered 1953 October 8 at the
Goethe Link Observatory at Brooklyn, Indiana.
Named in memory of Orren C. Mohler (1908-1985), solar astronomer,
director of the McMath-Hulbert Observatory (1962-1979), chairman of the
department of astronomy at the University of Michigan (1962-1970), member of
the board of directors of the Association of Universities for Research in
Astronomy (1962-1974). Mohler pioneered the exploration of the infrared solar
spectrum with the lead sulphide infrared detector. His development of the
vacuum spectrograph at the McMath-Hulbert Observatory led to the discovery of
the "wiggly" solar spectral lines and to an understanding of the role
of turbulence in the solar structure of the solar photosphere. (M 10546) Name proposed by F. K. Edmondson. Citation
written by W. A. Hiltner. Obituary
published in Phys. Today, Vol. 39, No. 4, p. 74 (1986). Dictionary of Minor
Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin
Heidelberg
October
09, -0424 (425 BC)
"And the moon in haste eclipsed her,
and the Sun in anger swore He would curl his wick within him and give light to
you no more." Said to refer to a
lunar eclipse of 425 BC, and an annular solar eclipse of 424 BC. Aristophanese (Greek, c450-385 BC) Chorus
of Clouds (423BC) Ref. Eclipse Quotations Espenak’s Webpages.
October
09, -0424 (425 BC)
"On the first Mercury rises. On the
third the Equinox.Night of the 15th 40 minutes after sunset, an eclipse of the
moon begins. On the 28th occurs an eclipse of the sun." Inscriptions on a clay tablet, part of an
ancient Chaldean astronomical almanac.
The dates quoted are Chaldean. Some sources date these two eclipses to 9
(4) October 425 BC and 23 (18) October 425 BC.
Ref. Eclipse Quotations Espenak’s Webpages.
October
09, 1873
Birth of Karl Schwarzschild, German
astronomer. Explained the fading at the
edge of the sun in 1906. Died with
health weakness due to World War 1. (ref.
DD 10/98)
October
10, 1962
Mariner 2 (US) discovered solar
wind. Was on its way to Venus. (ref. DD 10/98)
October
11, 1937
Minor Planet (3036) Krat 1937 TO.
Discovered 1937 October 11 by G. N. Neujmin at Simeis. Named in memory of Vladimir Alekseevich Krat
(1911-1983), corresponding member of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences, a staff
member of the Pulkovo Observatory and from 1964 to 1979 its director. His main
contributions to astronomy involved solar physics and chromospheric structure,
figures of equilibrium of close binaries, classification of eclipsing variables
and cosmogony. He initiated and actively participated in the development of the
first Soviet stratospheric balloon observatory. (M 10547) Obituaries published in Zemlya Vselennaya,
No. 6, p. 33-34 (1983); Sol. Phys., Vol. 89, No. 1, p. 1-2 (1983); Izv. Glav. Astron.
Obs. Pulkovo, Astrometr. Astrofiz., No. 202, p. 3-5 (1984). Dictionary of Minor
Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
October
11, 1937
Minor planet (4723) Wolfgangmattig 1937
TB. Discovered 1937 October 11 by K. Reinmuth at Heidelberg. Named in honor of Wolfgang Mattig (1927- ), German solar physicist and cosmologist
at the Freiburg Kiepenheuer-Institut, on the occasion of his retirement. In his
thesis, Mattig worked on relativistic cosmology and, in 1957, he discovered an
analytical relation between the redshift and the apparent magnitude of
galaxies. He took an active part in the development of the Teide Observatory,
Canary Islands. Since 1980, Mattig has been the German representative in the
Solar Physics Commission of COSPAR. (M 22503)
Name proposed and citation prepared by J. Schubart, endorsed by G. Klare
and L. D. Schmadel. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 -
Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
October
12, 1605
"Wendelin at Forcalquier in Provence
saw the whole Sun hidden apart from a very narrow thread towards the north,
which ascribed to the illuminated atmosphere." Refers to a solar eclipse at Forcalquier,
France, of 12 October 1605. From:
Riccioli. Quoted in Historical Eclipses
and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press,
1997, page 421. Wendelin (also
Vendelinus – on the moon, or official name Wendelen Govaart) was born in
Herk-de-Stad, Belgium, the same town as were PP was born. In 1980 PP co-organized the Year of Wendelen
in Herk-de-stad to celebrate his 400 st birthday.
October
12, 1605
This occurrence of saros 137 was
observable from London with a m. 901 shortly after noon. Preceding this by 15
days, on the evening of Sep 27 a Partial Lunar Eclipse was also observable from
London. It is these two Eclipses that most authorities believe Shakespeare
refers to in Act I, scene ii, lines 112-113 of King Lear when the Earl of
Gloucester despairing of the coming disorder attributes it to "these late
Eclipse in the Sun and Moon portend no good to us.." In the same scene Edmund, the bastard son of
Gloucester, discusses these eclipses saying "My father compounded with my
mother under the Dragon's Tail and my nativity was under Ursa Major, so that it
follows I am rough and lecherous. Fut I should have been that I am, had the
maidenliest star of the Firmament twinkled on my bastardising." The solar
eclipse of 12th October fell within one degree of longitude of Spica, the
brightest star in the constellation of the Virgin and hence 'the maidenliest
star in the firmament'. Ref. PN.
10/99. Great Britain did not adopt the
Gregorian calendar until 1752, nearly 170 years after most of western Europe
adopted it on October 15, 1582. Thus,
the date on the Julian calendar in England of the 66% partial lunar eclipse was
Sept. 17, 1605 and the 90% solar eclipse followed on Oct. 2, 1605. The solar eclipse was total and the 13th
member of saros 137. This eclipse was
total. Ref. Jordan Sutton Yahoo SEML
November 2004.
October
12, 1983
Minor Planet (5424)
October
12, 1983
Minor planet (8472) Tarroni 1983 TC.
