Hidden Sunspots of 1st Contact of Annular Solar Eclipse 15th January 2010

You might surely have had a look at the above image, which features the 1st Contact of Annular Solar Eclipse 15th January 2010, However, are you sure that you got the image clearly? Can you see the sunspots there?
Even I didn't notice that at all, till Shehal informed me.It was really a surprise, We didn't mean to catch up sunspots in our Jaffna Eclipse expedition, nor did we plan.

But surprisingly this is what really happened, Eclipse Crew is so proud about this news, and I wanted to inform you all !!

Following is an enhanced photo, from the above one, You can clearly see the sunspots now !!

ANd follwing is from SOHO about the sunspots on the same day (15th January 2010). Credit should go to Prof. Kavan for the image.

If you can go through more photos from Shehal's set you might find some other sunspots as well !! And again here is the link for his set, http://www.flickr.com/photos/shehal/sets/72157623218123592/

And I invite you to visit Shehal @ Kanabona and read his latest and comprehensive post about the annular eclipse 15th January 2010. http://www.kanabona.com/celestial_sphere_ring_of_fire

Let me know what you think, and feel free to share your stories if you too have spotted sunspots !!

The main Contacts of Annular Eclipse 15th January 2010

The contacts of the eclipses are really important to anyone, interested in eclipses, Especially the contacts are considered as milestones of a whole eclipse. Now I'm posting the contacts that were photographed by our friend Shehal during the eclipse.

He was of great assistance to all of us majorly, throughout the eclipse session, I'm sure you will find his infrared filtered photos awesome, Thank you Shehal, Of course feel free to visit him @ kanabona and meet him ! :D

Here is the 1st Contact of the Eclipse

Thus follows the contact No.2

Please note that the reflected images are due to the polarizer and glass filter that Shehal used,

Next comes Contact #3

Here is the last contact which is the contact #4

So, please feel free to share the photos/images you have taken in your end, and let's create a comprehensive eclipse photo archive,

And here are the optics details for above photos, courtesy of Shehal,!!

Telescope: Celestron NexStar 5se
Focal length: 1.25m
Filter: energy rejection filter

Thank you again Shehal !!

Annular Solar Eclipse of January 15 2010

This would be a much looking-forward event for all those who are interested in Astronomy and Science in general. The biggest news is that the first Annular Solar Eclipse of 2010 will take place precisely on the Friday, the 15th of January 2010.

Luckily sun will cast moon's silhouette in a root which would be some 300 km in width, whereas the path travels a half of the Earth's circumference. Literally this means that the moon's shadow will travel more than 20,000 km across the earth, giving the earthlings a fine chance to witness a solar eclipse.

As per the calculations antumbral lunar shadow will commence its journey from Africa, hovering upon Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Somalia in the African continent. Then the path will approach Indian Ocean. The eclipse is expected to reach its maximum duration of annularity, which would be 11 minutes and 08 seconds.

Sri Lanka & India (South India) simultaneously will be the first Asian lands that are kissed by the eclipse. Then the central path will continue through Bangladesh, Burma, and China giving observers and scientists a life time experience.

However a partial eclipse is also observed within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral silhouette. The possible areas include eastern Europe, most of Africa, Asia, and Indonesia.