VIEW
Volume 17
Number 1
Winter 2017
A new era of education
outreach is underway at PARI
In this issue . . .
Cooby Creek 50th . . . . . . .
2
Dr. Chris Mullis . . . . . . . . .
2
Pulsar Journey Art . . . . . . 3
NCREN and PARI . . . . . . . . 3
Rosman MS Visit . . . . . . . .
4
New PARI Staff Members
5
West Optical Telescope . .
5
Totality at PARI . . . . . . . . .
6
PARI in Pictures . . . . . . . . . 7
Research Update . . . . . . . . 8
Astronomer’s Corner . . . . 12
PARI’s StarLab portable
planetarium is being retired
after more than a decade of
service. In terms of sheer
numbers, the PARI StarLab
became one of the most
popular astronomy programs
in the Carolinas, with more
than 75,000 people viewing
its programs.
AdventureDome arrives
The learning experience is being upgraded to a program entitled
“AdventureDome,” which will be made possible by a Digitalis
Digitarium Zeta Pro projector shown here being unpacked by
members of the PARI education Department (left to right, Bob
Hayward, Christi Whitworth and Skip Bird).
The digital projector will provide all the former StarLab
planetarium programs but also open the door for development
of earth science and other types presentations far beyond those
normally associated with planetariums. PARI is currently in talks
with Digitalis to build content for a radio astronomy program.
PARI Calendar
Jan 31
Feb 10
Feb 28
Mar 10
Apr 14
SciGirls - Insulation Station
Evening at PARI
SciGirls - Blowin’ in the Wind
Evening at PARI
Evening at PARI
For a complete look at upcoming events and
activities, see the PARI Event Calendar.
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, a public not-for-profit 501(c)(3) foundation
Halfway around the world, PARI celebrates NASA history
PARI representatives recently helped mark a historic moment in in the U.S. space program, the 50th anniversary of the Cooby Creek Tracking Station in Queensland, Australia.
During the early days of the U.S. space program the Rosman Tracking Station at the current PARI site
joined similar stations in Cooby Creek and Mojave, California, to form the NASA ground support team for
the Applications Technology Satellite (ATS) series. ATS pioneered many of the technologies we use today,
including weather satellites, GPS
systems and satellite TV broadcasts.
As those who worked at Cooby
Creek prepared for their 50th
anniversary celebration they
reached out to their U.S. counterparts. Friends of PARI volunteers
John Boehme, Joe Collins and Dr.
Joe Phillips became part of the
festivities. John Boehme set up a
satellite and amateur radio link
that allowed Joe Phillips to participate live during the ceremonies. Joe Collins, who worked on
the ATS series during the Rosman
days, also participated using a
Skype connection.
Cooby Creek Station, Australia, as it appeared in the 1960s.
The Cooby Creek station was online in time for the 1966 launch of ATS-1 and relayed satellite television
to Australians for the first time. The ATS-1 also obtained the first image from space of the entire Australian continent. Its mission completed, Cooby Creek closed in 1970. Its sister station in Rosman lives on
today as PARI.
Dr. Chris Mullis joins PARI board
The newest member of PARI’s board of directors is Dr. Chris
Mullis. For nearly 20 years as an astrophysicist Dr. Mullis charted the far reaches of the Universe, before pivoting to help families navigate more down-to-Earth challenges through his financial planning firm, NorthStar Capital Advisors.
Dr. Mullis is a graduate of Providence Day School in Charlotte,
NC and currently serves as a vice chair of its Board of Trustees.
He did his undergraduate work at the University of Virginia and
received his Ph. D. in Astronomy from the University of Hawai’i.
Dr. Mullis resides in his native Charlotte with his wife and two
children, and currently serves as CEO of NorthStar Capital Advisors and CFO of Mullis Oil Company
Page 2
Dr. Chris Mullis
Pulsar Journey art exhibit extended
Originally scheduled to end in December, the synthesis of art and science entitled “Pulsar Journey” has
been granted an extended run until Feb. 4. The exhibit features 11 works by French artist Amélie Beaudroit depicting the stellar stages of a pulsar. Her work at PARI includes LED lighting to help depict the way
a pulsar signal repeats in space.
Artist Amélie Beaudroit discusses her work with PARI APDA
Director Thurburn Barker during a reception to open the exhibit.
Visitors use a downloaded app to enhance
the viewing experience.
