The Solar Eclipse FAQ #2

We need to talk about safety.  Eclipse glasses are becoming near impossible to obtain so close to the August 21, 2017 event.

What can I do to see the eclipse if I don't have a personal pair of glasses?

Some retailers or scalpers can be selling eclipse glasses at an incredibly marked up price.  Just recently I saw some glasses I got for 85 cents back in April selling for more than $50.  Some retailers are also providing fakes that are not certified.  How can you know if yours are ok.  Check out the link below.

https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters

The glasses we have been giving out from our site are from the top entry on the approved vendor listing (American Paper Optics (Eclipser) / EclipseGlasses.com / 3dglassesonline.com).

Eclipse Glasses

However, if you missed the opportunity to get glasses there is a free solution that only requires raiding your personal recycling bin!

This is what I have done in the past.  Grab a piece of cardboard and put a hole in it approximately the size of a quick stab with a pen.  Make sure the hole is trim around the edges.  Throw a sheet of paper on the ground outside.  Using the cardboard, and without looking at the Sun, angle it towards the Sun placing it so you can see the light through the hole on the sheet of paper.  Move the cardboard closer or further from the sheet of paper for better focus.  The Sun will be projected onto the paper and you'll be able to see the eclipse without even having to face the Sun.

Projection Method

There are also events around town that will have public access to use solar eclipse glasses or filtered telescopes.  The University of Calgary will have a setup near the engineering building.  See the link below for details.

http://www.ucalgary.ca/rao/event/2017-08-21/solar-eclipse-2017

The Telus Spark will also be hosting a variety of events during the time of the eclipse.  A link is also provided below.

http://www.sparkscience.ca/experience-telus-spark/events/eclipse-party/

I will also be hosting a solar filtered telescope and eclipse glasses down at Olympic Plaza from 10-1 for anyone who would like to witness this great event.  Stay tuned to our twitter (@simonjastronomy) or facebook page (www.facebook.com/simonjastronomy) for the exact location the morning of the eclipse.

How can I ensure I am safe?

Some people believe the myth that during an eclipse you have to stay inside because it is dangerous.  The only truth to this myth is that during a solar eclipse most people want to look at the Sun.  It is not any different than any other day except for that desire.  Do not look directly at the Sun on any day.  

Eclipse glasses must be used throughout the entirety of the eclipse as seen from Calgary if you are directly looking at the Sun.  The only time they can be removed is if you are in the totality zone in the United States for the brief 2 minutes the Moon fully covers the Sun.  Do not use them for driving or everyday walking; only for direct solar viewing.

Do not use optical aid with the glasses.  Never use unfiltered binoculars, cameras or telescopes with your eclipse glasses.  They are designed for unaided viewing.  The binoculars, camera or telescope must be properly filtered at the aperture which can not be achieved with eclipse glasses.

NASA has provided a page on eclipse safety for more detailed information below.

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us on our facebook page.  Enjoy the eclipse and be safe!

The Solar Eclipse FAQ #1

An eclipse is a remarkable astronomical event that, even for a casual observer, inspires wonder and reflection to the very core.  The Western Hemisphere will be treated to a great show on August 21 as the Moon passes across the face of the Sun.  Many people throughout the United States will be treated to totality for several minutes.

What exactly is an eclipse?

An eclipse can typically be broken up into two types.  The first type is basically when an astronomical object is in the shadow of another object, such as a lunar eclipse -- The Moon is in the shadow of the Earth.  The second type is when an astronomical object passes in front of another, such as a solar eclipse -- The Moon passes in front of the Sun.

What is the difference between an annular eclipse and a total eclipse?  What makes 2017 so special?

The Earth orbits the sun in an elliptical path and the Moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical path -- they are not circles.  This causes the Sun and Moon to seem slightly larger or smaller depending where we or the Moon are in the orbit.  Think of a supermoon.  These occur when a Full Moon or New Moon is at perigee (closest approach to Earth).  See the image below (2) is the Moon at perigee and (3) is the Earth.

Moon at apogee (1), perigee (2) and the location of the Earth (3)

Also, the Sun is at its closest approach to Earth (perihelion) at the beginning of January and its farthest approach (aphelion) at the beginning of July.

As the Sun and Moon are visually very close to each other in angular size as seen from Earth we could have several situations.  When the Moon and Sun are further away from us (apo-) they will appear smaller.  However when they are closer to us (peri-) they will appear larger.

An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon is visually smaller than the Sun (due to some combination of the New Moon being closer to apogee and the Sun being closer to perihelion).  The Moon will not completely obscure the Sun.  See the image below.

Annular Solar Eclipse

A total eclipse occurs when the Moon is visually larger than the Sun (due to a combination of the New Moon being closer to perigee and the Sun being closer to aphelion).  The Moon will obscure the Sun.  See the image below.

