Editing 2816: Types of Solar Eclipse
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
+ | {{incomplete|Created by a DARK SHADOW OF A DRAGONITE THAT PERIODICALLY EATS THE SUN - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
− | There are various different types of {{w|solar eclipse}}. The comic purports to show and | + | There are various different types of {{w|solar eclipse}}. The comic purports to show and names a number of them, initially quite real and accurate before heading into traditional xkcd fantasticality. |
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+ | The punchline is where he likens an eclipse to a 'hug' of the Moon by the Sun. This is of course, not practically possible.{{citation needed}} The Sun is 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers away from the Moon. Even if it was somehow moved towards touching distance by advanced sci-fi tech or a terrible disaster, the Moon would vaporize on contact with the Sun's plasma, thus not allowing for any sort of hug. In fact, we would not live very long if this happened, as the Earth would be baked by the Sun's light, then swallowed by its intense gravity. | ||
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+ | In the title text, the hug eclipse is mentioned again, this time in regards to where the best location to be would be. First, normal advice is given about how the best way to view the eclipse would be in a scenic and natural area with few clouds. Then he mentions that the lunar surface would be the worst place to go in a solar hug - as it would be blasted with thousands of degrees of heat from the sun. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
!Label | !Label | ||
!Image | !Image | ||
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!Description | !Description | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Partial | |Partial | ||
|Sun partly obscured by an offset occlusion | |Sun partly obscured by an offset occlusion | ||
− | | | + | |Whenever the Moon does not totally line up with the Sun (for any or all observers), the 'shadow' will not cross the centre of the Sun. The parts of a full eclipse before second contact and and after third contact are also described as partial phases of the eclipsing event. |
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|- | |- | ||
|Total | |Total | ||
|Sun entirely obscured by a slightly larger concentric occlusion | |Sun entirely obscured by a slightly larger concentric occlusion | ||
− | + | |When the Moon is close to perigee (or assisted by the Earth being at aphelion) during an eclipse, the Moon's apparent size is slightly larger than that of the Sun and will cover the whole solar disc. This is an astronomically useful effect, as well as aesthetically interesting to look at, as observers can study solar prominsnces and the atmosphere of the Sun while not being blinded by the glare of the bright 'surface' of the star. | |
− | |When the Moon is close to perigee (or assisted by the Earth being at aphelion) during an eclipse, the Moon's apparent size is slightly larger than that of the Sun and will cover the whole solar disc. This is an astronomically useful effect, as well as aesthetically interesting to look at, as observers can study solar | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Annular | |Annular | ||
|Sun partly obscured by a slightly smaller concentric occlusion | |Sun partly obscured by a slightly smaller concentric occlusion | ||
− | + | |With the Moon nearer its apogee (and/or the Earth at perihelion), the Sun instead has a larger angular size than the Moon and will not be totally covered even by the most central alignment of each body. | |
− | |With the Moon nearer its apogee (and/or the Earth at perihelion), the Sun has a larger angular size than the Moon and will not be totally covered even by the most central alignment of each body. | + | An eclipse can also be called "hybrid" (not illustrated in the diagram), by being seen as both Total and Annular by different observers. Those viewing at more extreme latitudes or more westerly/easterly (the eclipse being closer to dawn and dusk, local time) are viewing both Moon and Sun from slightly further away around the curve of the planet and so make the nearer Moon decreases in angular size proportionately greater than the much more distant Sun and so see annularity for the same eclipse for which others see totallity. |
− | An eclipse can also be called "hybrid" (not illustrated in the diagram), by being seen as both Total and Annular by different observers. Those viewing at more extreme latitudes or more westerly/easterly (the eclipse being closer to dawn and dusk, local time) are viewing both Moon and Sun from slightly further away around the curve of the planet and | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Oblate | |Oblate | ||
|Oval Sun obscured by a concentric circle, except for at the edges of its major axis | |Oval Sun obscured by a concentric circle, except for at the edges of its major axis | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|Interior | |Interior | ||
− | |Sun obscured at its edge by a thick ring, leaving its | + | |Sun obscured at its edge by a thick ring, leaving its centre visible |
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|- | |- | ||
|Cuboid | |Cuboid | ||
|Sun obscured by a square cross-section | |Sun obscured by a square cross-section | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|Transverse | |Transverse | ||
− | |Obscuring circle drawn as a perpendicular plane intersecting the Sun on a | + | |Obscuring circle drawn as a perpendicular plane intersecting the Sun on a centre-line |
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|- | |- | ||
|Saturnian | |Saturnian | ||
|Obscuring circle is given an oblique (shadow) ring system | |Obscuring circle is given an oblique (shadow) ring system | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|Hug | |Hug | ||
|Obscuring shape is pinched over at both sides by the respective overlapping edges of the Sun | |Obscuring shape is pinched over at both sides by the respective overlapping edges of the Sun | ||
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|} | |} | ||
− | + | In all these images, the solar disc does not actually have a solid Moon in front of it, but a semi-transparent shadow, more typical of the representation of the Earth's solar shadow as it passes across the face of the Moon in a {{w|lunar eclipse}}. This may be an additional part of the humour. | |
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− | In all these images, the solar disc does not actually have a solid Moon in front of it, but a semi-transparent shadow, more typical of the representation of the Earth's solar shadow as it passes across the face of the Moon in a {{w|lunar eclipse}}. This may be an additional part of the | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics with color]] | [[Category:Comics with color]] | ||
[[Category:Astronomy]] | [[Category:Astronomy]] | ||
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