“This will be achieved autonomously, without relying on guidance from the ground.”
An illustration of the pair of satellites that’ll create an artificial eclipse.(Image credit: ESA)
While the world eagerly awaits the total solar eclipse in April, scientists are already planning observations for the next — except this will be an “artificial” one. Here’s what that means.
Proba-3, a mission led by the European Space Agency (ESA), has been in the making for at least 14 years. It’s due to finally launch this September, and is designed to better detect tiny, faint features in the sun’s extremely dim outer atmosphere called the corona.
To accomplish that goal, the mission will launch two small satellites together which will separate once in space and fly in tandem in an orbit around Earth. Much like the moon passes in front of the sun during a solar eclipse, the two satellites — an occulter and a specialized instrument called a coronagraph — will mimic a natural solar eclipse by lining up 144 meters (472 feet) apart, such that the former blocks out the sun’s glaring disk for the latter.
“This will be achieved autonomously, without relying on guidance from the ground,” according to a previous ESA statement.
While the pair of satellites will take 19.5 hours to circle Earth once, they will maintain their formation for just six hours in each orbit to reduce fuel costs, said ESA. Such a configuration, reportedly the first of its kind, will bring the corona into view. This solar feature is so faint that it’s visible only during natural solar eclipses, which don’t last very long and aren’t very common.
“We won’t see quite as close to the solar limb as during a terrestrial eclipse,” Russell Howard, an astrophysicist at the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab who was not involved with the Proba-3 mission, said in the statement. “But having such images for hours on end compared to the five to 10 minutes duration of an eclipse event will be spectacular.”
Coronagraphs normally include an occulter, so they come capable of blocking out the sun’s bright disk themselves. But they also experience data-damaging diffraction, a consequence of light spilling around their edges and sometimes overshining very faint signals.
“The best way to reduce diffraction is to increase the distance between the occulter and the coronagraph, which is precisely what Proba-3 is going to do,” Proba-3’s project manager Damien Galano said in a statement earlier this week.
Europe temporarily lacks independent access to space after it retired its Ariane 5 rocket and is yet to debut its successor, Ariane 6. It also delayed the return to flight date of another rocket, Vega C, to late 2024. Not to fear, the Proba-3 mission will lift off from India instead, from the country’s spaceport in Sriharikota.
Friday sees the first lunar eclipse in Sagittarius since the eclipse cycle of 2010-13 – and it looks like this new eclipse cycle might turn out to be a bumpy ride.
For a start, the eclipse is locked into a tight square with a highly passive aggressive, overly sensitive, emotionally volatile Mars in Pisces. It’s also opposite Venus retrograde, hindering the expression of genuine emotion and loving kindness. This combination of a Moon-Mars square and a Moon-retrograde Venus opposition do not bode at all well for interpersonal relationships. There’s a huge amount of anger in this energy, coupled with bitterness, resentment and perhaps jealousy too.
Lunar eclipses tend to clear the path towards something our souls need to learn, but they often do so with major accompanying drama, tears and upset. This eclipse energy may test even the most stable and loving of relationships; for a struggling relationship, the tension may just be too much.
On a geopolitical scale, both Mars and Venus retrograde are traditionally considered portents of war, so for them to be tightly involved with a lunar eclipse is pause for thought indeed. We are already seeing wide scale social anger, whether connected to the covid-19 epidemic, or connected to racial, economic and social injustice – this lunar eclipse suggests that this anger is not likely to simmer down any time soon. There are also hints of earthquakes or other geophysical upheaval connected to this energy.
Interestingly, the lunar eclipse occurs at 15 degrees Sagittarius, just one degree away from the mysterious ‘Great Attractor’ – a gravitational anomaly which, for reasons science can’t yet explain, appears to be pulling our galactic neighbourhood towards it. The Great Attractor lies at 14 degrees Sagittarius; the symbolism of its mysterious pull or hold over us is not lost in this eclipse, which exudes Sagittarian mystery energy as we collectively seek an elusive truth – but whose truth? My truth or your truth? What if there is more than one truth? What if the powers that be in today’s modern world are experts in manipulating ‘the truth’? Is this how wars start?
