Ibiza Solar Eclipse

There are a growing number of people on the island already looking forward to the end of the season. Obviously the majority are not bar or restaurant owners with this season again having started so late, but astronomers and their friends looking forward to an imminent solar eclipse of the sun over Ibiza .

Ibiza is a magnet for astronomers, casual or otherwise, the sheer number of cloudless nights allied to the still relatively low level of ground light pollution make the islands a perfect place for enjoying the night sky. Many people have discovered a love for astronomy whilst lying on a beach at night on Ibiza - myself included - whilst watching a meteorite storm.

The eclipse in question, however, is a solar eclipse, which is a daytime event. For this reason there is no need for expensive telescopic equipment that can only be enjoyed by one person at a time. This is a major astral event that will not only be experienced by everybody here at the same time - but is also unavoidable! - unless you're recovering from the closing party at Space, which most observers consider to be the official 'end of the Ibiza tourist season'.

The eclipse will take place on Monday 3rd October, which is why we are warning you in our September edition. We don't want you to miss it if you want to watch this spectacular natural event suitably prepared, nor be taken by surprise when all of a sudden it gets inexplicably dark. It won't be a total eclipse, but an 'annular' eclipse, which occurs when the moon is so far from the earth that it is no longer big enough to blot out the entire sun. For this reason the moon will be surrounded by an intensely bright ring called an 'annulus' created by the unobscured part of the sun. Unfortunately this is not a good time to look at the sun with unprotected eyes as the invisible UV rays still generated are sufficient to cause eye damage.

The solar corona will not be visible as there will still be as much as 90% of the sun's surface visible at the height of the eclipse but, as the experts say, the sight of such a natural phenomenon is overwhelmingly awe-inspiring!

Animation click here

It has certainly inspired some of the local party pioneers as this event will take place almost at the same time as the Space closing party. You never know, they too might stay open for it and make an attempt on the world record for the busiest car park? The hill party brigade, however, have other ideas and a party at a 'secret' venue would appear to be in the planning... (check the sites thrown up on Google if you type in 'ibiza eclipse'). If you print some of the pages suggested you will find otherwise unexpected hidden messages of support for the planned party from local dignitaries?

On the other hand, if frivolity around the Torre de Ses Portes pirate tower is not your bag - Formentera is nearer to the central line of the event about which so many erstwhile non-astrologers are now talking.

Note: You can imagine the amount of research and information that went into calculating when the moon was going to cross the path of the sun, where this phenomenon would be visible and at what time of day? For this we have to thank Fred Espenak of NASA's GSFC for his eclipse predictions and maps, and if he's right perhaps suggest that NASA spend more time on this type of work and less billions on building space stations?

 

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