Discovered 1983 October 12 at the Osservatorio San Vittore at
October
12, 1955
Birthday of eclipse chaser and astronomer Glenn
October
14, 1688
John Evelyn, a founder member of the
Royal Society, made the following entry in his celebrated diary for 14th
October (Old Style) 1688: " The
Kings Birth-day, no Gunns from the Tower, as usualy: The sunn Eclips'd at its
rising: This day signal for the Victory of William the Conqueror against Herold
neere Battel in Sussex: The wind (which has hitherto ben West) all this day
East, wonderfull expectation of the Dutch fleete." It's interesting that Evelyn should note this
eclipse, for it wasn't even partial at
October
14, 1788
Sir Edward Sabine (1788-1883). Mentioned a correlation between sunspots and
magnetic disturb on earth. (Ref. Rc
1999).
October
14, 1934
Death of Sir Arthur Schuster (1851-1934).
A comet is discovered and photographed by Sir Arthur Schuster (1851-1934),
Germany/UK, during an eclipse in
October
14, 1979
Minor planet (4316) Babinkova 1979 TZ1.
Discovered 1979 October 14 by N. S. Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in honor of Artur Nikolaevich Babin
(1936- ) and Aleksandra Nikolaevna
Koval', husband and wife, solar astrophysicists at the Crimean Astrophysical
Observatory for more than 35 years, known for their research on the fine
structure of active solar features. (M 23351) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names
- ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
October
14, 2000
The first International Solar Eclipse
Conference (SEC2000) in Elzenveld Antwerp
October
15, 1582
Switch over to the Gregorian calendar and
cut 10 days from the calendar. Gregory's Decree promulgating the Reform
directed that the day 4 Oct., 1582, should be followed by the day 15 Oct.,
1582. Not all the Catholic countries,
and not all the Protestant ones, switched precisely at that time. PP/TS-9/97
October
16, 1977
Minor planet 3798 de Jager 2402 T-3. Minor Planet discovered 1977 October 16 by
October
17, 1906
Minor planet 1781 Van Biesbroeck A906
VB. Minor Planet discovered 1906 October
17 by A. Kopff at Heidelberg. Named for
George Van Biesbroeck (1880-1974) in recognition of, and appreciation for, many
years of devoted services to astronomy through observations and discoveries of
minor planets, comets, satellites, and double stars. He also attended solar eclipse expeditions.
October
18, 1967
There was an eclipse of the sun by the
Earth on October 18, 1967 and Surveyor V was functioning then on the moon. Unfortunately, the mirror could not be tilted
to see the Earth, although temperature measurements were obtained as they did
with Surveyor III, but more successful that time. (ref. S, LE O 1943-1993, FG)
October
19, 1965
Carrington rotation number 1500
starts. Begin 9 November 1853. (ref. DD 10/98)
October
20, 0301
On October 20 a spot was seen on the sun;
observed from China. Ref BAA 6/00
October
21, 1982
Minor planet (3061) Cook 1982 UB1.
Discovered 1982 October 21 by E. Bowell at
October
21, 3046
Next total solar eclipse at the location
of Cincinnati Observatory,
October
22, 1885
Prof. Theodor Ritter Oppolzer
(1841-1886), professor in astronomy in
October
22, 1977
Launch of ISEE 1 and ISEE 2 (US). Research of solarwind, magneto sphere and
magneto tail. Ref. DD 10/99.
October
22, 1911
The only region north
of latitude 15 degrees north with an eclipseless period longer than 16 years is
in China and Tibet, where therse was no solar eclipse between 22 October 1911
and 12 November 1928. A time lap of
17.06 years. Ref. More Mathematical
Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
October 22, 1994
Birth of the Solar Eclipse Section, VVS
October
22, -2135 (2136 BC)
The first record of a solar eclipse was
made in China during the reign of the Emperor Chung K'ang. The Chinese considered
this event to be an attack on the Sun by a dragon, and they endeavored to scare
the dragon away by making as much noise as possible. It is not sure if this description was a
prediction of an observation.
October
23, 1957
Non central total
solar eclipse in Antartica. Ref. More
Mathematical Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
October
23, 1976
A friend of Eric Jones (
October
23, 1998
October
24, -0443 (444 BC)
"Duke Li (of the Chinese dynasty),
34th year. The Sun was eclipsed. It became dark in the daytime and stars were
seen." Refers to an annular solar
eclipse of 24 October 444 BC. From:
Shih-chi (Chinese). Quoted in Historical
Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University
Press, 1997, page 227. Stephenson points out that as only 93 percent of the Sun
was obscured, the allusion to darkness must be exaggerated, and that this
eclipse is the earliest in any civilisation for which the stars is reliably
reported. Venus and Mercury were well placed for visibility.
October
24, 1667
Death of Govaart (Godfried) Wendelen,
Belgian astronomer. Observed eclipses
and calculated solar parallax. Known as
Vendelinus (Mooncrater) and born in Herk-de-Stad, Belgium in 1580 which is also
the birth city of Patrick Poitevin.
October
24, 1995
While many eclipse chasers went to India,
Thailand, Vietnam, etc., Patrick Poitevin went to the far east small island and
observed totality from Angges, Sangihe Talaud (Sulawesi) with 1m54s
totality.
October
24, 2005
Dr. Barry J. LaBonte, a
senior solar physicist in the Space Department of the Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Laboratory died, age 56, October 24, 2005, in
October
25, 1789
Birth of Samuel Heinrich Schwabe
(1789-1875), German chemist and amateur astronomer. Chased for inter Mercury planet. Discovered in 1843 sunspot cycle. (ref. DD 10/98, Rc 1999)
October
25, 1975
Satellite HEOS 1 (US) stops. Studied seven years long the Sun and relation
to the earth (ref. DD 10/98)
October
26, 1147
"On Sunday, the 7th day before the
Kalends of November (Oct 26), a solar eclipse occurred at the 3rd hour and
persisted until after the 6th . This eclipse stood fixed and motionless for a
whole hour, as noted on the 'clock' . . . During this hour a circle of
different colours and spinning rapidly was said to be in the way." Refers to an annular eclipse in Brauweiler,
Germany, of 26 October 1147. From:
Annales Brunwilarensis. Quoted in
Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge
University Press, 1997, page 394.
October
26, 1841
Birth of Prof. Theodor Ritter Oppolzer
(1841-1886), professor in astronomy in
October
26, 1970
(12 Feb 1893 - 26 Oct 1970) 1951 Marcel
Minnaert studied biology at the
October
26, 1992
Minor planet (6337) Shiota 1992 UC4.
