October 2009

Astronomy

Michael Maunder is very well known for his friendly advice in all the media. Consult him if you need to know the answer to a problem.

Timely Reminder and Advice

Everyone remembers the 1999 total Solar Eclipse on August 11th. If you want to photograph one in the future, or to observe the sun or sunspots today, or to do some photography anytime, Remember this advice :

Do not under any circumstances directly view the sun with the naked eye or through your camera lens. Permanent, serious eye damage and blindness will occur if you do. Only observe indirectly or via filters specifically designed for the job. Ordinary photographic filters will not do!

Eclipses seen by Michael Maunder

Date	Where	Type
30 June 1973	Mauritania	Total
29 April 1976	Santorini	Annular
23 October 1976	Zanzibar	Total
26 February 1979	Montana	Total
16 February 1980	Kenya	Total
11 June 1983	Java	Total
30 May 1984	Florida	Annular
18 March 1988	Bangka Island	Total
22 July 1990	Finland	Total
July 1991	Hawaii	Total
10 May 1994	Arizona	Annular
3 November 1994	Chile	Total
24 October 1995	India	Total
9 March 1997	Mongolia	Total
26 February 1998	Guadeloupe	Total
22 August 1998	Sumatra	Annular
11 August 1999	Alderney (home)	Total
15 November 1999	Bali	Transit of Mercury
11 June 2001	Zambia	Total
4 December 2002	Australia	Total
31 May 2003	Iceland	Annular
23 November 2003	Antarctica	Total
8 June 2004	France	Transit of Venus
8 April 2005	Pitcairn Island	Total
3 October 2005	Tunis	Annular
29 March 2006	Egypt	Total
1 August 2008	North Pole	Total
22/23 July 2009	Cook Islands	Total
Not Forgetting	Many Total Lunar eclipses

Not strictly a Solar eclipse
November 1981	Kenya	Venus occults sigma Sagittari

Next Total Eclipse from Channel Islands
Morning of 3 September 2081. Lasts for a little over 2 ½ minutes.

Next Total Eclipse for UK Mainland
Sunset of 12 August 2026. Skims Iceland then sunset in Spain and Balearics only.