Tuesday 13 November 2012

Eclipse Day



November 14

This year, there have been three special solar observing events that I’ve been looking forward to.
-The May annular eclipse; from Toronto I was able to observe a partial annular eclipse from the airport with some friends before the sun set.
-In June, the Transit of Venus – a rare event which will not occur again for over a century.  A group of us observed first and second contact from the Toronto RASC’s observatory in the Collingwood area before sunset
AND
-A total eclipse of the sun.  I’ve been solar observing for some time.  Indeed, I was the person who started the Toronto RASC’s solar observing sessions.  I have been observing the sun in hydrogen alpha and white light for years, but have never been fortunate enough to witness a solar eclipse.

Which brings me to today.

Wake up call at 3am, mustering in the hotel’s lobby at 3.45.  Our intrepid leader Dr. Ralph Chou got us on the bus, and off we went.  Lots of traffic heading north, not so much heading south.  Arriving at the Wangetti beach site (which was pre arranged a long time ago) police and emergency services where present.  Roads closed off, many people walking the 400m to the beach.  Ralph’s  friend had stayed overnight at the beach, setting aside a spot for us, away from the tide line, and on some vegetation higher than those further down on the beach.

We setup under starlight – Orion was high overhead, Venus and Jupiter blazing brightly.  A good omen, or so we thought.


As first contact descended at 5.44am, clouds obscured the view, however shortly afterwards we were able to see the moon munching it’s way across the solar disc. 

Yay for that at least.
Would we see totality?  The clouds looked like they might be cooperating…..


As the seconds ticked down to 6.38 second contact (or totality) a cloud moved in front of the sun at the last moment.  SHIT!
Suffice it say, I was not a happy camper.  These things happen I know, but I feel very disappointed not to have seen Bailey’s Beads, the Diamond Ring and of course the solar corona streaming out from behind the moon.

Other folks were more philosophical about it – I’ll get over it - it's been a great trip otherwise.  But my 2012 solar trifecta was not to be. 

Guess I’ll have to wait until 2017.

9 comments:

  1. In other circumstances that would be a glorious sunrise. crap timing for those clouds :(

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    1. Yeah...... but I'm still bummed - and what's worse I hate seeing everyone else's successful eclipse pics.

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  2. we'll make up for it in 2017 ;)

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  3. I feel awful for you guys. Your first go, spoiled. The other first-timers. Ralph's long streak broken. Bloody weather. Still, I really enjoyed your all-sky camera. The speed of the darkening stunned me! That was wild. Safe trips back! Look forward to chatting in person.

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  4. Katrina...my daughter watched the eclipse from the beach in Cairns, not far from your hotel. She was clouded out, too. Like you, she is now determined to see the one in 2017.

    I hope there will be a Toronto Centre meeting where eclipse pictures will be shown and tales told. Hopefully someone will let the national RASC list know.

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    1. Hi Roger, your daughter and I can start a support group ;) At least it wasn't raining and we could see most of the partial phases, and the sky darkening during totality. Like Ralph's other eclipse trips, there was at least lots of other fun stuff going on during the tour, but I'm looking forward to 2017 in the US, even the 2015 eclipse in Norway......depending on $$

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    2. When Alison got to the Esplanade, it did rain! That would have been about an hour after you'd left for Port Douglas.

      This teaches me the value of being mobile. If I find myself in future in a situation like this, I think I'll buy a bike and only take what I can carry in a backpack. In 10 minutes I can cover a couple of kilometres, which would have been sufficient in my daughters case.

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    3. We did also have some sprinkles of rain when we were setting up, and had plastic ponchos to cover equipment with.
      Were were a little limited in terms of mobility. There was only one road along the beach (Captain Cook Hwy) and thousands of people trying to use it.
      One friend did boot it up to the mountains the night before, but after successfully seeing totality had a car accident on the way down the single lane, no shoulder scary roads. I think Ralph did was he thought was best in terms of logistics and safety, but as an independent person, if I'd had a car I probably would've run for the hills too!

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  5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YMHNDb0tA8&feature=youtu.be

    She called me from totality!

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