Discovered 1992 October 26 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami. Named in honor of Kazuo Shiota (1949- ), a Japanese amateur astronomer who
developed image-processing technology for astronomical photographs. He is also
interested in total solar eclipses and developed a special filter for use in
observing these eclipses. (M 29146) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN
3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
October
26, 1992
Minor planet (6338) Isaosato 1992 UO4.
Discovered 1992 October 26 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami. Named in honor of Isao Sato (1963- ), Japanese expert on occultations. He succeeded
in making the first photographic observation in
October
27, 1728
Birth of James Cook (1728-1779), British circumnavigator and one of
the first scientific navigators. He observed the Solar Eclipse of 1766 August
5 from Newfoundland and in 1769 measured the transit of Venus from Tahiti.
(Ref. Rc 1999)
October
27, 1780
The first official American total eclipse
expedition when a party went to Penobscot, Maine. It was led by Samuel Williams of Harvard, and
was given 'free passage' by the British forces, but unfortunately a mistake in
the calculations meant that the party remained outside the track of
totality. He did not see the corona but
only an effect what we call today Baily's beads.
October
27, 1780
Saros 120. Samuèl Williams, prof. Harvard led expedition
to Penobscot Bay, Maine (during Revolutionary War! - and Bay was behind enemy
lines). British granted the party safe
passage.
October
28, 1992
(6459) Hidesan 1992 UY5. Discovered 1992
October 28 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami. Named in honor of Hideo Sato (1940- ), staff member of the National
Astronomical Observatory (formerly Tokyo Astronomical Observatory) who first
worked on the solar corona, later moving to the Sky Patrol Section as a night
observer. His life's work is the photometry of close binaries. He is also one
of the leading members of the observatory's baseball team. (M 30099) Name proposed by the second discoverer
following a suggestion by K. Tomita. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN
3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
October
29, 0840
The only emperor to have died of fright
because of an eclipse was Louis of Bavaria, in 840. His three sons then proceeded to indulge in a
ruinous war over succession.
October
29, 0878
". . . the sun darkened for one hour
of the day." This solar eclipse is recorded under the entries for the AD
879, but is probably the one on 29 October AD 878. From: The Anglo Saxon
Chronicles translated and collated by Anne Savage, CLB Publishing Ltd. Ref FE 01/01
October
29, 0878
"The Sun was eclipsed at 1 hour of
the day." Refers to the total solar eclipse of 29 October AD 878. From:
The Anglo Saxon Chronicles. Quoted in UK Solar Eclipses from Year 1 by
Williams.
October
29, 0878
Total solar eclipse of
which London was just in the path of totality.
King Alfred wrote The sun was eclipsed the first hour of the day. Also Tycho Brahe mentioned in his Historia
Coelestis to the Annales Fuldenses, of which the sun was eclipses after the 9th
hour and the stars were visible. Ref. St
LK 06/99.
October
29, 1837
Birth of John Herschel. During the
eclipse of 18 August 1868 from the Red Sea through India to Malaysia and New
Guinea, prominences are first studied with spectroscopes and shown to be
composed primarily of hydrogen by James Francis Tennant (1829-1915), UK, John
Herschel (1837-1921, UK - son of Sir John Frederick William Herschel 1792-1871,
grandson of Sir William Herschel 1738-1822), Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen
(1824-1907, France), George Rayet (France), and Norman Pogson (UK/India). (Ref Rc 1999)
October
29, 1951
Minor Planet (1953) Rupertwildt 1951 UK.
Discovered 1951 October 29 at the Goethe Link Observatory at Brooklyn,
Indiana. Named in memory of Rupert Wildt
(1905-1976), who was awarded the Eddington Medal by the Royal Astronomical
Society in 1966 for his discovery in 1939 that the negative hydrogen ion is an
important contributor to the opacity of the solar atmosphere. He identified the
absorption bands in the red part of the spectra of the outer planets as due to
methane and ammonia, and he made pioneer calculations of models for the
interiors of the giant planets. A professor in Yale University's Department of
Astronomy for many years, he was Yale's first scientific representative on the
Board of Directors of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
and served two terms as AURA president and chairman of the board (1965-1968,
1971-1974). (M 6954) Obituaries
published in Q.J.R. Astron. Soc., Vol. 17, p. 522 (1976); Strolling Astron.,
Vol. 26, p. 46 (1976); Phys. Today, Vol. 29, No. 4, p. 89 (1976); Sky Telesc.,
Vol. 51, p. 156 (1976); Icarus, Vol. 30, p. 441-445 (1977). Dictionary of Minor
Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin
Heidelberg
October
31, 1920
Minor planet (944) Hidalgo Discovered
1920 October 31 by W. Baade at Bergedorf.
German astronomers observed the total solar eclipse 1923 September 10 in
October
31, 1999
Jack Evans, first Director of the
Sacramento Peak Observatory, from 1952 to 1976, and his wife, Betty, died on
October 31st. He was 90; she was 89. With their health becoming more fragile
and uncertain, they had agreed to end their lives rather than become a burden
to their children and grandchildren. Jack left a note that they wanted to make
an end when they still were gloriously happy. Starting from a bare site in the
November
01, 2282
Three eclipses in one month. 2282 November 01 Partial Solar Eclipse, 2282 November 16 Total Lunar Eclipse, 2282 November 30 Partial Solar Eclipse. (Ref. SEML 06/00)
November
01, 1858
Birth of Gustav von Struve, Russian astronomer. Contributed in statistical astronomy and sun. Same family name of other family members. Died in 1920. (Ref. DD11/99)
November
01, 1905
Minor planet (1967) Menzel A905 VC. Discovered 1905 November 1 by M.
Wolf at
November
01, 1948
The Eclipse Comet only 2 degrees from the Sun and
observed during totality in
November
01, 1982
Death of Dutch astronomer Jakob Houtgast (Assen 1908 - 1982 Utrecht). Houtgast worked on the Observatory of Utrecht, Netherlands and was specialist in the Sun and joined a lot of Solar Eclipse expeditions. (Ref. Heelal 12/82)
November
01, 1994
Launch of Wind (US). Research of Solarwind, together with Polar and Fast. (ref. DD 10/98)
November
02, 1875
Minor Planet (153) Hilda Discovered 1875 November 2 by J. Palisa at Pola. Named in honor of (probably the eldest) daughter of the Austrian astronomer Theodor von Oppolzer (1841-1886) {see planet (1492)}. She died some years prior to her father. (Vierteljahrsschr. Astron. Ges., 22. Jahrg., p. 191 (1887)) Named by Th. von Oppolzer. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
November
02, 1906
Birth of Bengt Edlen in Gusum in Ostgotland, south eastern Sweden. Ref. The Bibliographical Dictionary of Scientists, edited by David Abbott, 1994.
