Instantaneous Local Circumstances of Solar and Lunar Eclipses

Abstract

The instantaneous local circumstances of an eclipse answer the question: Given a specific time and a location on or near the surface of the Earth, is a lunar or solar eclipse in progress, and if so, what are the eclipse conditions (i.e., magnitude or obscuration) at that time and location? The answer to this question is especially important for planning activities or operations in which illumination is critical. Eclipses can have a profound impact on the level of natural light, yet are often overlooked when predicting the illuminance. This technical note describes how to compute the instantaneous local circumstances of solar and lunar eclipses.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 11, 2013
Accession Number
AD1094245

Entities

People

  • John Bangert

Organizations

  • United States Naval Observatory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Astronomical Phenomena
  • Brightness
  • Computations
  • Diameters
  • Eclipses
  • Elongation
  • Ephemerides
  • Equations
  • Geometry
  • Grids
  • Illumination
  • Lunar Eclipses
  • Obscuration
  • Solar Eclipses
  • Solar System
  • Visibility

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Theoretical Analysis.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris