APOD: A Total Eclipse at the End of the World (2011 Jan 15)

[bystander]

Yes, I would think that a total eclipse that far south (or north) would be rather unusual, considering the orbital dynamics involved. I haven't looked through the eclipse database to see how unusual, but I would expect totality above the Arctic Circle or below the Antarctic Circle to be rare.

[Eamonn Shute]

Jean Meeus in "Mathematical Astronomy Morsels" gives the mean time in years between eclipses for various latitudes:

Lat. Total Annular
+80 254 166
+60 295 205
+40 333 246
+20 364 274
0 388 275
-20 407 247
-40 427 203
-60 458 159
-80 513 122

In other words, total eclipses are most frequent at high northern latitudes and least frequent in the south! Here is his explanation:

"In the summer months the Sun is for a longer time above the horizon, increasing the frequency of visible eclipses there. In the Northern hemisphere, this occurs around the time when the Earth is near the aphelion of its orbit, resulting in a smaller-than-average solar disk, thus favouring the occurence of total eclipse, and disfavouring that of an annular one; the opposite holds for the Southern hemisphere."

Annular eclipses are less frequent near the equator because it is closer to the moon, so the moon's angular size is greater, making an eclipse more likely to be total.

[neufer]

I would think that a total eclipse that far south (or north) would be rather unusual, considering the orbital dynamics involved. I haven't looked through the eclipse database to see how unusual, but I would expect totality above the Arctic Circle or below the Antarctic Circle to be rare.

From 1901 to 1941 Antarctica experienced 4 total eclipses and 4 annular eclipses.

Click to view full size image

Click to view full size image

[DavidLeodis]

Thanks all for the information about the frequency by latitude of solar eclipses. That is most interesting.

[DavidLeodis]

I think I may have worked out why this eclipse is said to have been "unusual". From information I found about the total solar eclipse of November 23 2003 because of the high latitude involved that eclipse was in some locations experienced as a midnight eclipse. A midnight solar eclipse would normally be considered impossible, but with 24 hour a day daylight in the Antarctic at the time of year of the eclipse it was it was possible and did happen.

[hfeshadow]

Seriously? A couple photographers and this is the best picture they had? I'm pretty sure in 2003 my negative pixel phone camera would have been sharper than that junk. To the photographers, don't quit your day jobs and sell your cameras your not worthy. /twocents

[neufer]

Seriously? A couple photographers and this is the best picture they had? I'm pretty sure in 2003 my negative pixel phone camera would have been sharper than that junk. To the photographers, don't quit your day jobs and sell your cameras your not worthy. /twocents

I would love to see you trying to take a picture on your phone camera under those conditions.

(And you don't understand atmospheric refraction either.)

[bystander]

@hfeshadow: Keep your two cents, I think you probably need them more than I.