November
02, 1967
Non central total
solar eclipe in Antarctica. Ref. More
Mathematical Astronomical by Jean
Meeus. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
November
03, 1994
Total solar eclipse observed with success by most observers in Chili and Bolivia.
November
03, 2013
Annular-total solar eclipse which will be annular in the beginning and total for the rest of the path. Between 1898 and 2510, there are only a few cases: 3 November 2013, 17 October 2172 and 29 April 2386. Ref. Canon of Solar Eclipses, 1898-2510 by Meeus, Grosjean and Vanderleen (p. 76). The last such semi-hybrid eclipse was on 20 November 1854. Ref. Yahoo SEML October 2004.
November
03, 2013
Long eclipseless
period of 12.86 years for
November 04, 1920
Gustav von Struve, Russian astronomer died. Contributed in statistical astronomy and sun. Same family name of other family members. Born in 1858.
November
04, 1983
Minor Plamet (3841) Dicicco 1983 VG7. Discovered 1983 November 4 by B. A. Skiff at Anderson Mesa. Named in honor of Dennis di Cicco, since 1974 a staff member and since 1983 an associate editor of Sky and Telescope. An imaginative and outstanding astrophotographer, he has participated in many expeditions, specifically to observe eclipses and comets, although his best-known work is probably the analemma showing the Sun from the same spot at the same mean time every few days throughout the year. Particularly meticulous and appropriately cautions in all his writings, he regularly conducts the 'Observers Page' column in the magazine. (M 16246) Citation prepared by B. G. Marsden at the request of the discoverer. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
November
04, 1988
Minor Planet (5869) Tanith 1988 VN4. Discovered 1988 November 4 by C. S. Shoemaker and E. M. Shoemaker at Palomar. Seen as a heavenly goddess by the conquering Romans who called her Caelestis, Tanith was worshipped by the Carthaginians. This winged sky-goddess of the Punic people wore a zodiac around her head and held the sun and moon in either hand. (M 24918) Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
November 04, 2004
Triple Eclipse of the Sun as seen from Jupiter. HUBBLE spots rare triple eclipse on Jupiter. At first glance, Jupiter looks like it has a mild case of the measles. Five spots -- one colored white, one blue, and three black – are scattered across the upper half of the planet. Closer inspection by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope reveals that these spots are actually a rare alignment of three of Jupiter's largest moons -- Io, Ganymede, and Callisto -- across the planet's face. In this image, the telltale signatures of this alignment are the shadows [the three black circles] cast by the moons. Io's shadow is located just above center and to the left; Ganymede's on the planet's left edge; and Callisto's near the right edge. Only two of the moons, however, are visible in this image. Io is the white circle in the center of the image, and Ganymede is the blue circle at upper right. Callisto is out of the image and to the right. See http://hubblesite.org/news/2004/30 and see http://imgsrc.hubblesite.org/hu/db/2004/30/videos/b/formats/high_quicktime.mov (~ 13 Mbytes) NICMOS images from GO program 9355 being conducted by Erik Karkoschka at University of Arizona: http://www.stsci.edu/observing/phase2-public/9355.pro
November
05, 1846
March 16, 1914
Edward Singleton Holden (known pseudonyms Edward Atherton, Adam
Singleton), assistant to Simon Newcomb (1835-1909), wrote various pieces about
solar eclipses. Born in
November 05, 1983
Minor
Planet (3744) Horn-d'Arturo 1983 VE. Discovered 1983 November 5 at the
Osservatorio San Vittore at
November
07, 1631
Pierre Gassendi, Wilhelm Schickard and Johannes Hevelius observed for the first time a Transit of Mercury which Johannes Kepler predicted in 1629. The two late also predicted the event. Martin van den Hove wrote a book about it. (Ref. DD11/99)
November
07, 1953
Minor planet (1764) Cogshall 1953 VM1. Discovered 1953 November 7 at the
Goethe Link Observatory at
November
08, 1656
Edmond Halley
(1656-1742 or 1743) born on November 08, 1656 in Haggerton near
November
09, 1853
Carrington Rotation number 1 starts and initiated by R.C. Carrington.
November
10, 2084
Transit of the Earth across the solar disk visible from Mars, the first since 1984.
November
11, 0923
"(This) solar eclipse was calculated and observed by Abu al-Hassan Ali ibn Amajur, who used the al-Zij al-Arabi of Habash . . . We as a group observed and clearly distinguished it . . . We observed this eclipse at several sites on the Tarmah (an elevated platform on the outside of the building) . . . According to calculation from the conjunction tables in the habash Zij the middle was at 0;31 h (i.e. 31 min) and its clearance at 0;44 hours (i.e. 44 min), calculation being in advance of observation." Refers to a solar eclipse of 11 November AD 923. From: Ibn Yunus. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 459.
November
11, 1969
Minor planet (2385) Mustel 1969 VW. Discovered 1969 November 11 by L. I.
Chernykh at Nauchnyj. Named in honor of
Evald Rudolfovich Mustel' {1911-1988}, chairman of the Astronomical Council of
the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences, editor of the Astronomicheskij Zhurnal, and a
vice-president of the IAU during 1970-1976. His research activities involve
several aspects of solar and stellar physics and the correlation of geophysical
phenomena and solar activity. (M 7617)
Obituaries published in Astron. Zh., Tom 65, Vyp. 4, p. 891-892 (1988);
Pis'ma Astron. Zh., Tom 14, No. 8, p. 764 (1988); Zemlya Vselennaya, No. 5, p.
42-45 (1988); Astrophys. Space Sci., Vol. 155, No. 1, p. 1 (1989); Sov. Astron.