PARI shares broadband experience with statewide group
CIO Lamar Owen, far left in the accompanying photo, demonstrated how broadband connectivity enhances hands-on learning opportunities at PARI during the NCREN Community Days at N.C. State University in
Raleigh.
NCREN (North Carolina Research and Education Network) is the network operated by MCNC, a technology
nonprofit that builds and operates broadband infrastructure connecting research,
education and healthcare institutions
across the state. The annual Community Days event is a forum for leading IT
professionals to share their experiences
and learn from one another.
During his talk, Lamar demonstrated
how PARI’s 12-meter radio telescope
is used remotely by students across the
state and around the world. Colleen
Lemmers, the 2016 Janet Parks Intern
ran a real-time online demonstration
while Lamar discussed what the audience was seeing and how students use
the instrument to gather data from stars
and other celestial bodies.
NCREN- Lamar Owen panel
Page 3
A day of science adventure for Rosman Middle School
About 150 8th grade students from Rosman Middle School were treated to a day of learning and exploration on the PARI campus, thanks to a grant from Biogen, a global leader in biotechnology headquartered
in Cambridge, MA.
The students learned about careers in science while participating in hands-on workshops organized and
conducted by PARI staff members. Topics included comets, spectra, GPS satellites-- and having fun with
science!
Students from Rosman Middle School with telescope at PARI
Page 4
PARI welcomes new staff members
PARI’s recent expansion of public
outreach has resulted in the addition
of two staff members in visitor and
program support roles. Laura Owen,
left, now assists with food service and
housekeeping, while Lebby Moran,
seated, assists Sarah Chappell with
visitor services.
Laura Owen and Lebby Moran
A new lease on life for
popular instrument
Originally from South Carolina, Laura
has spent most of her life Balsam
Grove and currently resides in the
community with her husband and two
children. She graduated from Rosman
High School and holds a NC Servsafe
Managers certificate. Lebby graduated
from George Mason University with an
Astronomy degree and moved to the
Brevard area last August.
PARI’s West Optical Telescope is
once again producing researchgrade images of the night sky,
thanks to a West Coast excursion
for the instrument’s primary
16-inch mirror.
Hundreds of students and
researchers have used the telescope for the past 12 years, but
those years of use took their toll.
A decade of pollen and dust was
glued to the mirror by North Carolina humidity. Careful cleaning
PARI’s West Optical Telescope
by PARI staff restored the reflective surface to high luster but did
nothing to bring the aluminized coating back to its originally reflectivity. That problem was solved by
shipping the mirror to a specialist in California. Five weeks later, the mirror was safely home, looking
brand new.
The mirror is now back in the telescope, producing images and ready for another decade of nighttime
adventure.
Page 5
Totality at PARI
From the West Coast to the Atlantic Ocean the U.S. will be looking skyward August 21, as a total solar
eclipse transverses the entire country for the first time in 99 years. Some are already calling it the “eclipse
of the century.” And, while much of the country will see a partial eclipse, PARI is directly in line for totality
– totality at our location begins at 2:36 p.m. and will last for 1 minute and 47 seconds.
That means those on campus will experience a sight few have ever seen, the rays of the Sun being totally
blocked from view by the Moon except for a faint glow of the solar corona. We are already deeply involved
with planning a full day of experiences for those who will visit that day, and working with a number of
outside groups to maximize exposure for PARI.
Seasonal visitors to PARI
Page 6
PARI in Pictures
Friends of PARI Volunteer Alex Armstrong is a professional photographer who graciously
provides stunning photos taken at PARI for our literature and public outreach. Here are
a few of his recent works.
Page 7
Research Update Overview
Since the last newsletter, the PARI
research department has been involved
in several initiatives, including commissioning the 12-meter (12m) radio telescope for public use, relocating the geomagnetometer to the south side of the
campus, resurfacing and installing the
mirror for the 0.4m optical telescope,
taking the Smiley telescope into maintenance mode for its upcoming overhaul,
cataloging and shelving of the 100,000plate Yale donation and and creating
strategic plans and budgets for FY-2017.
We have also strengthened relationships
with our external partners and stakeholders and have forged new relationships with collaborators for 2017, primarily surrounding the August eclipse
event.
