museumeclipse http://www.museumeclipse.org Admiring and learning about eclipses Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 The Historical Timeline of Eclipses And How It’s Changing http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/09/26/the-historical-timeline-of-eclipses-and-how-its-changing/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/09/26/the-historical-timeline-of-eclipses-and-how-its-changing/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.museumeclipse.org/&p=66 Eclipses are astronomical events that occur when a celestial body is obscured by the shadow of another. We typically say eclipse when we speak about one of two such events that involve the Earth, Moon and Sun, but eclipses also happen when other astronomical objects fall into one another’s shadow. These events have been noted by astronomers and astrologers for thousands of years.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth and blocks the line of sight on a certain part of the Earth’s surface. As the Moon’s shadow travels over this part of the surface, day turns to night. Lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon. If the eclipse is total, then the Moon will seem to disappear momentarily when viewed from Earth’s surface.

These events caused great dismay among most human societies until the advent of scientific understanding in the last few centuries. They were typically seen as bad omens and signs of impending doom for individuals or entire communities. Now these occurrences are greeted with curiosity by most people. Usually an eclipse of one kind or another occurs on some part of the Earth every year or two.

]]> http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/09/26/the-historical-timeline-of-eclipses-and-how-its-changing/feed/ 0 Fun Ways For Kids To Experience Eclipses http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/09/14/fun-ways-for-kids-to-experience-eclipses/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/09/14/fun-ways-for-kids-to-experience-eclipses/#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.museumeclipse.org/&p=65 Earlier in summer, much of the Arab world was able to view a lunar eclipse. This celestial event, of course, is safer than observing a solar eclipse, which should always be made evident to children.
Parents and educators often find fun, informative, and age-appropriate ways to explain the various types of eclipses and how to experience them. Sometimes, children watch TV, films or webcasts, or draw, or even have or see related puppet shows!
For the lunar eclipse, one can use or even construct a rudimentary type of telescope.Check out this link here. There is a lot of available information on line on how to do this.
As for the solar eclipses, which are rarer, find a way to teach children about the various kinds. Have the children view films or webcasts and even draw the different eclipses and what they look like. This is a natural teaching point for them to learn why and how the different types of eclipses occur.
Finally, in order to prepare children to view a solar eclipse, be sure to show and help them to make pinhole cameras. Also, provide protective eyewear, if you anticipate the need. And, why then, just have yourselves a great eclipse viewing party!

]]> http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/09/14/fun-ways-for-kids-to-experience-eclipses/feed/ 0 Is Stonehenge Somehow Related to Eclipses? http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/09/01/is-stonehenge-somehow-related-to-eclipses/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/09/01/is-stonehenge-somehow-related-to-eclipses/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.museumeclipse.org/&p=64 Stonehenge has been shrouded in mystery for many years. People have always wondered about the ones who built the giant, mystic structure. Who were they? What were they doing? These are some of the questions that have been on the minds of scientists and conspiracy theorists alike. One popular theory is that Stonehenge was built by an ancient civilization as a type of advanced eclipse calculator.

The eclipse theory has been gaining in popularity for a few decades. Ever since scientists realized that the major stones on the structure are perfectly aligned to mark the equinox and solstice, studies started being conducted to see exactly what else could have been predicted by correctly using Stonehenge.Additional information can be found at http://retrorambling.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/stonehenge/. Knowing that more was needed for the precision required to measure an eclipse, experts began studying not just the stones, but what lay around them. The results were shocking.

Evidence of smaller holes around the structure meant for smaller wooden poles leads scientists to think that these objects were used to measure the moonrise in relation to the major stones on Stonehenge. These holes were originally discovered in the 1600s, but they weren’t believed to be related to eclipses then because within the holes, cremated remains were found. It wasn’t until the 20th century that Gerald Hawkins discovered that these actually can predict the conditions for an eclipse. While they can’t predict the actual event, even knowing the conditions for one is monumental.

]]> http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/09/01/is-stonehenge-somehow-related-to-eclipses/feed/ 0 Exlporing Eclipses With Your Kids http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/07/26/exlporing-eclipses-with-your-kids/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/07/26/exlporing-eclipses-with-your-kids/#comments Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.museumeclipse.org/?p=57 If you’ve got kids interested in space you can consider yourself lucky – space curriculum has all but disappeared from schools and even NASA’s cutting the cord on the space program. Here are a few of the best ways to teach your kids about the magic of eclipses and what they mean to the planet.
Get Online: If you’ve got a www.wildbluedeals.com subscription or other internet medium you’ve got access to a whole world of information on eclipses of all sorts. Head to Encarta for games to play and read up on the Wikipedia entry for different types of eclipses.
Build a Pinhole Viewer: If you’re lucky enough to have an eclipse coming up soon, learn about the ways to build a safe and fun sun viewer. All you need is some cardboard, paper and scissors and you’ll be on your way to creating a memory your kids will never forget.
Go See Eclipse: The Twilight movie! Okay, so this doesn’t have a lot to do with Eclipses but it’s a great family film and you’ll have plenty to talk about when you leave!