Lett., Vol. 14, No. 4, p. 326 (1988); Sov. Astron., Vol. 32, No. 4, p. 466-467
(1988). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright ©
1999 by
November
12, 1547
Extremely wide path of the annular eclipse of 12 November 1547. The path is 1400 kilometers wide. The northern limit is only a small circle between Normay and Iceland. The paths covers nearly whole Great Britain. (Ref. St L 06/99)
November
12, 1891
Birth of Seth B. Nicholson, American Astronomer. His main task was observing the sun. He published yearly, and for decades, reports about sunspots and magnetic fields. He died in 1963. (Ref. DD11/99)
November
12, 1966
On November 12 th 1966 total solar eclipse, Gemini 12 astronauts Lovell and Aldrin saw the eclipse from orbit and they saw the moon shadow on earth surface. For them totality lasted only 6 sec. Lift-off of Titan booster have been syncronized in order to intercept that total eclipse that was visible from south America. (Ref. PA07/98)
November
12, 1985
Total solar eclipse on the Antarctic and of which the northern limit was more to the south then the southern limit of the eclipse.
November
14, 1659
In Chapter VII of "A Handbook of Solar Eclipses" by Isabel M. Lewis which was written in advance of the 1925 eclipse over NE USA, Lewis identifies the eclipses of November 14, 1659, August 22, 1672, July 12, 1684 (AT), and January 19, 1768 (AT) as having occurred in the years that elapsed since the Pelgrim fathers landed in New England. (Ref. ENB012)
November
15, 1999
Transit of Mercury
which was partial for a region though complete in parts of
November 17, 1183
". . . the Minamato army fled, frightened by a solar eclipse." Refers to an annular eclipse of 17 November 1183. From: Gehpei seiseiki (Japanese history of the Minamato and Taira clans). Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 266.
November
20, -0128 (129 BC)
"Hipparchus tries to demonstrate the Moon's distance by guessing at the Sun's. First he supposes that the Sun has the least perceptible parallax, in order to find its distance, and then he uses the solar eclipse which he adduces; at one time he assumed that the Sun has no perceptible parallax, at another that it has a parallax big enough [to be observed]. As a result, the ratio of the Moon's distance came out different for him for each of the hypotheses he put forward; for it is altogether uncertain in the case of the Sun, not only how great its parallax is, but even whether it has any parallax at all." From: Ptolemy, Almagest, V, 11. "So Hipparchus, being uncertain concerning the Sun, not only how great a parallax it has but whether it has any parallax at all, assumed in his first book of 'On Sizes and Distances' that the Earth has the ratio of a point and centre to the Sun [i.e. the Sun's sphere]. And at one time using the eclipse he adduced, he assumed that it had the least parallax, and at another time a greater parallax. Hence the ratios of the Moon's distances came out different. For in Book 1 of 'On Sizes and Distances' he takes the following observation: an eclipse of the Sun, which in the Hellespontine region was an exact eclipse of the whole Sun, such that no part of it was visible, but at Alexandria in Egypt approximately four-fifths of the diameter was eclipsed. By means of the above he shows in Book 1 that, in units of which the radius of the Earth is one, the least distance of the Moon is 71, and the greatest 83. Hence the mean is 77. . . Then again he himself in Book 2 of 'On Sizes and Distances' shows from many considerations that, in units of which the radius of the Earth is one, the least distance of the Moon is 62, the mean 67-1/3 and the Sun's distance 490. It is clear that the greatest distance of the Moon will be 72-2/3." From: Pappus, Commentary on the Almagest "Moreover, such an observation has been made in the case of an eclipse of the Sun. Once the Sun was wholly eclipsed in the Hellespont, it was observed in Alexandria to be eclipsed except for the firth part of its diameter, which is, according to the sight, except for two digits and a little more. . . Now since it is 5000 stades from Alexandria to Rhodes; besides, proceeding hence to the Hellespont, this will also decrease in proportion, since when the Hellespont is reached, it will entirely vanish." From: Cleomedes, De Motu Circularis Corporum, II, 3. These three quotations probably refer to a total solar eclipse of 20 November 129 BC. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 351.
November
22, 1972
Launch of ESRO 4 (ESA), studied atmosphere and solarwind. (Ref. DD11/99)
November
22, 1944
Arthur Stanley Eddington died in
November
22, 1984
Total solar eclipse in a part of
November
22, 2065
Venus transits Jupiter. Planets 10 and 29 arc sec, min. sep. 14 arc sec - the first planet vs. planet event since Venus occulted Jupiter in 1818! 10 degrees from the Sun (Panama, just before sunrise - best at 97°W 19°N).
November
23, 2003
The total solar
eclipses of 9 March 1997 and 26 February 1998 were less then 365 days
apart. This was the last time two TSE
happened in less then a year’s time. The
next occurance is the two total solar eclipses of 4 December 2002 and 23
November 2003. After that we have the
duo TSE year of 1 August 2008 and 22 July 2009, and 22July 2009 and 11 July
2010. Ref. More Mathematical Astronomical
Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002.
See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm Patrick Poitevin observed following similar duo’s: 1990-1991, 1991-1992, 1994-1995, 1997-1998. He will miss the duo 2002-2003 because of the
missing Antarctic eclipse, which will be far too expensive. The next total solar eclipse in the Antarctic
after 23 November 2003 is 4 December 2021 and 15 December 2039 (the last was 12
November 1985). Ref. More Mathematical
Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002.
November
24, 0029
"And Phlegon also who compiled the Olympiads writes about the same things in his 13th book in the following words: 'In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (AD 32-33), and eclipse of the Sun took place greater than any previously known, and night came on at the sixth hour of the day, so that stars actually appeared in the sky; and a great earthquake took place in Bithynia and overthrew the greater part of Niceaea." Possibly refers to a total solar eclipse of 24 November AD 29, the reference to AD32-33 being incorrect. From: Phlegon, Olympiades, fragment 17. Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 359.
