ITERA NEWS. The ITERA Lampung Astronomy Observatory Center Team (OAIL) and the ITERA Planetary Atmospheric Science Study Program (SAP) will hold the Aruna Leste expedition, in the framework of observing a rare phenomenon, the Total Solar Eclipse (GMT) from the Lautem District, East Timor, which is predicted to occur April 20 2023. In this expedition, ITERA sent five researchers consisting of an extraordinary lecturer at the SAP ITERA Study Program, Dr. Hakim L Malasan, M.Sc., Coordinator of SAP ITERA Study Program, Dr. Deni Okta Lestari, S.Sc., two SAP lecturers Hendra Agus Prastyo, S.Sc., M.Sc., and Alfiah Rizky DP, ST, M.Eng., and OAIL Laboratory Assistant Aditya A Yusuf, S.Sc.
The Head of the OAIL Center, Moedji Raharto, in his written statement said, the phenomenon of the Solar Eclipse which is expected to occur on April 20, 2023, is a type of Hybrid Solar Eclipse, because there will be two types of solar eclipses, namely an annular solar eclipse and a total solar eclipse. This eclipse will begin and end with an annular solar eclipse that occurs in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The eclipse that starts from the Indian Ocean will become a Total Solar Eclipse and continue moving north across western Australia in the Exmouth region, then across Timor Leste, Southwest Maluku, Central Maluku, West Papua, Papua, and finally ending in the Pacific Ocean as a Solar Eclipse Ring back. Due to this rare phenomenon, OAIL which is a space laboratory built to support ITERA’s tridarma activities, and the SAP Study Program under the Science Department, feel it is very important to carry out observations and research on this phenomenon.
The Aruna Leste Expedition Team will observe a total solar eclipse in Lautem District, Timor Leste, one of the locations in Timor Leste where the path of the total solar eclipse passes. Lautem was chosen because apart from being the center of the eclipse, this area also has a fairly high probability of sunshine compared to other areas around Indonesia and also has road access.
“During a Total Solar Eclipse, the Aruna Leste ITERA team plans to retrieve important astronomical and meteorological research data and only exist when a Total Solar Eclipse occurs. The team will also try to send information and captures of solar images directly to the Partial Solar Eclipse Observation Team at the ITERA Campus, to be displayed live. live on Youtube or Instagram from OAIL,” said Moedji.
The purpose of this expedition is to carry out research on atmospheric and planetary science on the phenomenon of the April 20 2023 Total Solar Eclipse in Lautem, Timor Leste, carry out public education on atmospheric and planetary science related to the Total Solar Eclipse, introduce ITERA, so as to strengthen cooperation between Indonesia and Timor Leste.
Furthermore, Moedji said, the purpose of this expedition was to carry out atmospheric and planetary science research on the phenomenon of the April 20, 2023 Total Solar Eclipse in Lautem, Timor Leste, carry out public education on atmospheric and planetary science related to the Total Solar Eclipse, introduce ITERA, to strengthen cooperation between Indonesia and Timor Leste.
From Various Countries
In observing the eclipse and educating the public about the solar eclipse, the Aruna Leste Expedition team will collaborate and meet with various parties from various countries. These parties include: NOC IAU-OAO Timor Leste, UNESCO National Commission Timor Leste, NOC IAU-OAO Vietnam, NOC IAU-OAO Brunei, National University of Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL), University of Nusa Cendana (Undana) Kupang, The Astronomy Association of Brunei Darussalam (PABD), Viet Astro, and also Arisan Astro.
Moedji added, this expedition was fully supported by ITERA leaders and also LPPM ITERA. This team is called the Aruna Leste Expedition Team. Aruna means Sun, Leste means East. This team will chase the Solar Eclipse in the East of the island of Timor. The Aruna Leste team will be the only team entirely from Indonesia to make observations of the Total Solar Eclipse in Timor Leste, recording this amazing phenomenon near Indonesian territory.
The Expedition Team will carry out a series of activities, including the rare activity of recording events surrounding the Total Solar Eclipse from a series of Hybrid Eclipse phenomena. Hybrid eclipse path in eastern Indonesia and Timor Leste. On the main path of the eclipse, you can witness a ring solar eclipse or a total solar eclipse. This can happen because during the eclipse there is a change in the Earth’s Moon’s distance and the Earth’s Sun’s distance, so that the diameter of the Moon’s circle can be slightly larger or the same as the Sun’s circle or the Moon’s roundness is smaller than the Sun’s roundness.
The Aruna Leste team will be the only team entirely from Indonesia to make observations of the Total Solar Eclipse in Timor Leste, recording this amazing phenomenon near Indonesian territory.
The Aruna Leste expedition will start on 14 April 2023 to 25 April 2023. Air travel will be made to Kupang with a transit in Jakarta on 14 April 2023. The team will arrive in Kupang on 15 April 2023. The expedition will then be followed by a land trip for approximately 10 hours headed for Dili on April 17, 2023. The next day, April 18, 2023, the Aruna Leste Team together with all the teams working together will head to one of the areas in Lautem, namely Com. On the 19th, the Aruna Leste Team will carry out socialization on observing the solar eclipse safely in Com and also Lospalos, still in Lautem District. The main activity, namely the observation of the Total Solar Eclipse on April 20, 2023, will be carried out on Airleu Beach in Com. The next day the team will present the initial results of the observations at the Hera Campus, UNTL, Dili. The team will return to Indonesia on April 23 2023 by land and will provide training on astronomy to teachers from Kupang at Undana on April 24 2023. The team will return to Lampung on April 25 2023 by air.
“Hopefully this expedition will be useful for all of us and become a reflection of how big the universe is so that we want to always explore the knowledge that exists in it. Hopefully the sky will be clear, and the expedition will run smoothly without any significant obstacles,” concluded Moedji. (LPPM/PR Release)