]]> http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/07/26/exlporing-eclipses-with-your-kids/feed/ 0 Regions Of Earth’s Shadow – The Penumbra Eclipse http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/05/04/regions-of-earths-shadow-the-penumbra-eclipse/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/05/04/regions-of-earths-shadow-the-penumbra-eclipse/#comments Wed, 04 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.museumeclipse.org/&p=51 We all know that the Sun shines light on the Earth and unless it is 12 O’clock noon everything casts a shadow. Did you know that the Earth also casts a Shadow? When Sunlight reaches the Earth, the surface of the Earth facing the Sun is illuminated and the opposite surface is dark. The Dark area is the Earth’s shadow. The Earth’s Shadow has two parts, the Umbra and the Penumbra. The Umbra is the center of the shadow where it is so dark it looks black. The Penumbra is the outer edges of the shadow and is so light that it looks gray.
A Penumbra Eclipse is a type of lunar eclipse. A Penumbra Eclipse is sometimes confused with a Partial Lunar Eclipse because a part of the moon crosses the Umbra while a part of the moon crosses the Penumbra. A true Penumbra Eclipse occurs when the entire moon crosses only the Earth’s lighter shadow, or Penumbra. If the moon, while within the Penumbra, passes close to the Umbra it will look like a dark shadow crosses the moon. Unfortunately, if the moon is too far away from the Umbra the moon will look like any other moon.

]]> http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/05/04/regions-of-earths-shadow-the-penumbra-eclipse/feed/ 0 Regions Of Earth’s Shadow – The Antumbra Eclipse http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/04/19/regions-of-earths-shadow-the-antumbra-eclipse/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/04/19/regions-of-earths-shadow-the-antumbra-eclipse/#comments Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.museumeclipse.org/&p=50 The antumbra eclipse, which is known as the annular eclipse, occurs when the Earth passes into the Moon’s shadow. It is one of the four types of eclipse: partial, annular, total and hybrid. In this kind of eclipse, the Moon is surrounded by a circle of light as the Moon does not completely cover the Sun. We are at an interesting point in time for eclipses.

In the past, the Moon was closer to the Earth than it is now which caused many more full eclipses. Many people are unaware the Moon is moving away from the Earth very slowly. The Moon leaving orbit will change the eclipses we get to see in the future. In several million years, the only eclipses we see will be annular and partial.

Historically, the first such eclipse was recorded on October 22, 2137 BCE. It was in a story about Ho and Hi, the drunk astronomers. Many believe this story to be somewhat unreliable. The next eclipse was recorded on May 3, 1375 BCE by the early Mesopotamians and was called the Ungarit eclipse. The next antumbral eclipse will occur on May 20, 2012 and will be mostly visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

]]> http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/04/19/regions-of-earths-shadow-the-antumbra-eclipse/feed/ 0 The Umbra Eclipse: In The Shadow Of The Moon http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/04/07/the-umbra-eclipse-in-the-shadow-of-the-moon/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/04/07/the-umbra-eclipse-in-the-shadow-of-the-moon/#comments Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.museumeclipse.org/&p=49 The word umbra is Latin for shadow. The term describes the part of a shadow that is completely dark. In terms of a solar eclipse, when the umbra portion of the moon’s shadow passes between the sun and the earth it can completely obstruct the view of the sun creating a total eclipse. A total solar eclipse is usually a short lived event and because it covers less than 1 of the Earth’s surface, it can only be seen in relatively small areas.

Throughout history solar eclipses have been seen as omens or the result of angry gods. Stonehenge, http://www.stonehenge.co.uk/, on England’s Salisbury Plain, is believed to have been built in an attempt to predict astronomical events, including eclipses. As technology and science advanced however, the solar eclipse provided an opportunity to observe and study the sun’s corona (outer layer of the sun’s atmosphere) which is normally not visible because the photosphere is too bright. During an eclipse in 1868, it was discovered that helium existed in the sun’s corona, Einstein’s theory of relativity was proven during an eclipse in 1919 by demonstrating that gravity can bend light. Today scientists study the corona to answer questions about solar flares and determine the composition of the atmosphere surrounding the star.

]]> http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/04/07/the-umbra-eclipse-in-the-shadow-of-the-moon/feed/ 0 The Difference Between Solar And Lunar Eclipses http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/03/24/the-difference-between-solar-and-lunar-eclipses/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/03/24/the-difference-between-solar-and-lunar-eclipses/#comments Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.museumeclipse.org/&p=48 An eclipse is a uncommon occurrence that provides a remarkable view into how the earth and moon interact with the sun. There are two types of eclipses that can be seen from the earth, the solar and the lunar eclipse.

Lunar Eclipse – A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth stands directly between the sun and the moon. This blocks the suns rays from hitting the moon. The moon, http://nineplanets.org/luna.html, of course, has no source of light other then the sun reflecting off of it, and the only light, http://www.digitalfilmtools.com/light/ that can reach it is whatever sunlight is refracted off of the earth’s atmosphere. This gives the moon a dark red hue during the eclipse. A lunar eclipse can be seen by anyone who is currently on earth’s night side and can last anywhere from an hour to four hours.