November
24, 0029
"I will show portents in the sky and on earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes." Joel, Chapter 2, verses 30, 31 (Old Testament). "And I will show portents in the sky above, and signs on the earth below - blood and fire and drifting smoke. The Sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before that great, resplendent day, the day of the Lord, shall come." Peter in Acts of the Apostles This reference to a blood-red Moon, and the following references in the Gospels to a darkening sky, have been interpreted as placing the date of the crucifixion to 24 November AD 29, when there was an eclipse of the Sun, or Friday, 3 April AD 33, when there was a partial eclipse of the Moon over Jerusalem. Ref FE 01/01
November
24, 1989
Solar Maximum Mission (SMM - US) stopped. Performed 9 years observations of the sun. In 1984 in de shutlle repeared. (ref. DD11/99)
November
25, 1995
The first DDD (De Duistere Dag or The Dark Day),
organized by the Solar Eclipse Section (Patrick Poitevin), VVS Belgium in
Volkssterrenwacht Mira in
November
28, 1883
Minor Planet (235)
November,
1996
First issue of the Eclips Nieuwsbrief (Eclipse Newsletter). Monthly magazine of the Solar Eclipse Section, VVS Belgium. Editor and founder Patrick Poitevin. Patrick continued the SENL (Solar Eclipse Newsletter) after leaving the Solar Eclipse Section and edited the SENL with partner Joanne Edmonds later Joanne Poitevin). The SENL issues can be downloaded (free of charge) from the webpages of Fred Espenak. Last issue was published in July 2004.
December
01, 1980
Minor Planet (3168) Lomnický Stít 1980 XM.
Discovered 1980 December 1 by A. Mrkos at Klet.
Named for the meteorological and solar observatory in the High Tatras,
where the discoverer worked for some 20 years. (M 23136; M 30819) Dictionary of
Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by
December
01, 1989
Minor planet (7176) Kuniji 1989 XH. Discovered 1989
December 1 by A. Takahashi and K. Watanabe at Kitami. Named in honor of Kuniji Saito (1913- ), who joined the Tokyo Astronomical
Observatory in 1936 and was engaged mainly in research on the solar corona.
Following his retirement in 1974, he has collected historical materials from
December
01, 1998
Patrick Poitevin hands
over the Werkgroep Zonverduisteringen (Solar Eclipse Section) of the VVS to
Guido Gubbels. Patrick keeps that time
running the Solar Eclipse Newsletter and Solar Eclipse Mailing List independed
from the VVS (Flemish Astronomical Association). From that date on, the Newsletter was
available electronicly on the WebPages of Fred Espenak (NASA). Patrick stopped both SEML and SENL August
2004.
December
01, 2206
There will be 3 eclipses in 2206: A Partial Solar Eclipse on December 01 and December 30 and a Total Lunar Eclipse on 16 December 2206. There were 3 eclipses in December 1880: A Partial Solar Eclipse on 2 December and 31 December and a Total Lunar Eclipse on 16 December. Ref. SEML 06/00
December
02, 1989
Solar Max lost orbit and burned in Earth's atmosphere. Launched in 1980, Solar Max was repaired in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1984. Solar Max studied the Sun and discovered 10 comets skimming past or crashing into the Sun.
December 02, 1995
The
December
04, 1639
The first observed transit of Venus was that of 1639 December 4. The observer of the transit of Venus on 1639 was Jeremiah Horrocks [1619-41] who predicted that a transit of Venus would be observable on November 24, 1639. His observations were published posthumously in his work 'Venus in Sole Visa'. Ref. SENL 01.02. His friend, William Crabtree (1610?-1645?), also saw the event, observing from Manchester. (Ref. Sheehan, William and Westfall, John [2004]. The Transits of Venus, p. 86).
December
04, 1983
A 1 percent magnitude partial eclipse was visible in Belgium. The eclipse was annular in Africa. See link to our webpages.
December
04, 2002
Last total solar
eclipse which occurred in the month December.
The last one happened on 22 December 1889. The next TSE in the month December will be 14
December 2020. There will be a gap again
between 27 December 2084 and 9 December 2197 with no total solar eclipses in
the month December. Ref. More
Mathematical Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
December
05, 1879
Sir William Abney proposed to the Royal Society a photographic map of the solar spectra in infra red. He made photographic emulsions which were sensitive at a wave length of 12000 Angstrom. This could not be copied for many years. Ref. DD 11/99
December
05, 1967
Launch of HEOS 1 (
December
06, 1695
Total solar eclipse visible on the
December 06, 2052
Least distance between the centers of Earth and Moon during the 21st century: 356421 kilometres.
December 07, 0150
Longest duration of an
annular eclipse between year 0 and 3000.
Duration is 12m23s. Theoretical
longest duration is 12m30s. Ref. More
Mathematical Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus; Willmann-Bell, 2002. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
December 07, 1631
The first transit of Venus as predicted by Johannes Kepler.
December
08, 1947
Birthday of famous German eclipse chaser Friedhelm (Freddy) Dorst. Freddy chsed over 50 solar eclipses.
December
09, 1991
Minor Planet (5070) Arai 1991 XT. Discovered 1991 December 9 by S. Ueda and H. Kaneda at Kushiro. Named in honor of Ikunosuke Arai (1836-1909), the first director of the Central Meteorological Observatory. In his early days, he contributed to the triangulation of Hokkaido. In 1887 he observed the total eclipse of the sun at Sanjo, Niigata, and successfully photographed the event. (M 22506) Name suggested and citation prepared by H. Fukushima. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
December
10, 1974
Helios 1 was launched to observe the Sun and its solar wind. It was constructed in West Germany and launched by the US from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Because it was equipped with special heat-dispersal systems, the spacecraft were able to withstand extremely high temp's, which reached an estimated 700 F (370 C). It was the closest any spacecraft has approached the Sun (28 million miles from the Sun).
December
10, 1997
Start of the Solar Eclipse Mailing List (SEML) on
the internet. This was the first
worldwide Mailing List on Solar Eclipses.
Jan Van Gestel from
December
12, 0429
"Yuan-chia region period, 6th year, 11th month, day chi-ch'ou, the first day of the month. The sun was eclipsed; it was not complete and like a hook. During the eclipse, stars were seen. At the hour of fu (= 15-17 h), then it disappeared (i.e. ended). In Ho-pei (province) the Earth was in darkness." Refers to a total solar eclipse of 12 December AD 429. From: Sung-shu (Chinese). Quoted in Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation, by F Richard Stephenson, Cambridge University Press, 1997, page 242.
December
12, 1871
Edward Walter Maunder mentioned an eclipse comet on December 12, 1871, observed by A.C. Ranyard. But he speaks " ... less convincing evidence ..." comparing with the eclipse comet of 1882 and 1893. On the drawing you can clearly see the dark lines visible in the corona. Edward Walter Maunder (1851-1928), his wife Annie Scott Dill (1868-1947) and his elder brother Thomas Frid (not an astronomer, assistant secretary of the BAA from 1890 to about 1928), observed and wrote numerous about solar eclipses. See as well Eclipse Comets link on our WebPages.
