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When Diamonds Aren't Forever
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When Diamonds Aren't Forever |
| Explanation |
The track of totality for the first solar eclipse of 2006 [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/TSE2006/ TSE2006.html ] began early yesterday on the east coast of Brazil and ended half a world away at sunset in western Mongolia [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020209.html ]. In between, the shadow [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040926.html ] of the Moon crossed the Atlantic Ocean, northern Africa, and central Asia, and so came for a moment to the small Greek island of Kastelorizo [ http://www.hri.org/infoxenios/english/dodecanese/kastelorizo/ history.html ] in the eastern Aegean. Astronomer Anthony Ayiomamitis reports that the islanders and many eclipse-watching [ http://www.spaceweather.com/eclipses/ gallery_29mar06.htm ] visitors were indeed treated to an inspiring display of the beautiful solar corona [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010408.html ] as totality lasted about three minutes. As the total phase [ http://www.mreclipse.com/Special/SEprimer.html ] of the eclipse ended, he was able to capture this striking "diamond ring" image [ http://www.perseus.gr/Astro-Eclipses-2006-03-29b.htm ]. In it, the first rays of sunlight shining through edge-on lunar valleys create the fleeting appearance of glistening diamonds set in a bright ring around the Moon's silhouette [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050506.html ]. |
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