Annular solar eclipse - 10 may 2013

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

Originally Posted by Liz

The Townsville Group kinda forgot about it!! We are camping out near Charters Towers, so some will watch from there, I will still be in Townsville until later that day.

I can understand that and I'm not surprised. You guys in FNQ get so many central eclipses - this is the 3rd in 14 yrs. They're so regular for you that you take them for granted.

Joe

[Liz]

Originally Posted by OzEclipse

I can understand that and I'm not surprised. You guys in FNQ get so many central eclipses - this is the 3rd in 14 yrs. They're so regular for you that you take them for granted.

Joe

[EclipseMaestro (Xavier)]

Originally Posted by OzEclipse

Neither are set to default to the May 10 annular eclipse.

You can easily set the default eclipse, location or timezone with mine by appending parameters to the URL. The two following links show how to do it:
calculator set to ASE 2013
calculator set to ASE 2013 and to compute the local circumstances in Newman in local time

Originally Posted by OzEclipse

I know both Bill Kramer and Xavier Jubier. I'm on good terms with both - Xavier might be traveling with me in Newman so don't read anything into the link. Both calculators give equally accurate results.

Be careful with Bill's calculator for ASE 2013 as the limb corrections appear to be wrong near the northern limit.
They are correct with my Google Maps and in Google Earth and Occult is in very good agreement.
The current public release of Solar Eclipse Maestro has a small bug very near the limits when the limb corrections can exceed 15 seconds (already fixed in the next coming public release at the end of April) with some annulars such as ASE 2013. The bug was detected when Michael and I worked on the ASE 2013 maps.
Last EO appears to not provide any limb corrections for ASE 2013...?!

Originally Posted by OzEclipse

In fact they cross test their software to make sure results are consistent. The only reason I prefer and link to Bill's rather than Xavier's is that you can block copy the circumstances table from Bill's output but not from Xavier's.

Joe, if you tell me more I could certainly "fix" the behavior.

Originally Posted by OzEclipse

When I'm exploring options, I prefer to use Xavier's Google Earth interactive tool. But if you copy the circumstances from that tool, it pastes everything perfectly except it strips the hrs off the event times and just pastes the minutes and seconds.

I just tried and didn't have anything stripped when cutting from GE and pasting in a text editor. Please make sure you generate a new KMZ file using the 5MCSE web tool or else just click on this link to directly generate the new KMZ file for ASE 2013.

Originally Posted by OzEclipse

I used his interactive path map as the backdrop to my sunrise referenced map.

Bill's calc lets you paste, but it's foible is that inside the path times are in local time zone, outside, they are in UT but using a 12hr am/pm clock. No problem if you are just looking up your one location but soo confusing if you are doing a large group of locations in and out of the path and across multiple time zones the way I do.

So they all have their idiosyncrasies but they are amazing tools compared to what we had 10, 15, 20 years ago. So, I'm not complaining. These guys have put in serious hours producing these resources.

Originally Posted by OzEclipse

These tools make our planning so easy. I just understand the weaknesses and strengths and use the best features of all of them depending on what I am doing.

Michael Zeiler just released his map set tonight
http://eclipse-maps.com/Eclipse-Maps...13_May_10.html

Michael uses special versions of Bill and Xavier's calculators that generate high spatial res plotting data for his GIS software system. He produced early versions of the Newman maps for us about a month ago but there has been a lot of behind the scenes email circulating about the Newman maps trying to sort out the path refraction corrections.

cheers

Joe

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

Originally Posted by OzEclipse http://www.iceinspace.com.au/vbiis/i...s/viewpost.gif
When I'm exploring options, I prefer to use Xavier's Google Earth interactive tool. But if you copy the circumstances from that tool, it pastes everything perfectly except it strips the hrs off the event times and just pastes the minutes and seconds.

I just tried and didn't have anything stripped when cutting from GE and pasting in a text editor. Please make sure you generate a new KMZ file using the 5MCSE web tool or else just click on this link to directly generate the new KMZ file for ASE 2013.

Hi Xavier,
You were right, my kmz file was 3 years old. I reloaded a new version and the stripping problem is gone. You can cut and paste easily.

Personally, from my own work flow standpoint, I find its much more efficient to work in Google Earth when planning an eclipse expedition than using the calculator. This is because I plan all expeditions with my friend Bengt in Sweden and a number of other friends scattered around the world, in GE, I can leave my own place markers, notes and paths then export them to kmz and email them to Bengt or other collaborators coming on the expedition.

Now that I can cut and paste circumstances, it does everything I need.

I was not concerned about the default eclipse setting. It was someone else who commented about that.

I'm sure you are in the same boat as me that at any one time, I am at different stages of planning multiple expeditions with other people. At the moment, we're working on expeditions to next months annular, Novembers total in Africa and the Atlantic and the 2015 total up in the Arctic so I'm constantly switching eclipses around anyway.

cheers
Joe

[axle01 (Alan)]

Hey guys I'm in Townsville and considering heading north beyond Cooktown till the sealed road runs out.

I am thinking of leaving Townsville about 11pm the night before and drive till I find a good spot north of Cooktown take some photos then head back to Cairns for a rest then head back to Townsville.

Had a disappointing total solar eclipse from Cairns, got 90% cloud so I hope it is clear this time.

Alan

[cyclone]

Originally Posted by axle01

Hey guys I'm in Townsville and considering heading north beyond Cooktown till the sealed road runs out.