Solar Eclipse – A solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks the sun’s rays from hitting the earth by becoming positioned between the two objects. Partial solar eclipses, when the moon only covers part of the sun, occur semi-frequently, though can only be viewed from the area of earth that is currently covered by the moon. This means that any particular location may have to wait some time before being affected by a solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse is very rare, as the moon has to be lined up precisely enough to cover the entirety of the sun’s rays.

]]> http://www.museumeclipse.org/2011/03/24/the-difference-between-solar-and-lunar-eclipses/feed/ 0 Total Eclipse of the Heart http://www.museumeclipse.org/2010/11/30/total-eclipse-of-the-heart/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2010/11/30/total-eclipse-of-the-heart/#comments Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:11:16 +0000 mgeedey http://www.museumeclipse.org/?p=36 Next time you’re snuggling with your honey to watch an eclipse why not refer back to this classic Bonnie Tyler hit (written by Jim Steinman) and peaking in 1983. While the following lyrics are not based in science, we bet they might make the eclipse viewing experience a little more enjoyable if it is in fact shared with that special someone with Ms. Tyler serenading in the background!Turnaround, every now and then I get alittle bit lonely and you’re never coming aroundTurnaround, Every now and then I get alittle bit tired of listening to the sound of my tearsTurnaround, Every now and then I get alittle bit nervous that the bestof all the years have gone byTurnaround, Every now and then I get alittle bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyesTurnaround bright eyes, Every now andthen I fall apartTurnaround bright eyes, Every now andthen I fall apartTurnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wildTurnaround, Every now and then I get alittle bit helpless and I’m lying like a child in your armsTurnaround, Every now and then I get alittle bit angry and I know I’ve got to get out and cryTurnaround, Every now and then I get alittle bit terrified but then I see the look in your eyesTurnaround bright eyes, Every now andthen I fall apartTurnaround bright eyes, Every now andthen I fall apartAnd I need you now tonight And I need you more than everAnd if you’ll only hold me tightWe’ll be holding on foreverAnd we’ll only be making it rightCause we’ll never be wrong togetherWe can take it to the end of the lineYour love is like a shadow on me all of the timeI don’t know what to do and I’m always in the darkWe’re living in a powder keg and giving off sparksI really need you tonightForever’s gonna start tonightForever’s gonna start tonightOnce upon a time I was falling in love But now I’m only falling apartThere’s nothing I can doA total eclipse of the heartOnce upon a time there was light in my lifeBut now there’s only love in the darkNothing I can sayA total eclipse of the heartTurnaround bright eyes Turnaround bright eyesTurnaround, every now and then I knowyou’ll never be the boy you always you wanted to beTurnaround, every now and then I knowyou’ll always be the only boy who wantedme the way that I amTurnaround, every now and then I knowthere’s no one in the universe as magicaland wonderous as youTurnaround, every now and then I knowthere’s nothing any better and there’snothing I just wouldn’t doTurnaround bright eyes, Every now andthen I fall apartTurnaround bright eyes, Every now andthen I fall apartAnd I need you now tonight And I need you more than everAnd if you’ll only hold me tightWe’ll be holding on foreverAnd we’ll only be making it rightCause we’ll never be wrong togetherWe can take it to the end of the lineYour love is like a shadow on me all of the timeI don’t know what to do and I’m always in the darkWe’re living in a powder keg and giving off sparksI really need you tonightForever’s gonna start tonightForever’s gonna start tonightOnce upon a time I was falling in love But now I’m only falling apartThere’s nothing I can doA total eclipse of the heartOnce upon a time there was light in my lifeBut now there’s only love in the darkNothing I can sayA total eclipse of the heart

]]> http://www.museumeclipse.org/2010/11/30/total-eclipse-of-the-heart/feed/ 0 A Few Noteworthy Books About Solar Eclipses http://www.museumeclipse.org/2010/10/13/a-few-noteworthy-books-about-solar-eclipses/ http://www.museumeclipse.org/2010/10/13/a-few-noteworthy-books-about-solar-eclipses/#comments Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:17:36 +0000 www.museumeclipse.org http://www.museumeclipse.org/?p=25 There are literally thousands of titles pertaining to the phenomena of solar eclipses (and no, we’re not referring to the eclipse vampire series), with a few titles worth mentioning as follows: Eclipses: Predicting World Events & Personal Transformation by Celeste Teal illustrates how recent and historical events can be linked directly to eclipses. While eclipses are often mentioned in monthly horoscopes, no other book has ever attempted to demonstrate how these heavenly events are observably connected to both world events and personal affairs.Totality: Eclipses of the Sun by Mark Littmann is a wealth of biographical information about eclipse chasers past and present. Throughout this century, every total eclipse over land has been attended by scientists willing to travel great distances for a few minutes’ view of the corona.Eclipse: A Journey to Darkness and Light by David H. Levy is a personal account of the 1999 solar eclipse. As Levy tells of his journey to the event, his observations and reactions to it, he relates the fascinating history of solar eclipses and explains why they happen and what results from them.Empire and the Sun: Victorian Solar Eclipse Expeditions by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang describes the interaction of scientists and the public in 19th century Britain by analyzing a series of expeditions sent all over the world to study total solar eclipses.

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