Sagittarius energy in its purest form is about wisdom and justice. Tumultuous events around this lunar eclipse should help to clear the way towards a greater understanding of wisdom and justice, but the path to reach that desirable end point may be troubled indeed. We can hope for wisdom, but we should also prepare, metaphorically at least, for war, both in our public and private lives. The two weeks between now and the solar eclipse on June 21st will be critical.
Aries
New religious or cultural experiences are opening your mind – but you may not be comfortable with that. You may be stuck in a process of denial, attempting to hold onto the status quo, but this lunar eclipse demonstrates that you must make a leap of faith or be left behind. It’s OK to have been wrong; what matters is that you are big enough now to acknowledge your mistakes and to adjust your thinking. You could lead the way towards a better understanding across cultures, communities and backgrounds, but to do so, you must first relinquish your need to be right and your need to ‘win’.
Taurus
Something you’ve been clinging to, whether it’s a person or a project, is about to be removed. This will be upsetting, for sure, but in your heart, you’ve seen this coming. Whether it’s a relationship breakdown or the ending of a cherished idea, you will need some time to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and face the world afresh. What you lose will be more than made up for by the potential which is heading your way, but it might not feel that way at first. Understand that life goes in cycles. You will be back on the up again soon.
Gemini
This eclipse is a turning point for a close relationship. If you are truly in love, and you believe it’s worth keeping and fighting for, then do that. Put in the work and heal your love life. If, on the other hand, you are not being treated well, then make a conscious choice to walk away with your head held high. Struggling on and pretending it’s not happening is no longer an option. If your relationship is settled and happy, you can easily ride out this bump, but in that case look for the ‘make or break’ effect in a different close partnership or interpersonal relationship. Something has to give.
Cancer
Events around this lunar eclipse may throw your daily life into chaos for a while – never a lot of fun. However, this disruption to your routines is a blessing in disguise. Under the cover of chaos, you can start to work out what you want to keep and what you want to discard from your daily arena. When you emerge from the chaos, things will be very different, but you have a great deal of say over how different and in what way. It’s important to seize what looks like a problem at this time and turn it into an opportunity to clear the decks.
Leo
A compulsive desire to take risks surfaces for you during this lunar eclipse – especially risks involving love or money. Or both! You need to walk a fine line here, between getting an adrenaline rush versus getting run over by the consequences of your risk. Stay away from gambling, and don’t take chances with a relationship you value too much to lose. You do have some issues to work through here, regarding spontaneity and a quest for fun and enjoyment, but if you allow this eclipse energy to push you too far into recklessness, the lessons you’ll learn will be painful indeed.
Virgo
Childhood trauma may resurface during this eclipse energy, particularly if you have suffered abuse of any kind. The struggle to get your truth heard may be very painful, but help is available to you if you ask for it. There’s also a focus on your current home and family, and you may be suffering from itchy feet and a strong desire to move home. Hold of on any major decisions until the eclipse energies have settled, because all is not quite what it seems here. Impulsive moves regarding major legal contracts are not, repeat not, a good thing right now.
Libra
For you, seeking wisdom during this eclipse may be quite a literal theme. Your plans to go back to school may be disrupted, or you may suddenly discover that you need extra qualifications or that you have to study for something, even if you don’t really want to. You’re being asked to make a distinction between facts and wisdom. ‘Knowing things’ is not wisdom in itself; wisdom is the skilful application of what you know. Don’t become complacent over your level of education; instead, seek to expand your mind and to gain true wisdom and insight.
Scorpio
Your ethics are in question during this lunar eclipse; if you have done something shady, you can expect to be found out. The eclipse also impacts your financial zone, and may bring unwelcome financial news. The key to handling this is to not panic. You will survive. Avoid going into unnecessary debt; avoid working yourself to exhaustion. Learn to be grateful for what you do have, not to be resentful over what you do not have. Fostering gratitude for life will help you to absorb any shocks this eclipse has in store, and will also put you in better touch with your divine self.
Sagittarius
Think back to the 2010-2013 period. Something was going on in your life at that time which taught you a great deal – but now it’s time to re-visit that lesson. Your sign always seeks wisdom and truth, but you are kidding yourself over one particular issue, preferring to lie to yourself instead of facing reality. This eclipse cycle will show you the worst of what happens if you deceive yourself or others – but it can also show you the magic of self-belief and the divinity of honesty. Set your sail towards truth and be ruthless in pursuing it, even – especially – within yourself.