Total Solar Eclipse

August 21, 2017 will be a total solar eclipse.  Aphelion occurs just over 6 weeks prior and the New Moon's perigee is a mere 3 days prior to the eclipse!  Great combination!

There is one other special type of eclipse that occurs around once every 160 years.  A hybrid eclipse is where the Sun and Moon are so very close in size that the eclipse changes from Annular to Total on different locations on the Earth.  The last one was on November 3, 2013 and you'll have to wait until 2172 for the next one!

The most common solar eclipse for everyone is the Partial Eclipse.  You are not in the zone of totality and will only see the Moon partially obscure the Sun.  Calgary will have 4 of these in the 2020's.  Mark your calendars for the evening of August 22, 2044!  Calgary will have a total solar eclipse!

Explore the Universe - M31 (Andromeda Galaxy)

The Perseid Meteor Shower was in full swing and I setup the 8" telescope at the northeast baseball diamond outside of the Indus Recreation Centre.  This region was especially good for the northeast sky that is typically blocked in my backyard.

Andromeda (the constellation) was midway up the sky and I took the opportunity to locate the Andromeda galaxy.  In dark skies you can actually see the galaxy as a fuzzy patch below Cassiopeia with your naked eye.  Last November I took a picture of the galaxy from my backyard.  Unfortunately it was before I learned autoguiding and the light pollution limited my exposure time.  I am hoping to attempt it again this Fall and image the spiral arms with a wide field refractor.

M31 - Andromeda Galaxy

The Andromeda Galaxy is about 2.5 million light years away from us and is the furthest object in the sky we can see with our naked eye.  At 220,000 light years it is about twice the diameter of our home galaxy the Milky Way.  It is also estimated that there are more than a trillion stars that make up this galaxy.  Much like the Milky Way, it is a spiral galaxy and sits in the same local group as our own.

Andromeda is moving toward us at an astronomical snail's pace of 225km/s and will collide with us in about 4 billion years.  Will our solar system survive the collision? 

The observation record from Friday evening is shown below.

M31 - Andromeda Galaxy Observation Record

The previous blog post has a map and describes how you can see the galaxy from your favourite dark site: Week 33 (August 13-19).

It is now less than a week until the solar eclipse!  The forecast for August 21, such that it is 6 days out, is predicting a sunny day!  We will likely setup at Olympic Plaza with a solar filtered telescope for anyone in the downtown crowd to view.

2017 Week 33: (August 13-19)

We are now in the middle of August and the great eclipse is just over a week away!  If you do not have your eclipse glasses yet please send a message to our Facebook page to grab a pair for your family!

Date	Event
August 14	Last Quarter
August 16	Aldebaran 0.4°S of Moon
August 18	Venus 2°N of Moon

There is not too much happening in the sky leading up to the eclipse but the Moon does a dance with several objects throughout the week.  The Moon will reach last quarter on Monday and be visible in the early morning.  On Wednesday, it will be very close to Taurus' angry red eye -- Aldebaran and will actually occult it in several areas around the world.  Later in the week it will dance with Venus if you can catch it around 5 in the morning on the 19th.

The Moon will be new the following Monday as it passes across the face of the Sun.  With properly certified eclipse glasses you will be able to see this phenomenon from Calgary.  Assuming no clouds or smoke you will see the Moon take an 80% chunk out of the Sun around 11:33am.

There are some other fun things in the sky at this time of year.  The Summer Triangle asterism will be right above your head as it gets dark in the evening.  Look for a triangle of three bright stars.  They are Vega, Deneb and Altair which sit high in the sky in Summer.  If you are at a dark site you will see the Milky Way go right through this triangle; a remarkable thing to behold.

Cassiopeia and Andromeda are accessible in the northeastern sky and if you have good eyes and a dark location you can see the Andromeda Galaxy without optical aid.  The pointier part of the 'W' of Cassiopeia should point right to it.  See the map below.

M31 - Andromeda Galaxy

Also, you may still catch some Perseid meteors as the shower starts to fizzle out from the weekend peak.  Keep your eyes peeled to the northeast!

The Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseids are usually reliable for the casual observer.  They peak in and around August 12 each year with average hourly rates up to 100 in only the very best condtions.  Typically aim to see 10 per hour. They get their name from the constellation they radiate from -- Perseus.  There does not seem to be a lot of mythology written about the shower.  A Catholic tradition indicates that St. Lawrence was martyred on August 10, 258 AD and the meteors represent his tears each year.  John Denver's 'Rocky Mountain High' references this meteor shower in its third verse.  It caused controversy with the FCC as they believed the 'high' referred to drugs and not the euphoria felt when viewing the beauty of the Perseids from the mountains.

The Perseids originate from the dust and debris of Comet Swift-Tuttle.  The Earth transits this debris field every August and catches some with its gravity.  The debris burns up in the atmosphere making it look like a streak of light is crossing the sky at an incredible speed.

How can you see the shower close to home?  How can you get that 'high' John Denver was singing about?  There are several tips I would like to share with you.

