Today, Jul 2, 2019, around 4:40 p.m. EDT, Earth will experience another total solar eclipse (TSE). It will only be visible in South America, in Chile and Brazil, but this is one of the most anticipated TSEs by the astronomy world. That is because the TSE band goes right over the Atacama desert plateau in Chile, where some of the world’s most advanced observatories and telescopes are located. And astronomers have been preparing for this event for a long while.
Many of us remember the great TSE on Aug 21, 2017, even though some of us were not in the path of the TSE and only a saw partial eclipse, while others ventured out to far away destinations to be in the right place at the right time. Pictures and stories adorn our family rooms. This TSE may not generate the same personal excitement for us, but there will be plenty to enjoy through the eyes of others.
Here is some info about the event. Webcast links are included in the tweets below. YouTube link for ESO webcast is here.
Note that local Chile time is same as EDT.
With modern instruments, astronomers will be able to make measurements of stars very close to the edge of the Sun’s disk and make accurate calculations of the bending of star light by the Sun’s gravity.
Here is a map of future TSEs. Our next viewing is in 2024.
A few factoids -
A TSE also excites the local population and attracts a lot of eclipse watching tourists, as is to be expected. A few hundred (thousands?) got a chance to attend a viewing at one of the many observatories in the area.
This group with hashtag #meetESO has been posting images and news non-stop. Check them out.
Some science lessons —
Here are some videos that show the grand scale and majesty of the observatories and their surroundings —
Further Reading
- Total solar eclipse 2019 — www.eso.org/…
- 2019 Total Solar Eclipse Event at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile - www.eso.org/...
- Exciting Experiments During Total Solar Eclipse at La Silla — www.eso.org/…
- 100 years after, Astronomers carry out the Einstein's Eclipse experiment at La Silla Observatory in Chile — astrospace-page.blogspot.com/…
- Eddington experiment — en.wikipedia.org/…
- The Astronomers’ Eclipse: July 2nd Eclipse Will Pass Over Professional Observatories — www.skyandtelescope.com/...
- The Last Eclipse? Why Tuesday's Totality Over Earth's Biggest Telescopes Could Be The End Of An Era - www.forbes.com/…
- La Serena and Coquimbo in SoFi fever — bonnstern.wordpress.com/…