Capricorn
Your empathy and compassion are laudable, but during this eclipse you may be shown the folly of having a ‘saviour mentality’. Look to your own motives when you’re trying to help others. There’s more going on here than just you doing good deeds; it speaks to a fundamental part of your character and your need to be liked, admired and seen as a success. The eclipse is here to teach you humility; to learn this lesson, you need to listen to your higher consciousness and to stop caring so much about what others think of you.
Aquarius
Your sign has always battled a need to belong on the one hand versus a need to be independent on the other hand. The lunar eclipse shatters your illusions about the need to fit in, and frees you to be the different, unique soul you are. It’s time to stop trying to change the system from within the system. It’s not going to work. Step outside, learn about the greater concepts of reality, and discover the power of manifestation. The price of real change is that people may not like you for it; is that a price you’re willing to pay?
Pisces
This lunar eclipse rocks your understanding of power – both the power you personally have and the power you as a citizen have delegated to your elected representatives. Neither your personal power nor the collective political power is serving you well right now. The eclipse teaches you, however, that you are never powerless. You always have your own personal integrity, and your freedom of choice. How you deal with your current crisis will be telling; others may be calling the shots and circumstances may be beyond your control, but you always, always have a choice over how to react.
About the author:
Nikki Harper is a spiritualist writer, astrologer, and editor for Wake Up World.
Get Ready Because There Will Be Both A Solar and Lunar Eclipse In June
There’s plenty more in store for all sky watchers, starting with a partial Penumbral Lunar Eclipse on June 5 and 6 and an Annular Solar Eclipse on June 21.
(TMU) – Thus far, 2020 has been filled with notable astronomical events, and there’s plenty still to come. We had three Super Moons in a row, starting with March’s Full Worm Moon, April’s Full Pink Moon, and, as we reported, May’s peak of the ‘Eta Aquarids’ Meteor Shower just days before the Full Flower Moon.
We’re not even halfway through the year and there’s plenty more in store for all sky watchers, starting with a partial Penumbral Lunar Eclipse on June 5th and 6th and an Annular Solar Eclipse on June 21st.
This year we’ll have a total of six eclipses, four Lunar and two Solar. The Lunar Eclipses will all be partial and the Solar Eclipses will be an Annular Eclipse on June 21st and a Total Eclipse on December 14th.
When the light from one celestial body (such as our Sun or Moon) is blocked by another (Earth or our Moon), an eclipse occurs as the body in between the two casts a shadow on the third body. We only experience two types of eclipses created by the different alignments of the Sun, the Earth and the Moon. When the light of the Sun is obstructed by the Moon we observe a solar eclipse on Earth, and when Earth is aligned between the Sun and the Moon, it casts a shadow on the Moon, creating a lunar eclipse.
When the Moon lies in the penumbral, or outer shadow, of the Earth, we have a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, such as the one on June 5th and 6th. This occurs when the three celestial bodies are not perfectly aligned. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse are quite subtle as the moon might have be only slightly darker where Earth’s shadow falls.
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:
June’s Penumbral Lunar Eclipse will visible, weather permitting, from much of Asia and Europe, Australia, Africa, Antarctica and South America’s south west. The eclipse will begin on the 5th of June at UTC 17:45:51, reach its peak at 19:24:55 and end at 19:24:55.
The Moon will be perfectly aligned between the Sun and Earth for the Annular Solar Eclipse on the 21st of June and as a result will leave the outer ring of the sun visible, also known as the ‘ring of fire’. Annulus (Latin), means ring, the name given to this celestial event.
Always protect your eyes when watching a Solar Eclipse, which should be a special and memorable event, without harming your eyesight. Never look directly at the sun, even during an eclipse, without protective, special-purpose solar filters. These solar filters are used in “eclipse glasses” or in hand-held solar viewers which have to meet a very specific worldwide standard known as ‘ISO 12312-2’. Sunglasses, no matter how dark, will not protect your eyes!
With clear skies, the full Solar eclipse, including the ring of fire, will be visible from parts of Africa including Central Africa Republic, Congo, and Ethiopia, as well as most of North India, South of Pakistan and China.