I am thinking of leaving Townsville about 11pm the night before and drive till I find a good spot north of Cooktown take some photos then head back to Cairns for a rest then head back to Townsville.

Had a disappointing total solar eclipse from Cairns, got 90% cloud so I hope it is clear this time.

Alan

you have to turn left at lakeland

[BrettK]

Hi guys

I have just registered. Thanks Joe.

I will be arriving Cairns at 1 pm on Thursday and will drive direct - probably to Laura and observe from there.

I plan to drive back to Cairns on Friday, do a dive trip on Saturday and fly home to Hobart on Sunday.

If anybody is interested in a lift that way and can fit in, by all means let me know.

My experience with annulars and most eclipses is that somewhere towards the limits is where all the action is. In 1981 I was a few kilometres inside the southern limit and saw a baily bead a good 30 minutes after mid eclipse. They just kept coming and coming. Everything seems to happen in slow motion near the limits - diamond rings are longer and slower, there are lots of baily beads and the photosphere is visible for a long time too. In have a photo from 1981 where you can see the Corona. That was a 99% annular so I don't expect to see that this time.

[iceman (Mike)]

If anyone needs any solar eclipse shades, I'm still selling them here:

http://shop.iceinspace.com.au/shop/i...lipse-glasses/

[axle01 (Alan)]

Originally Posted by cyclone

you have to turn left at lakeland

Hey Cyclone have you got more details than 'turn left' ,,,,,,any directions and better viewing spots would be appreciated.

Alan

[BrettK]

and then drive another 80 kms

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by BrettK

and then drive another 80 kms

According to Xavier's KML it's more like 120km to the southern limit.

[cyclone]

Originally Posted by axle01

Hey Cyclone have you got more details than 'turn left' ,,,,,,any directions and better viewing spots would be appreciated.

Alan

i've never been to the tip.
u turn left after Lakeland, then the road i think is unsealed.

[Liz]

Originally Posted by axle01

Hey guys I'm in Townsville and considering heading north beyond Cooktown till the sealed road runs out.

I am thinking of leaving Townsville about 11pm the night before and drive till I find a good spot north of Cooktown take some photos then head back to Cairns for a rest then head back to Townsville.

Had a disappointing total solar eclipse from Cairns, got 90% cloud so I hope it is clear this time.

Alan

Good on you Alan!! At least 1 Townsvillian will make it, I would be tempted if our camp wasnt on. We had a pretty good Solar Eclipse last year at Mt Carbine.

[axle01 (Alan)]

Originally Posted by Liz

Good on you Alan!! At least 1 Townsvillian will make it, I would be tempted if our camp wasnt on. We had a pretty good Solar Eclipse last year at Mt Carbine.

Liz it all depends on how busy i am at work if i go.

Might see you tonight down the strand.

Alan

[firstlight (Tony)]

Is anyone heading to Churchills Head? We have been looking at the chat about what is the best view and we would like to see a perfect ring, so that is our aim. We are gearing up the trailer to be our bed on wheels and the kids are looking forward to sleeping in tents along the way.

Our plan is that when we get to the centre-line we can set up and wait overnight for the morning. Anyone else at the centre-line?

[BrettK]

I expect to observe from the Hann River Roadhouse. It is just inside the Southern Limit. The country here is very flat (just 80 metres ASL) but there is a country airstrip just up the road which should mean I can get a clear view over the runway.

The news is though that the road from Laura is more or less closed - certainly to two wheel drives. The wet does seem to be over - or ending - now so with a bit of luck the road will be fine.

Accommodation there is extremely limited so I will be taking my tent. I will also be hiring a 4X4. I last camped here in 1979 when there was no Roadhouse or campsite of store or fuel. But there was a really nice swimming hole with plenty of clear water dropping over a waterfall a couple of metres high.

If all goes well I expect to drop into Laura on the way back to have a look at the aboriginal rock art there which I missed all those years ago.

Then back to Cairns by Friday night and a dive trip on Saturday.

So if the weather is overcast the trip will not be a total waste.

[doppler (Rick)]

Originally Posted by firstlight

Is anyone heading to Churchills Head? We have been looking at the chat about what is the best view and we would like to see a perfect ring, so that is our aim. We are gearing up the trailer to be our bed on wheels and the kids are looking forward to sleeping in tents along the way.

Our plan is that when we get to the centre-line we can set up and wait overnight for the morning. Anyone else at the centre-line?

My daughter and I have been planing to head to the centerline for our first annular eclipse. On google maps it looks like the highway has been realigned at some stage so it looks like there are some good camping spots on the old road around the Churchill's Head area. At this stage that is where we are heading.

http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages...leMapFull.html

Cheers Rick

[firstlight (Tony)]

Hi Rick, I've PM'ed you. We are looking forward to the trip. This will be our 5th expedition; Miles for the Leonids in 2001, Ceduna TSE 2002, Exmouth Venus Transit 2004, Cairns TSE 2012. It will also be the first road trip with all 3 boys for the full distance (we flew to Cairns).

[astroron (Ron)]

I am heading up there for the eclipse,anyone from SEQ who would like to accompany me and share costs, I have a small caravan with two beds.
Date of leaving around the first of May but open to change,
PM me if interested ?
Cheers

[H31l0 (Michael)]

Hi all, new here. I'll also be heading to this one. I'll be at Tennant Creek - I think it's the most easily accessable place. Who else will be at Tennant Creek?

P.s - I'll probably be heading up to Churchill's head also. Perfect ring would be good for my first annular eclipse