RESEARCH UPDATE
Ben Goldsmith, Research Director
Mike Castelaz, Lead Scientist
Geomagnetometer
Geomagnetometer
Instruments and Systems
West Optical Telescope (WOT)
WOT (0.4m) mirror was removed and sent to California to be resurfaced. Upon its return to PARI in
October, the mirror was reinstalled and the telescope system (the dome, the camera and auxiliary systems) was tested. Minor repairs to the telescope included the repair of a shutter limit switch, a serial-to-network interface, and general cleanup of unnecessary cables and extraneous equipment.
Further testing will be conducted, but the telescope is in good working order and is available for operations. Pointing is better than before the mirror was removed, and tracking remains excellent.
Geomagnetometer
The geomagnetometer move from its location in the main PARI compound to the south end of the
campus was completed.
12-Meter Radio Telescope (12m)
The 12m completed its internal test and verification phase in October and its interface was expanded to
allow it to be accessed and controlled over the internet. With this done, the 12m becomes the primary
education instrument for use in PARI education programs.
Several groups have used the 12m radio telescope since verification. These groups included a demonstration at the November NCREN conference held in Greensboro, NC, Homeschool Day where students
under the guidance of the director of learning experiences, Christi Whitworth, observed the Milky Way
Galaxy, and students in an Astrophysics class at Brevard College who mapped an 11 degree x 11 degree
region of the Serpens Giant Molecular Cloud.
Page 8
Research Update Overview (continued)
12-meter Radio Telescope
12-meter Setting
Smiley Radio Telescope
With the 12m online for education, Smiley has been
taken offline and turned over to maintenance until
May, 2017. During this time, Smiley will be overhauled. The list of upgrades includes new motors,
drives, controls and auxiliary systems to include
limit switches and other safety systems. The software will be updated. The controls will be moved
from their current location at the end of PARI’s
major tunnel, an area we call “the cage”, to an office
upstairs in the research building that is only a few
feet away from the Smiley telescope itself. This
move will create a more aesthetic environment for
operations, it will shorten cable runs to make for a
more robust radio telescope system, and will have
better environmental controls.
Solar Telescopes
The solar telescopes are online and in working order.
The telescopes will undergo further tests and planning for their use in the August 2017 solar eclipse
event, and sometime in the spring we plan to have
live data available for viewing on the PARI website.
Smiley Radio Telescope
Page 9
Research Update Overview (continued)
Programs
Astronomical Photographic Data Archive (APDA)
With the fall arrival of nearly 100 ,000 astronomical plates and equipment from Yale University, the task
of cataloging and shelving of these resources has been underway in the research building. The progress
has been good and we hope to complete this task before the end of the year.
Total Solar Eclipse
PARI is in the line of totality and will be closed to the public on August 21, 2017 to observe the solar
eclipse. In addition to hosting as many as 800 astronomy enthusiasts and invited guests, PARI is working with at least three research partners who will be on campus for the event. NASA will be conducting three experiments on site. First, a balloon launch funded by the NC Space Grant will be conducted
under the direction of Lenoir-Ryne students to study varying atmospheric events during the eclipse.
In concert with this experiment, NASA-Goddard will pilot a number of kites with instrument packages
onboard to study affects at lower altitudes. Radio JOVE data will be collected at PARI and used at NASA
to detect variances in solar flux and solar wind magnitude during totality.
Meetings
Research Director Ben Goldsmith attended the November NC Space Grant meeting at NCCU in Durham,
NC, and served on an advisory committee. Several topics were discussed, including the 2017 eclipse
and ideas for the committee to pursue in the months ahead of the spring meeting.
Page 10
Research Update Overview (continued)
Future Plans
The research department will move forward by maintaining and improving PARI’s instrumentation
and the execution of the PARI Master Plan. This involves applying the strategic plan developed by the
research director. The plan and budget calls for a greater focus in attracting research partners to PARI
to include not only educational research but also scientific research being conducted by commercial
entities.
The department plans to create a set of bounded projects that can be offered to universities as internships to give students hands-on training and experience in their fields as well as course credit. We are
applying for grant opportunities to continue funding the APDA project. We are in collaboration with
researchers conducting a worldwide campaign to capture the images of asteroids as they pass in front
of stars and therefore provide data on their size, shape, mass and orbital parameters. We are pursuing
a role in a worldwide campaign to capture cosmic rays and their varying intensities over large geographical areas. In collaboration with Brevard College, we believe we will be awarded a grant to obtain
Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV), one ground-based and one submersible.
