29 March 2006

the 29 march total eclipse of the sun


total eclipse of the sun - starting at rio de janeiro, brazil at 5:58am wednesday morning, 29 march 2006. in louisiana our time will be 2:58am. some facts about today's total eclipse of the sun.

the total eclipse of the sun ends at sunset 8:18pm (2018) in ulaanbaatar, mongolia which is 5:18pm (1718) here in louisiana or 00:18 at london.

Side (Turkey), March 29 (PTI): Some facts regarding the total eclipse of the sun:

* A total solar eclipse is not noticeable until the Sun is more than 90 percent covered by the Moon. At 99 per cent coverage, day time lighting resembles local twilight.

* Eclipse shadows travel at 1,100 miles per hour at the equator and up to 5,000 miles per hour near the poles.

* The width of the Moon's shadow is at most 170 miles wide.

* The maximum number of solar eclipses (partial, annular, or total) is 5 per year.

* There are at least 2 solar eclipses per year somewhere on the Earth.

* A total eclipse can only happen during a new moon.

* Total solar eclipses happen about once every year or two.

* Nearly identical eclipses (total, annual, or partial) occur after 18 years and 11 days, or every 6,585.32 days (Saros Cycle).

* From the Earth's surface, the Sun's corona ("crown") can only be seen during a total eclipse.

* Every eclipse begins at sunrise at some point in its track and ends at sunset about half way around the world from the start point.