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Solar Eclipse

Historical Background :
The history of total eclipse is very fascinating. The first solar eclipse had been observed in the year of 2126 BC in China during the reign of the Emperor Chund K'ang. The next eclipse was observed at Ugarit in Syria in 1375 BC, as described in clay table found at Ugarit (Syria). The first eclipse predictions were made by studying the Saros cycle. The first known prediction was made by Thales of Miletus, A Greek philosopher, who predicted the eclipse of 585 BC. The eclipse is said to have put an end to a battle between the forces of King Cyaxares of the Medas and King Alyattes of the Lydians. The warriors were so alarmed that they gave up the fight and concluded a hasty peace accord.

 Louis, the emperor of Bavaria, died of fright due to an eclipse in 840. His sons then fought ruinously over succession Jules Janssen an astronomer escaped from Paris, in a balloon on 22nd. December 1870. Paris was besieged by German forces at war with the French. He reached Oran safely, but clouds prevented him from observing the eclipse.

The observation of the corona has an interesting history it is first mentioned in vague terms by Plutarch (46 to 120 AD) in his book 'On the face in the Orb of the Moon as a splendour around the eclipsed sun. It was surely recorded at the time of the eclipse on Corfu on 22nd December 96. Clavious, the astronomer, saw the corona on 9th April 1567, but considered it to be the uncovered edge of the Sun Kepler showed that it could not be so and attributed it to the Lunar atmosphere. Lter, after the eclipse of 16th June 1806, the astronomer Don Jose Joaquin be Ferrer showed that if the corona were due to the lunar atmosphere, it would have to be 50 times larger that that of the earth which would be ridiculous. Only after the careful study of the eclipses in 1842 and 1851, the corona and the prominences were unambiguously shown to belong to the sun, rather than the moon. Finally, Eddington and Dyson, observing from Sobral in Brazil and Principe in West Africa were able to photograph the total solar eclipse on 29th May 1999. They observed that the light of a star in the vicinity of the sun was deflected by 1/2000 of a degree or around 2 seconds of arc. This was the triumph of the General Theory of Relativity. does extenze pills work

Eclipse of the Millenium: A Bird Eye view:

The total solar eclipse is one of the Nature's most beautiful spectacles, leaving a lasting impact on the minds of those who are fortunate enough to witness it. This is such a unique phenomenon that people have travelled long distances to see it. It is hard to erse from the mind what one sees during such an event.

Solar eclipse occur when the Moon. comes between the Earth and Sun. It can be partial, annular and total depends upon the movement of the moon. Minimum two solar eclipse occur in a calendar year. There are about 238 solar eclipse in the span on 100 years of which are 28% total eclipse is seen only once in 360 years from a specific place on aunties beads . There are not many names among the slot machine cheats you have to remember and honor. the earth. The maximum width of the totality belt of solar eclipse can be 262 km and maximum possible duration of totality is 450 seconds.

At the time of Total Solar Eclipse we can see soon after, the little bright specks remain where depressions in the contact points, shadow bands, Bailey's beads, Diamond ring, prominencers, corona, stars and planets. During the totality when the moon cover the completely some of the sunlight shining through the valleys, of the moon small points of lights along the advancing rim of the moon, these are called Bailey's Beads. These beads were first observed by Bialy in 1715 Francis Scientist Baily observed its during the annular eclipses on 15th May 1836. It occur for a second and a last rays of sun are still coming from the deepest valley of the moon. The solar corona is already shining from the eastern limb of the sun. It looks like a heavenly ring with a sparking diamond set in it. This is called the diamond ring phenomenon. At even this ring goes away a bright red are flashes before our eyes, this happened and from the chromasphere, which is the thin atmosphere just, above the photosphere of the sun. At that time we can see the dark disk of the moon coronated by the outermost atmosphere of the sun this is called the corona. A beautiful structure of fine filaments, loops and disk that is in the middle of corona. It shows vivid lues of bluish colour. At this moment we can see close to the silhonetted moon and certain bright red flares which is called the prominences.

Superstitions Myths about Solar Eclipse:
In Indian Mythology, Solar or Lunar Eclipse are totally related to superstitions & myths. At the time of solar eclipse, Rahu and Ketu have eaten Sun, because they believe the sun is God.

The Munda tribes from Bihar and the Bastar region of Madhya Pradesh have fantastic stories about the eclipses. They believe that the sun and the moon take a loan from a demon called "Dhanko". When the Sun or the Moon fail to repay the loan during the stipulated period, "Dhanko" impressions them and so they suddenly disappear from the sky. The repayment period is according to the lunar month, so the imprisonment is also linked to the lunar cycle. To help the Sun and the Moon to repay their debts to "Dhanko", the Mundas bring their utensils, rice grains and their weapons out in their utensils, rice grains and their weapons out in their courtyards as offerings. As always 'Dhanko' accepts the offering and soon the Sun or the Moon is set free.

The Munda tribes from Bihar and the Bastar region of Madhya Pradesh have fantastic stories about the eclipses. They believe that the sun and the moon take a loan from a demon called "Dhanko". When the Sun or the Moon fail to repay the loan during the stipulated period, "Dhanko" impressions them and so they suddenly disappear from the sky. The repayment period is according to the lunar month, so the imprisonment is also linked to the lunar cycle. To help the Sun and the Moon to repay their debts to "Dhanko", the Mundas bring their utensils, rice grains and their weapons out in their utensils, rice grains and their weapons out in their courtyards as offerings. As always 'Dhanko' accepts the offering and soon the Sun or the Moon is set free.

During the third century AD, the Siddhantic era of astronomical studies flourished. It was then that Rahu and Ketu were defined as imaginary points of intersection of the orbits of the Sun and the Moon. From the writing of Aryabhata- I in 499 AD has cleared about the scientific causes of the eclipses. Finally, Eddington and Dyson, observing from Sobral in Brazil and Principe in West Africa were able to photograph the total solar eclipse on 29th May 1919. They observed that the light of a star in the vicinit of the sun was deflected by 1/2000 of a degree or around 2 seconds of arc. This was the triumph of the General Theory of Relativity.

A Total Solar eclipse was first telecast by the BBC on 15th February 1961 and was transmitted from T.V. station in France, Italy and Yugoslavia.
The Last total Solar Eclipse of the millennium:

On 11th August 1999, it was the rare opportunity to witness the total solar eclipse, which was visible in a narrow belf passing through Gujrat, Maharastra and touching southern parts of Madhya Pradesh (Jagdalpur and Burhanpur), Andhra Pradesh & Orissa. In other parts of the country eclipse was partial. The council has formulated a state wide campaign for spreading awareness about the TSE-99. The main objective of the eclipse to educated the people about safe viewing of the eclipse, also eradication of myths and superstitions regarding eclipse among the general public and to popularise astronomy through watching TES with a programme in Madhya Pradesh The National Council of Science & Technology Communication, New Delhi had sponsored this activity. And provide literature and solar kits for watching of TSE. The Council has organised training programmes for resource persons at Bhopal and Raipur, state level essay competition and total solar eclipse observation camp at Jagdalpur on 11th August 1999 to popularise Astronomy in Madhya Pradesh.

 
 

 
 
 

 

 

 
M.P. Council of Science & Technology, Deptt. of Science & Technology, Govt. of M.P.
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