Partial views of the eclipse will be visible in South/East Europe, much of Asia and Africa, North in Australia and the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The eclipse will peak at UTC 12:10am on June 21st. The total duration of the eclipse is 3 hours, 18 minutes.
2011’s Last Solar Eclipse Shows Off for Southern Hemisphere
Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Date: 24 November 2011 Time: 11:14 AM ET
Photographer and skywatcher Bernt Olsen snapped this view of the partial solar eclipse of June 1-2, 2011 just during the “midnight sun” in Tromso, Norway. The partial solar eclipse was dubbed a “midnight” eclipse as its viewing path crossed the International Date Line across far northern latitudes.
CREDIT: Bernt Olsen
The last solar eclipse of 2011 will put on a show for some in the Southern Hemisphere on Friday (Nov. 25), but Americans shouldn’t bother to look up from their Thanksgiving leftovers.
According to NASA, viewers in South Africa, Antarctica, Tasmania and most of NewZealand will see the partial eclipse at 06:20:17 Universal time (1:20 a.m. Eastern time). With a magnitude of 0.905, this is the largest partial eclipse of the year, hiding much of the sun.
Solar eclipses occur during new moons, when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth. If the moon casts a shadow on the Earth during this phase, the result is an eclipse. From Earth, the result is that the moon seems to obscure the sun. (In contrast, lunar eclipses happen when a full moon passes into Earth’s shadow, obscuring our view of the moon. The next lunar eclipse will occur on Dec. 10, 2011.)
The number of solar eclipses varies each year between two and five. In 2011, there werefour solar eclipses. In 2012, astronomers predict just two. The next solar eclipse will be on May 20, 2012, and more Northern Hemisphere denizens will get a shot at seeing it: The eclipse will be viewable from eastern Asia to parts of the western United States.
REMOTE SOLAR ECLIPSE: If the Moon covers the sun and no one is around to see it, did the eclipse actually happen? Philosophical riddles may be all we get on July 1st (0840 UT) when the Moon covers 9.7% of the solar disk. Receiving an actual picture of the partial eclipse is unlikely because of its very remote location:
“This Southern Hemisphere event is visible from a D-shaped region in the Antarctic Ocean south of Africa,” says eclipse expert Fred Espenak of the Goddard Space Flight Center. “Such a remote and isolated path means that it may very well turn out to be the solar eclipse that nobody sees.”
Total Lunar Eclipse – Earthquakes and Volcanoes That Follow
By Mitch Battros – Earth Changes Media
Jun 20, 2011 – 11:16:45 AM
What I am about to tell you should be considered ‘conjecture’ until adopted and established by the majority of world scientists; however what I will layout below is pure unabated ‘fact’. As many of you know, I am a researcher and author whom among other items, study the science-of-cycles. What I see coming based on this science is worthy of announcement.
This is not a warning of imminent danger, but rather a ‘tap on the shoulder’ to be aware of the possible consequences of June 15th total lunar eclipse. There is a noticeable cycle of escalation in earthquake and volcanic activity within two weeks prior and/or two weeks after a full lunar eclipse.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse in 11 Years Occurs Wednesday
SPACE.com Staff
Date: 13 June 2011 Time: 07:33 AM ET
A total lunar eclipse is seen as the full moon is shadowed by the Earth on the arrival of the winter solstice, Tuesday, December 21, 2010 in Arlington, VA. From beginning to end, the eclipse lasted about three hours and twenty-eight minutes.
CREDIT: NASA/Bill Ingalls
The longest total lunar eclipse since July 2000 will occur on Wednesday (June 15), with skywatchers in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia in prime position to witness the moon treat.
The event is the first lunar eclipse of 2011 and one of two total lunar eclipses this year. The eclipse, which will occur during June’s full moon, will begin at 1:24 p.m. EDT (1724 GMT) and last until 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT), but it will not be visible from North America.
For observers in regions where it will be visible, the eclipse could offer an amazing sight: the period of totality will be 100 minutes. In the last 100 years, only three other eclipses have rivaled the duration of totality of this eclipse, according to SPACE.com’s skywatching columnist Joe. Rao. The last lunar eclipse of similar length occured on July 16, 2000 and lasted 107 minutes.