December
12, 1871
Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907, France) uses spectroscopy from an eclipse in India to propose that the corona consists of both hot gases and cooler particles and therefore is part of the Sun. Jules Janssen discovered dark lines in the solar corona spectrum. (ref Rc 1999)
December
12, 1928
Jean Meeus’ birthday.
December
13, 1967
Launch of Pioneer 8 (USA). Research of the sun. Ref DD 12/99
December
13, 1974
Last solar eclipse on a Friday the 13 th. The next solar eclipse on a Friday 13 th is in July 2018. Both are partial solar eclipses. There are 24 solar eclipses on a Friday the 13 th between 0 and 3000. Of which 13 partial, 9 annular and 2 total solar eclipses. The most odd is the one of 13.03.313 which was an annular eclipse.
December
14, 1546
Birth of Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer. His interest in astronomy started due to the observation of a solar eclipse in 1560. He died in 1601. Ref. DD 12/99
December
14, 1881
William R. Birt, Engish selenograph died. He founded the Selenographical Society and Selenographical Journal in 1878. He studied as well sunspots and the solar rotation. He was born in 1804. Ref DD 12/99
December
14, 1955
During the 20th Century
there were 11 solar eclipses with a Greatest Complete Duration (GCD) larger
then 4 hours, and during the 21st century there will be 7. The greatest GCD of the period 1900-2100 is that
of the eclipse of 1955 December 14, namely 4 hours 26 minutes 30 seconds. The last eclipse with GCD exceeding 4 hours was
that of 1995 April 29, with GCD = 4 hours 05 minutes 48 seconds, at longitude
78°W, latitude 5°S. The next eclipse with GCD larger then 4 hours will be that
of 2010 January 15 (3 Saros periods after the record one of 1955 December 14),
with a GCD of 4 hours 13 minutes 06 sec. Ref. SEML October 2005.
December
14, 2001
On December 14, 2001, the Japanese solar observatory Yohkoh began spinning out of control. Since then, all scientific operations have stopped. The problem began during the annular eclipse of 14 December 2001. Yohkoh uses a Sun-centering system to determine its position at any given time. During the eclipse, the craft lost contact with the Sun, put itself into a "safe mode," and slowly began to drift off track and rotate. Normally this wouldn't have been a problem -- during its decade in orbit, Yohkoh has seen its share of eclipses. However, this event occurred during a rare period of the craft's orbit (known as an invisible orbit) when the craft was out of communication with Earth. Thus controllers on the ground couldn't detect (or compensate for) the craft's sudden roll. Ref. SENL 02.02
December
15, 1859
Gustav R. Kirchhoff distillated from the sun spectra which elements are present in the sun. Ref. DD 12/99
December
16, 1965
Pioneer 6 was launched to observe the Sun, orbiting between Earth and Venus in a 311-day orbit. The spacecraft is still functional to this day, and is the world's oldest surviving spacecraft.
December
19, 1973
Skylab took its now famous photo of a giant solar prominence loop.
December
20, 1876
Walter S. Adams, American astronomer was born. His spectroscopic research of sunspots and starts caused the discovery of a spectrometric method to detect the distances of stars. Died in 1956. Ref. DD 12/99
December
20, 1904
Mt. Wilson Solar Observatory built. See Wilson Observatory link.
December
21, 1998
SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) positioned in a safe mode because the last gyroscope failed. Any orbit corrections would need too much energy. They bused software to point the gyroscope. This was the first satellite successful in it. Ref. DD 12/99
December
22, 0968
"When the Emperor was waging war in Syria, at
the winter solstice there was an eclipse of the Sun such as has never happened
apart from that which was brought on the Earth at the Passion of our Lord on
account of the folly of the Jews. . . The eclipse was such a spectacle. It
occurred on the 22nd day of December, at the 4th hour of the day, the air being
calm. Darkness fell upon the Earth and all the brighter stars revealed
themselves. Everyone could see the disc of the Sun without brightness, deprived
of light, and a certain dull and feeble glow, like a narrow headband, shining
round the extreme parts of the edge of the disc. However, the Sun gradually
going past the Moon (for this appeared covering it directly) sent out its
original rays, and light filled the Earth again." Refers to a total solar
eclipse in
December
22, 0968
While the solar corona is visible at any solar eclipse, the first explicit mention of what can be pretty am-biguously interpreted to be the corona was made by the Byzantine historian Leo Diaconus (ca. 950-994), as he observed the total eclipse of 22 December 968 from Constantinople (now Istanbul, Tur-key). His observation is preserved in the Annales Sangallenses, and reads: "...at the fourth hour of the day ... darkness covered the earth and all the brightest stars shone forth. And is was possible to see the disk of the Sun, dull and unlit, and a dim and feeble glow like a narrow band shining in a circle around the edge of the disk". Ref. SENL 01.02.
December
22, 0968
First clear description of the corona seen during a total eclipse, by a chronicler in Constantinople. The first mention of the corona may have been due to Plutarch, who lived from about AD 46 to 120. Plutarch's book 'On the Face in the Orb of the Moon' contains a reference to 'a certain splendour' round the eclipsed Sun which could well have been the corona.
December
22, 1828
Death of William Hyde Wollaston (1766-1828), Britisch Doctor and chemist. He saw in 1802 the Fraunhofer lines in the Solar spectrum but considered it as a limitation of colors. (Ref Rc 1999.)
December
22, 1870
"From the first second of contact I watched with all the attention I could command for any change in the effect on the landscape and sky. The sky might then be described as dull, not particularly dark, with small light clouds passing rapidly across, the general tone being inclined to violet-grey. No change took place till within a few seconds of totality, when the light was very sensibly lessened. At the first moment of totality, sudden darkness came on; dark purple clouds appeared on the horizon, with streaks of bright orange between them. The distant town of Jerez, from white, became a dark rich blue. The corona was radiating, and not perfectly circular, and varied as totality progressed; it was never symmetrical, and much too vague to enable me to describe by a line, excepting where a curved opening on the left-hand lower limb of the moon occurred, as shown in the drawing. The colour of the corona was warm white, and I could perceive nothing approaching a defined edge to the bright light immediately around the moon; it simply became less bright as the distance increased from the moon, though the contrast of the dark moon with the brightest part of the corona might induce a less practised observer to call it a ring of light. The drawing I send with this was painted immediately after, and is truest in colour and general effect as anything I ever did." Refers to a total solar eclipse in Spain of 22 December 1870. From: Paul Jacob Naftel (official artist for the eclipse expedition, led by the Reverend J S Perry). Quoted in Paul Jacob Naftel by Furniss and Booth. Ref FE 01/01
December 22, 1870
Jules César Pierre Janssen (1824-1907,
December
22, 1870
Photograph high level of sun spots in Eclipse/Bryan Brewer 1991 page 29 and sketch page 48. See also Young's description on the Fraunhofer lines in Total Eclipse of the Sun/J. Zirker 1995 p. 12+18.