We are making partners aware of our unique status during the 2017 eclipse, being the only radio
astronomy site in history to be in the path of totality so far as we can tell from historical records. In
addition to astronomy, we are reaching out to other researchers in fields such as horticulture, zoology, meteorology, biology and other scientific pursuits. We hope to study the Cascadian rhythms of
insects, nocturnal animals, flowering plants and the affects expected as we incur a sudden loss of light
and temperature. We also intend to host a collaborative meeting once per quarter among scientists
and educators and corporate entities to make PARI known to the research and science community as a
well-rounded working facility that can meet their needs.
In 2017, we intend to move away from a project-focus approach to becoming more program-focused,
driven by missions that have merit and have publishable results, and provide a return on investment.
To do so, we must have an outreach program to meet the right people in the right fields and attract them
as partners and collaborators to PARI. We are excited about FY-2017, seeing it first as a challenge and
second as an adaptation to the changing environment we must meet with fresh ideas and a fresh perspective.
Page 11
The August 21, 2017 Total
Solar Eclipse
Part 1: Science and History of Solar Eclipses
astronomer’s corner
Dr. Bob Hayward,
Astronomer/Educator
“. . . the monk raised his hands above my head, and his eyes toward the blue sky, and began some words
in Latin: in this attitude he droned on and on, a little while, and then stopped. I waited two or three
moments; then looked up; he was standing there petrified. With a common impulse the multitude rose
slowly up and stared into the sky. I followed their eyes, as sure as guns, there was. . .”
What? What was it Sir Boss saw up there in the sky? If you’re familiar with American literature, you
might recognize the situation unfolding in Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court.
Hank Morgan, the protagonist of Twain’s tale (played by Bing Crosby in a Hollywood version), is about
to be burned at the stake when he remembers that a total solar eclipse is due to start within minutes.
(Actually, to be true to Twain’s narrative, there was a misunderstanding in the exact date on the part
of Sir Boss’ servant Clarence. But, that’s just an added twist to the plot.) What the crowd awaiting Sir
Boss’ flaming execution had just noticed was the beginning of a solar
eclipse. Of course, Sir Boss used his knowledge to gain advantage over
the superstitious crowd and, more important, King Arthur to escape
from his imminent fate by fire. After he and the king came to terms,
our hero agreed up return the sun to the sky and, as a thin sliver of light
reappeared in the sky, “… the assemblage broke loose with a vast shout
and came pouring down like a deluge to smother me with blessings and
gratitude; and Clarence was not the last of the wash, to be sure.”
Christopher Columbus: While the above is unabashedly fictitious,
there is a similar story, supposedly true but admittedly undocumented
and of questionable veracity regarding the fourth voyage of none other
than Christopher Columbus. The unfortunate Columbus left Cadiz, Spain
on May 11, 1502 with four ships. An epidemic of shipworms invaded
the hulls of his wooden ships, forcing him on June 25, 1503 to abandon
two ships and beach the remaining pair on the north coast of Jamaica.
During the lengthy repairs the natives at first were supportive and fur-
nished the Spanish crew with food and other materials. However, as sometimes happens when guests
overstay their welcome, relations between the natives and the crew got nasty and Columbus needed to
resolve the situation.
Regiomontanus: Being a resourceful sea captain, the admiral had with him
an almanac containing detailed information on the sun, moon, planets, stars
and constellations for the years 1475-1506. This valuable almanac had been
published by the German mathematician, astronomer and (horrors!) astrologer,
Johannes Müller von Königsberg (1436-1476) more commonly known by his
Latin pseudonym Regiomontanus. Consulting this almanac Columbus discovered that on the evening of Thursday, February 29, 1504 there was to be a total
eclipse of the moon visible from Jamaica shortly after moonrise. Columbus gave
the Jamaicans three days warning and, at the predicted time, the moon rose with
a notch out of it and slowly turned bloody red. The natives were terrified and,
according to Columbus’ son Ferdinand, “…with great howling and lamentation
came running from every direction to the ships laden with provisions, praying to
the Admiral to intercede with his god on their behalf.” Needless to say, Columbus
Page 12
The August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse (Continued)
agreed to do so and the moon slowly reappeared. He and his crew were rescued on the following June 29.
Ernst Mayr: Unfortunately, this scheme of influencing the “natives” using knowledge of upcoming eclipses hasn’t always worked out as planned. Award winning evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr (1904-2005)
on a 1928 ornithological expedition to then Dutch New Guinea checked his own almanac and noted that a
lunar eclipse was about to occur. The Museum of Comparative Zoology’s informal chronology records the
event: “Mayr announced to the tribe, through an interpreter, that the moon was about to totally darken.
