Eclipses

There are two main types of eclipses: Solar and Lunar.  Eclipses occur when the Earth, Moon, and Sun align to form a straight line in space.  Eclipses are a common occurrence but depending on how the Earth, Moon, and Sun align, the eclipse may not be visible in your area.  When an eclipse occurs, it creates an area or path on the Earth in which the observers will be able to see it.  Anywhere outside of this path and the observer will only be able to see a partial eclipse or nothing at all.

Depending on the order of alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, it will create a different type of eclipse.  A Solar Eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun.  This only happens during a New Moon.  A New Moon is when the moon is in conjunction (the same orbital path) with the Sun and invisible from Earth.  Since the Moon does not have a perfect circular orbit around the Earth, during an eclipse the Sun may not be totally blocked by the moon.  When the moon is too small to cover the entire face of the sun, it is called an Annular Solar Eclipse.  This is often referred to as a "ring of fire" because the area of the sun that is not covered by the moon looks like, well, a ring of fire!  The most recent occurrence of an Annular Solar Eclipse over Utah was in May of 2012.  I was fortunate enough to travel to Brain Head which was in the center of the path that this eclipse made that year.  I was able to take a few pictures of this eclipse using my binoculars, solar filters, and a digital camera aimed through the binoculars.

May 2012 Annular Solar Eclipse

A Total Solar Eclipse is when the Moon completely covers the face of the Sun. During a Total Solar Eclipse an observer can see the corona (outer atmosphere) of the Sun.

A Lunar Eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon.  The shadow of the Earth is cast on the Moon causing it to appear orange to red in color.  This type of eclipse also creates a path or area where it can be fully viewed from a location on Earth.  When in the right area, the entire surface of the Moon will be covered by Earth's shadow, called a Total Lunar Eclipse.  If outside of the area, only a partial Lunar Eclipse will be visible.

From North America, we will be able to view two Lunar Eclipses in the year 2014.  The first occurs on the night of April 14th and remains visible until morning on April 15th.  The eclipse will begin at 10:55 p.m. and end at 4:36 a.m.  If you can't stay awake long enough to watch the entirety of the eclipse, set your alarm for 1:45 a.m. to view the Total Lunar Eclipse, when the moon is completely covered by Earth's shadow.

The next Total Lunar Eclipse will be visible on October 8.  It will start at 2:15 a.m. and end at 7:30 a.m. with totality occurring at 4:55 a.m.  There will also be a Partial Solar Eclipse visible from Utah on October 23.

Be sure to mark your calendars and set your alarms for the upcoming eclipses!  You won't need anything special to view them - just your naked eyes.  Try taking some pictures of your own.