The phenomenon will only be partial, Sun, Moon and Earth not being perfectly aligned in the sky this time. For Ajaccio et Bastia, the show will be insured even if only 10.9% and 12.9% of the sun will be obscured. Provided you have the eyeglasses appropriate to protect their eyes.
This Tuesday, October 25, the sun has an appointment with the moon, for a partial eclipse. This had not happened to him since June 2021. The astronomical phenomenon will last almost two hours, from 11:20 to 13:10, in a few minutes. The celestial spectacle, as long as the sky is clear, is guaranteed for the islanders as well as for the inhabitants of the various regions of France and, more generally, of the north of western Europe. Within this perimeter, however, there are the privileged and the others.
READ ALSO: Ajaccio: a journey at sea to discover the stars
The sun’s rays will not lose their shine everywhere in the same way. “The northern regions of Europe will be favored, but no matter where it is observed on Earth, the eclipse will remain partial. In fact, that day, the Moon will be 379,400 kilometers from the Earth but above all the centers of the three stars will not be perfectly aligned. Our natural satellite will be sandwiched between the Earth and the Sun but will only hide part of the solar disk“explains Lucien Luciani, president of the Ajaccio Club of astronomy enthusiasts.
The trajectory of the Moon is already known. “It will start clipping the Sun from its lower right edge. The maximum occultation will be around 60% in the far north of Norway in the North Cape, to reach 77% in the far north of Russia on the edge of the Arctic Ocean. The further south, however, the more partial the eclipse will be. For this reason in Bastia the concealment will be only 12.9% and in Ajaccio 10.9%“it develops.
The timeslot will also be a little tighter at island level. “In Ajaccio, the eclipse will start at 11:26 am and end at 13:07 pm. It will peak at 12:26 pm when the Moon obscures 10.9% of the solar disk.“he continues.
A 200mm telescope
The club also chose to give the episode the intensity of collective emotions. In order not to miss anything, we witnessed the partial eclipse together and in the city center. “For the occasion and to allow as many people as possible to participate in this event, the Club ajaccien d’astronomie, with the authorization of the municipality of Ajaccio, organizes this Tuesday 25 October a public and free event in place du Diamant, from 11 : 00 to 13:15“, Lucien Luciani points out. The initiative goes hand in hand with making high-performance equipment available to the public.
READ ALSO: International vertical space station in Corsica
In details : “Un 200 mm telescope equipped with a special filter to observe the sun safely, and a spectroscope to observe the solar spectrum, a special 80 mm telescope to observe solar flares, as well as a “ solarscope ” that allows you to observe the ‘eclipse by projection onto a white screen “lists the president.
The occasional sky explorer will not be launched into the universe alone. “Club members will be on hand to answer any questions about the sun, moon and eclipse and to lend special glasses – CE certified in polymer or Mylar, or an ” eclipse ” – to those who don’t. its. They can also, if they wish, buy a pair “he continues.
Machine “the golden rule is above all not to look at the sun without a special filter in these cases “he hastens to add. And for good reason. Amateur astronomers know this very well: “SWithout eye protection, irreversible damage to the retina appears after a few seconds of exposure. The resulting burn is painless, injuries occur without us realizing it. And its irreversible consequences can lead to total blindness“, we warn. Mandatory precautions for adults and children.