Unlike Twain’s characters, however, they were not impressed, and the elderly chief said to Dr. Mayr, ‘Don’t
worry, my son, it will soon get light again.”
Eclipses Across Cultures: While the first story above involving a solar eclipse is purely fiction and the
second involving a lunar eclipse is of questionable authenticity, eclipses are certainly very real and are
among the most spectacular events in all of nature. The word eclipse originates in the Greek where it
literally means “abandonment.” Archilochus wrote
Since Zeus father of Olympians
made night from mid-day
hiding the light of the shining-sun
and sore fear upon man.
This quote alludes to the general fear among unscientific cultures of both solar and lunar eclipses. In
India during an eclipse food is neither eaten nor cooked in belief that when the rays of the sun don’t reach
the earth, germs increase in food. In Thailand the color black denotes evil. In China banging pots created
enough noise to scare away the dragon eating the sun.
While many cultures have a variety of mythologies regarding eclipses, eclipses are very well known to
observers of the sky and, long before the invention of computers, mathematicians and astronomers have
been able to calculate and predict them. Chinese and Babylonian records make note of eclipses over 4000
years ago and the Egyptians observed eclipses before that. Astronomers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have used Chinese observations of eclipses as far back as 1226 BCE to measure the change in the
rotation rate of the earth. They found that the day back then was 0.047 second shorter than it is today. On
May 28, 585 BCE a total solar eclipse motivated the Lydians and the Medes to stop a battle and agree to a
peace treaty later cemented by a double marriage. This eclipse was predicted by the Greek astronomer
and philosopher Thales although it’s not know if the generals of those armies were aware of his prediction. While generally eclipses are seen as bad omens, that is not always the case. In Tahiti they have had
a romantic meaning in the belief that and eclipse is a lovemaking of the sun and moon.
Einstein’s Relativity: The most obvious use of eclipses to further scientific knowledge is, of course, to make observations of the sun, specifically its chromosphere
and the beautiful corona visible to the naked eye during a total solar eclipse. For
example, during a total solar eclipse on August 18, 1868 French astronomer Jules
Janssen (1824-1907) discovered the element helium in the spectrum of the sun.
(This element is named for the Greek god of the sun, Helios.) But, probably the
most famous bit of science coming out of eclipses observations took place during
the total solar eclipse of May 29, 1919.
Up until that time physicists had accepted the long-established law of universal
gravitation put forth by Sir. Isaac Newton. But a newcomer to the field named
Albert Einstein took exception to Newton’s law. Einstein’s general theory of relativity predicted that space
was warped by mass. This was not a large effect, and no means of measuring it and, thus, confirming or
disproving Einstein, was available.
Page 13
The August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse (Continued)
However, in 1917, Sir Frank Watson Dyson, Astronomer Royal of Britain, noted that on May 29, 1919,
there would be a total solar eclipse in front of the Hyades star cluster that forms the face of Taurus the
bull. He noted that light from the stars in the cluster would have to pass close to the edge of the eclipsed
sun. He suggested that if those stars were displaced by about 1.75 arcseconds from their normal locations, then it would be confirmation that the gravity of the sun had bent their light rays. (Einstein’s
theorybasically says not that light rays are bent but rather that the space through which they travel is
warped.)
Sir Arthur Eddington measured the “true” locations of the Hyades stars in January and February 1919.
Then in May he went to the island of Principe off the west coast of Africa and took several pictures
during the six minutes of totality. Back in England his measurements confirmed Einstein’s theory. When
Eddington announced his findings on November 6, 1919, Albert Einstein became a worldwide celebrity.
The bending of light around massive celestial objects, now known as gravitational lensing, is a valuable
tool in astronomical studies today often utilizing the Hubble Space Telescope’s magnificent cameras.
Solar Eclipses: We’ve seen that eclipses are very predictable even in historical times. Thus, it is very
reasonable to believe that documents such as Regiomontanus’ almanac were very accurate. Obviously,
Sir Boss’ ability to predict an upcoming eclipse was an accurate representation of the state of the art in
Twain’s time and not a figment of his vivid imagination. So, let’s look at the mechanics of eclipses.