December
22, 1870
December
22, 1889
Father Stephen Joseph
Perry, Director of Stonehurst College Observatory,
December
22, 1975
Launch of Prognoz 4 (former USSR). Research of the sun. Ref. DD 12/99
December
22, 1989
Minor planet (7575) Kimuraseiji 1989 YK. Discovered 1989 December 22 by Y. Kushida and O. Muramatsu at Yatsugatake. Named in honor of Seiji Kimura (1932- ), an amateur astronomer who first suggested sending a solar eclipse expedition to the U.S.S.R. in 1968. Since then he has organized several overseas expeditions to observe total solar eclipses. Secretary of the committee of the Japan Amateur Astronomers' Convention for over 14 years, Kimura established the Herschel Society of Japan in 1984 and has been editing bimonthly newsletters promoting knowledge of the Herschels and keeping contact with the William Herschel Society in the U.K. (M 33789) Name proposed by the discoverers following a suggestion by S. Morikubo. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - ISBN 3-540-14814-0 - Copyright © 1999 by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
December
23, 1907
Death of Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907, France). Studied the Sun. Co-discoverer of the lines of Helium in the Sun, that time on Earth not yet discovered. Observed solar eclipses of which one from Algeria when he escaped Paris with a balloon during the war. (ref Rc 1999)
December
24, 1957
Very high Wolf number (sunspot number): 355. The next time it was also 355. Ref. DD 12/99
December 25, 0892
Between the years -4712 and +11000 Jordan Sutton found that the first time Eid al-Fitr fell on Christmas Day was in 892 (Islamic year 279) with the only other occurrence while the Julian calendar was in use until October 4, 1582 was in 1413 (Islamic year 816). The next such coincidence of Eid al-Fitr and Christmas Day takes place in 2098 (Islamic year 1522). On none of these three occasions was there a solar eclipse a few days before Christmas. Note: the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the feast of Eid al-Fitr on the first day of the 10th month (Shuwaal) of the Islamic year. The following is a table of coincident solar eclipses, Eid al-Fitr, and Christmas with given the Gregorian Year, Day of Eclipse, Eclipse Type, Day of Eid al-Fitr, Islamic Year: 2261 December 22 Total Christmas Eve 1690; 2326 Christmas Day Annular December 27 1757; 3043 December 23 Annular Christmas Day 2496; 3108 Christmas Eve Hybrid December 26 2563; 3434 December 22 Partial Christmas Day 2899; 3499 Christmas Eve Total December 26 2966; 3890 Christmas Day Hybrid December 26 3369; 4281 Christmas Eve Annular December 26 3772; 4607 Christmas Eve Annular Christmas Day 4108; 4672 Christmas Eve Annular Christmas Day 4175; 6171 Christmas Eve Partial Christmas Day 5720; 6562 Christmas Eve Partial Christmas Day 6123. Ref. Yahoo SEML November 2004.
December
25, 1581
Due to the lunation period (29,5
days), over 2 following years, no phase of the moon can be on the same
day. In fact neither a solar
eclipse. Though, there was a solar
eclipse on 25 December 1581 and a solar eclipse on 25 December 1582. The first visible in South America and the
second in the south of Asia and in
December
25, 2038
Partial Solar Eclipse with magnitude of 0.845 on Christmas Island. On December 26, 2019 there is a partial eclipse of magnitude 0.658 on the same island. At Christmas Creek, Western Australia, both partial eclipses: a magnitude of 0.798 and 0.297. Christmas Creek will get a total solar eclipse on 22 July 2028 with almost 4 minutes of totality. The TSE starts in the Indian Ocean, crosses Australia NW to SE, and sunsets just after crossing S. Island New Zealand.
December
26, 2038
Next Christmas
eclipse. This eclipse is total, maximum is at 0h58 UT and central line begins
on 25 Dec at 23h18m. The last Christmas
eclipse was on 15 December 2000. Last
total Chrismas solar eclipses (annular total) 25 Dec 1666, 24 Dec 1554, 24 Dec
1014, 24 Dec 474, 25 Dec 56. Ref. More
Mathematical Astronomical Morsels by Jean Meeus. See http://www.willbell.com/math/mc16.htm
and http://www.willbell.com/math/moremorsels.htm
December 26, 1886
Prof. Theodor Ritter Oppolzer (1841-1886), professor in astronomy in Vienna and author of the monumental Canon der Finsternisse died in Vienna. He started his work October 22, 1885 and it was published spring 1887 after his death. See picture of his 1999 eclipse map.
December
27, 1571
Birth of Johannes Kepler, German mathematician and astronomer. He predicted for the first a transit of Mercury. Died in 1630. Ref. DD 12/99
December
28, 1882
Birth of Arthur Stanley Eddington, British astro
physician in Kendal Cumbria. In 1912 he
was leading an expedition to a solar eclipse in
December
30, 1777
Eclipse observed by Captain James Cook (1728-1779), actual date December 29, during his
3 rd travel.
December
31, 1719
Death of John Flamsteed (1646-1719) who observed
the 1715 solar eclipse from
December
31, 1842
Annular eclipse on New Years eve. December 31, 1880 Partial solar eclipse on New years eve. December 31, 2195 Partial Solar Eclipse on New Years eve. December 31, 2233 Total Solar Eclipse of December 31, 2233 will be visible on New Years day, January 1, 2234 for the West Pacific. December 31, 2252 Total Solar Eclipse of December 31, 2252 will be visible on New Years day, January 1, 2253 for the West Pacific.
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Last revised: 10 January 2006