January 26th, 2009
January 26 Annular Eclipse Photos
Written by Nancy Atkinson
Annular Eclipse on Jan. 26. Credit: M.R. Taufik
An annular solar eclipse earlier today was visible in South-East Asia, southern Africa and Australia. Thanks to M.R. Taufik from Bontang, Indonesia for sharing this image of a complete ring or annulus of light from the sun peeking out from around the moon. Because the moon's orbit is elliptical, its distance from Earth–and its apparent size—varies. Annular eclipses happen when the moon looks too small to completely cover the sun. Such an event that occurs about 66 times a century.
Image showing the region where the eclipse was visible. Credit: NASA
There were a few photo collections on Flickr of the eclipse; see here, and here. And here's more from M.R. Taufik.
Here's a great gallery of eclipse photos.
National Geographic has a few images, too.
The next solar eclipse will occur July 22 this year.
Filed under: Eclipses
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January 26th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Beautiful picture. would be nice in high def.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:02 am
This freaks me out, it seems like only the last full phase when our satellite was at its closest and appearing several per cent larger than its average. Now it can't even blot out the Sun.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:22 am
It's the Recession! Our dollar is weaker and buys less, our moon is smaller and doesn't cover as much sun as it used to. Where will it all end?
January 27th, 2009 at 6:49 am
middenrat:
The shape of an orbit is an ellipse – so at full moon our moon was at about its closest, at the next new moon (when solar eclipses occur) it has completed roughly half an orbit and is therefore nearly its farthest away.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Don't believe the hype! This wasn't the moon!
IT WAS NIBIRU!!!
January 27th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Simply beautiful! Thank you for posting.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Purrrtty!
January 27th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Every time there is an eclipse General Relativity is falsified.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Beatiful pic. wish i would see a similarly event 2 compared to what I've seen in my country only 1/4 of the Moon covered the sun. here we had only 40% visibility of the solar eclipse
January 28th, 2009 at 2:11 am
Thanks for the explanation, Dave, most helpful.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:35 am
Nice pictures… I'll be in Shanghai July 22 this year for the mother of all eclipses….
Can't wait!!!
January 29th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Beatiful Eclipse, Nice shot
January 31st, 2009 at 2:52 am
hello!
dongkoy!
February 4th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
it looks like an asshole
February 24th, 2009 at 4:18 am
hai