1. Get out of the city (even just 10 minutes).  Head East or North, ensure you have little light pollution in the northeastern sky.
2. Adapt your night vision.  Don't use white flashlights and don't look at your smart phone!  The smart phone will likely harm your night vision for more than thirty minutes.
3. The best time is between midnight and dawn.  The location you are on Earth will have turned into the meteor stream.
4. Bring a lawn chair with a tilted back or a blanket to lie on.  Bring bug spray.
5. Don't look at your smart phone!
6. Lie on your back and face the northeast, use a compass if you are not sure.  Don't use the compass on your smart phone it will wreck your night vision!
7. The map below indicates the radiant of the shower.  Look for the 'W' of Cassiopeia and the radiant will be just below.
8. Check the weather before you go.  You don't want to make a trip and have a sky full of clouds.

Perseid Radiant Map

Do not be too disappointed if you do not see many.  Some years are better than others.  The below image is from the ESO that shows a Perseid against the backdrop of the Milky Way.

Perseid (Photo Credit: European Southern Observatory)

If you would like to attempt to image the shower you are best off looking for resources and tips online.  I am quite a novice when it comes to imaging the sky.  If I try I'll just take a full frame DSLR and take exposures long enough to see the stars clearly but not long enough for them to streak.  It is best with fast <2.8 high ISO >1600 settings.

If you are crazy about watching the shower you can download a blank sky chart based on 51° latitude and draw in where you see the meteors.  You can denote their length and magnitude.  A chart is provided below for downloading.

Perseid Meteor Shower Blank Sky Map

2017 Week 32: (August 6-12)

The famous Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak at the end of the week.  This meteor shower can sometimes peak above 100 meteors per hour.  The best time to see it is between midnight and dawn.  However, if you are out in the evening take a look in the Northeast sky and spot a few of these meteors.

Below is a list of astronomical events happening throughout the week.

Date	Event
August 7	Full Moon
August 9	Neptune 0.9°N of Moon
August 12	Mercury Stationary
August 12	Perseid Meteor Shower Peak

The Moon will be full Monday evening and will begin to wane back down to a New Moon.  The New Moon will occur on August 21 and will cover the Sun in what will be an amazing eclipse.

A couple days later Neptune will be in conjunction with the Moon.  It will likely be difficult to see as the light from a strong waning gibbous Moon will hinder a good view through a telescope.

The big event this week will be the Perseid Meteor Shower.  The best way for a novice to locate the radiant is to start by finding Cassiopeia.  This is the 'W' shaped constellation currently in the Northeastern sky.  Look underneath the westernmost bar of the 'W'.  This is where the meteors will seem to come from.  The image below circles this location.

Perseid Radiant

If you can, head East out of the city and bring a lawn chair.  The northeastern sky should have less light pollution from this location.  Keep and eye on the sky and you should see at least 1 meteor per minute, perhaps more.  Setup a camera on a tripod and take long exposures to see if you can catch one!

If you adapt to the darkness you will be able to see the double cluster just above the radiant point.  Also, just to the East of Cassiopeia you might be able to catch the Andromeda Galaxy with your naked eye!  What great sights!  The northern sky is typically off limits to those who live in southern Calgary!

I hope you are prepared for the solar eclipse on August 21!  Please send me a message if you need some eclipse glasses!

2017 Week 31: (July 30-August 5)

Here we are at the 31st week of 2017 and the beginning of August.  The weather has been hot and the smoke from the British Columbia wildfires have caused the sky to be gloomy.  Late in the evening you can see the Autumnal constellations rising in the East.

Date	Event
July 30	First Quarter
August 3	Saturn 3°S of Moon
August 3	Uranus Stationary

The Moon will be at first quarter on Sunday, July 30 and will likely appear red due to the smoke from the fires.  Dimmer objects in the sky will likely not be visible due to the poor transparency expected this week.  As the Moon moves toward the East it will be in conjunction with Saturn on Thursday evening.  Saturn will appear directly South as a non-twinkling bright yellowish object.  A telescope will reveal its rings and Moons.

First Quarter Moon

On the same evening Uranus will seem to be stationary as it begins its retrograde motion.  It will be moving West through the constellation Pisces and observable to those with binoculars or telescopes.  If you have a great eye and perfect dark skies Uranus is possible to view with your naked eye.

We are now sitting 3 weeks away from the solar eclipse.  Hopefully the sky will be free from clouds so that we may all witness this great event.  Speaking of eclipses, there will be a partial lunar eclipse happening next Monday.  However, it will be visible to those occupying the Eastern Hemisphere.  Let them have their partial lunar eclipse, us western hemispherians will have a total solar eclipse without them!

Keep your eyes on the sky as it gets darker earlier.  There will be plenty of great things to see with just the naked eye.  Stay tuned for the blog post next week where the great Perseid meteor shower will be discussed!