August 21, 2017. Does that date
ring a bell? Well, if you are in any
way, even the slightest, interested in astronomy or science in
general, you know that August
21 is the date of what some are
calling the “Eclipse of the Century.” In the rest of this article we
will discuss solar eclipses in general. In the next issue, we will
zero in on the August 21 eclipse
that will be visible from throughout North America.
There are two types of eclipses, solar and lunar. In a solar eclipse or eclipse of
the sun, the moon comes between the earth and the sun.
In this not-to-scale diagram as seen from above, the moon orbits the earth in a counterclockwise direction. During a
solar eclipse the new moon’s shadow touches the earth. If the moon were too far above or below the line between the
sun and earth, there would be no eclipse since the moon’s shadow would miss, passing above or below our home planet.
The sun is approximately 400 times larger than the moon and approximately
400 times farther from the earth. This amazing coincidence of nature means that
when the moon comes directly between the earth and the sun, it appears to just
about perfectly fit over the sun. Since both the moon and the earth follow orbits
that are not perfect circles, this fit does vary slightly. There is no physical reason
for this coincidence as no other planet-moon pair in our solar system experiences
such a nearly perfect fit of a moon over the sun.
The moon orbits the earth with respect to the sun in 29½ days. This is known as the synodic month.
Thus, it passes by the sun that often as it goes through the phase of new moon. So, the question often
arises, “Why don’t we have a solar eclipse every time the moon passes by the sun, i.e., new moon?” The
answer is that the orbit of the earth, called the ecliptic, and that of the moon are not coplanar. That’s a
Page 14
The August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse (Continued)
The moon’s orbit is tilted 5° from the ecliptic, i.e., the plane of the earth’s orbit.
Thus, for half of its orbit the moon is above the ecliptic and, for the other half, below.
fancy way of saying they don’t lie in the same plane.
It’s only when the moon is passing through the ecliptic, in what mathematicians call a node, that the
earth, sun and moon are all lined up in a direct line. If the moon comes to new moon too long before it’s
at a node, its shadow will miss the earth and there will be no eclipse (on the right below). Likewise, if it
comes to new moon too long after the node (on the left below), the shadow will not touch the earth. It is
only if it comes to new moon while it is close to its node that we will have a solar eclipse (in the middle
below).
The figure above illustrates the moon at the ascending node of its orbit. On the opposite side of
its orbit, i.e., approximately six months later, there would be an eclipse at the descending node.
Solar Eclipse Seasons: How long is “too long”? From the geometry of the system, it turns out the moon must
be within 18° of the node for its shadow to hit the earth; otherwise, it passes the earth, either below or above,
too far away from the ecliptic. Thus, if new moon occurs anywhere within this 36° stretch of the earth’s orbit,
there will be a solar eclipse. Since the earth moves 360° in its orbit in 365.2422 days, it moves almost 1° per
day. Thus, there are two 36-day periods, one around each of the nodes in which we can have a solar eclipse. In
fact, we must have one, and could have two eclipses, since the moon comes to new moon every 29½ days. We
call this 36-day period a solar eclipse season.
Since there are two solar eclipse seasons in a calendar year and since there has to be an eclipse in each solar
eclipse season, each calendar year there are a minimum of two solar eclipses somewhere on the earth. Since
there could be two solar eclipses in each solar eclipse season, there could be four. Now, just to keep you awake
worrying about it, it turns out that because of something called the regression of the nodes of the moon’s orbit,
there could be part of a third solar eclipse season in a calendar year and we could have one more solar eclipse.
In summary, there are a minimum of two solar eclipses each calendar year and there could be as many as five.
Note: The geometry of lunar eclipses follows the same logic but the lunar eclipse seasons are only
24 days long. Since there are is 29½ days between full moons, we don’t have to have any lunar
eclipses in a calendar year and we could have a maximum of three.
Page 15
The August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse (Continued)
Who sees a solar eclipse: Where will the moon’s shadow touch the earth in any given solar eclipse? This
will be determined by three things:
• The distance of the new moon above or below the node will affect how far above or below the center
of the earth the shadow falls.
• The rotation of the earth will determine which side of our home planet is facing the moon. Obviously,
if new moon occurs during our night hours, we miss out.
• The seasons, i.e., the tilt of our hemisphere towards or away from the sun.
On August 21, the shadow of the moon will hit North America including PARI since…
• New moon at 2:30 p.m. EDT will occur within the 18 days of the descending node.
• The western hemisphere will be in daytime.
• The northern hemisphere will be tilted towards the sun in our summer.
