Register below!
Predicting and mapping eclipses.
How in the world do they do it?
Tuesday, Jan. 28, 7–8:15 PM
Basics behind eclipses and their Saros cycle.
Thursday, Jan. 30, 7–9 PM
How astronomers calculate and map
where, when, and how long the moon’s
shadow sweeps across the spinning Earth
NOTICE– this class meets twice in the same week.
For convenience of some the recording of the Tuesday class will be
available Wednesday and Thursday before the second class starts.
The two recent American solar eclipses introduced millions to the incredible details and maps available online – having almost god-like accuracy. One group producing predictions and maps is timeanddate.com, headquartered in Norway. Several AAA classes used their maps as we prepared for the 2023 and 2024 eclipses.
Their website contains maps for many past and future eclipses worldwide. It also gives significant information on world time zones, weather, and astronomy. You should explore it by clicking their link: http://timeanddate.com
These are portions of timeanddate.com maps for the total eclipse of April 8, 2024.
What data and ingenious calculations underlie these maps and data?
This is the theme of these two classes.
Class 1- Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 7- 8:15 PM online
A review of the 3 primary elements of solar eclipses, namely, the three distinct orbital cycles of the moon. These determine (a) IF a solar eclipse is possible and (b) WHAT TYPE of eclipse it shall be. These also underlie the well-known and ancient Saros Cycle of 18 years/10 days/3 hours. After this span of time a particular eclipse is repeated in its type, path’s shape and direction, duration… but not location on Earth. Every solar eclipse is in a group with the same Saros number, which lasts for about 1400 years.
Instructor: David Kiefer
Chair of AAA Classes Committee, AAA Board member. Astronomy lecturer, Brooklyn College.
Class 2- Thursday, January 30, 2025, 7-9 PM online
Introducing secondary elements of eclipses vital to calculating and mapping them. Where does the moon’s shadow first strike the Earth? What path does the shadow take across the planet’s surface, with what speed and size, at what time and duration at every location?
There are also tertiary elements to consider such as the sun’s distance, the varying rotation rate of Earth, and Earth’s actual shape which is not a perfect sphere.
Instructors: Graham Jones and Brendan Goodenough
Graham is an astrophysicist and science communicator. Brendan is a frontend developer and astrophotographer. Both are part of timeanddate.com
NOTE: The second class will not be available as a recording.
Why? timeanddate.com plans to use this presentation as a trial run for material it will expand upon and make available to the public. This means this AAA class may help enhance astronomy worldwide since information on predicting and mapping eclipses is presently hard to come by and understand.
Registration opens here December 17, 2024 *
Register in Tickets window below.
$20 for members, $30 for nonmembers.
* A confirmation will be sent which gives a link to the GC, the Google Classroom. Immediately click on this GC link so you are placed on the class roster.
In this GC you will find the Zoom link to enter the classes (after 6:50 PM), and the recording of the first class if you wish to view or review it, possible further instructions.
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Do you have relatives and friends that might want to know of this class? Forward this or suggest they visit AAA.org/classes to consider it. They will thank you for doing so, as does the AAA for helping to support our events.