More details in the next issue.
Final thoughts: While solar eclipses might seem to be events of interest mainly to astronomers, we find
they are intimately entwined with culture as well. Observations of eclipses may be of primary interest to
scientists and those “eclipse chasers” who travel great distances just to see one more of them. But, understanding this spectacular presentation of nature is essential to our understanding of our home planet and
the universe in which we live.
So, look forward to the afternoon of August 21 in the Carolinas. Mark your calendars NOW!
References:
AmericanScience A Team Blog. “On Eclipses and Scientific Thinking: Simon Newcomb. Mark Twain,
Ernst Mayr, and Bing Crosby,” 2012. http://americanscience.blogspot.com/2012/10/on-eclipses-and-scientific-thinking.html
Buchen, Lizzie. WIRED, “May 29, 1919: A Major Eclipse, Relatively Speaking,” 29 May 2003. https://
www.wired.com/2009/05/dayintech_0529/
Colors of India.com. “Solar Eclipse Stories,” http://colorsofindia.com/eclipse/events1.htm
International Center for Theoretical Physics. “Total Solar Eclipse,” 29 March 2006. http://bibalex.org/
eclipse2006/Home.aspx
New World Encyclopedia, “Regiomontanus.” http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Regiomontanus
Rao, Joe, SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist. “How a Lunar Eclipse Saved Columbus,” February 8, 2008:
http://www.space.com/2729-lunar-eclipse-saved-columbus.html
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Observer’s Handbook 2017, Toronto, Canada
Twain, Mark. A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court, Chapter 6: “The Eclipse.” Charles L. Webster
and Co, New York, NY: http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/174/a-connecticut-yankee-in-king-arthurs-court/3049/
chapter-6-the-eclipse/
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PARI is a public not-for-profit organization. Financially, we are dependent upon contributions and grants for our educational and research
programs, and for the many operating expenses associated with maintaining the campus and our facilities.
If you have recently contributed, we thank you for your support. If not, please support PARI and our mission with a contribution. PARI is a
public not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) and all donations are tax deductible to the full amount allowed by law.
To make a contribution now, please click below. If you prefer to mail a contribution, please send it to: PARI, Attn: Director of Finance, One
PARI Drive, Rosman, NC 28772.
Your generosity in supporting PARI and our mission is appreciated and valued. Your gift will allow PARI to advance STEM learning, empower
people of all ages to become more scientifically literate and encourage young learners to consider STEM careers.
Thank you for helping make all of this possible.
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
One PARI Drive, Rosman, NC 28772
Phone: (828) 862-5554 Fax: (828) 862-5877 Web: www.pari.edu
Don Cline
Stephen Saucier
Michael Castelaz, PhD
Christi Whitworth
Bob Hayward, PhD
Lamar Owen
Mark Krochmal
Ben Goldsmith
Thurburn Barker
John Avant
Ann Daves
Sarah Chappell
Lebby Moran
Tim DeLisle
Donnie Curto
Brad McCall
John Sinclair
Timothy Owen
Laura Owen
Ken Steiner
President
Executive Director
Lead Scientist
Director of Learning Experiences
Astronomer/Educator
Chief Information Officer
IT Support Manager
Research Director
Director of APDA
Communications Director
Director of Finance, HR & Development
Visitor Support/Volunteers
Visitor Services
Software Engineering Manager
Facilities Coordinator
Facilities/Security
Curator of Meteorites and Minerals
Facilities
Food Service & Housekeeping
Special Projects Consultant
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) is a public not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization established in 1998. Located in the
Pisgah Forest 30 miles southwest of Asheville, NC, the PARI campus is a dark sky location for astronomy and was selected in 1962 by NASA
as the site for one of the first U.S. satellite tracking facilities. Today, the 200 acre campus houses radio and optical telescopes, earth science
instruments, 30 buildings, a fulltime staff and all the infrastructure necessary to support STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)
education and research. PARI offers educational programs at all levels, from K-12 through post-graduate research. PARI is home to the Astronomical Photographic Data Archive and a member of the NC Grassroots Science Museums Collaborative.
PARI’s Exhibit Gallery displays a collection of rare meteorites as well as NASA Space Shuttle artifacts, many of which have flown in space.
For more information about PARI and its programs, visit www.pari.edu. Follow PARI on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Astronomy_PARI.
“Like” PARI on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Pisgah.Astronomical.Research.Institute.
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