There will be a spectacular solar eclipse in Hungary today
But what is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, that is, only during a new moon. Since the orbital plane of the Moon and the Earth closes by 5.15 degrees, the lunar disc does not cover the Sun every new moon, only when the Moon – viewed from a certain point of view of the Earth – exactly covers the Sun.
The average distance of the Moon from the Earth is 384,400 km, but this is not a constant value, because when it is close to the Earth, this distance decreases to 363,104 kilometers, and when it is far from the Earth, it increases to 405,696 kilometers. Therefore, at the time of the new moon, in order for the Moon to completely cover the Sun,
the apparent diameter of both celestial bodies must be the same and they must be exactly in the same plane.
This is when we talk about a total solar eclipse.
If during a total solar eclipse the Moon is at its apogee, i.e. it is at its maximum distance from the Earth, due to its smaller apparent diameter, the rim of the Sun surrounds the Moon like a glowing ring, this is called an annular eclipse.
In the case of a partial solar eclipse, the lunar disk does not completely cover the Sun, but only covers a smaller or larger part of it.
We can see this type of solar eclipse from the territory of our country on Tuesday, October 25, 2022.
Seen from Budapest, the Moon enters the solar disk at 11:18 in the morning.
The maximum phase of the eclipse will be reached at 1:25 p.m.,
at that time, the sun’s disk will be covered by about 33% as seen from the capital.
However, the degree of coverage will be different in different areas of the country. The lunar disk will best cover the Sun in the eastern areas, here the blocking is expected to be around 39% in the north.
On the other hand, the coverage in the southeastern region of the country will be 28%.
The partial solar eclipse ends at 1:33 p.m., when the Moon will leave the sun’s disk.
Tuesday’s total eclipse will not be complete from any point on Earth.
The largest coverage of the sun’s disk, 82%, will be observed along the Ob River in Siberia in the vicinity of Szalehard. The phenomenon will be visible from almost all of Europe, Western Asia, and a part of Northeast Africa.
At the time of the partial eclipse last observed from the territory of our country, in 2015, the coverage was 59%, but during Tuesday’s solar eclipse, you will also notice a decrease in illumination, as well as a fading of light and colors.
Anyone who misses the observation of Tuesday’s partial solar eclipse will have to wait five years until the next partial eclipse, which can also be seen from Hungary.
During the eclipse on August 2, 2027, the solar disk will be covered by 47%. If you want to see a solar eclipse sooner than that, the closest spectacular event in the sky will be the total eclipse visible from southern Spain on August 12, 2026.
No one wants to attend a solar eclipse without proper protective equipment, as it can lead to extremely serious eye damage and even blindness!
If someone looks at the Sun without protective glasses or other suitable protective equipment,
your eyes can suffer permanent damage even after just a few seconds.
To observe the eclipse with the naked eye, the best tool is the simple paper glasses made for this purpose, which are manufactured with a special solar filter film.
This allows us to safely look into the glowing solar disk. Neither the sooted glass nor, for example, the CD disc is recommended, as their filtering effect has not been tested and is therefore not safe. It is also extremely spectacular with the naked eye, since the diameter of the Solar System is barely as large as that of the Moon, so the cover of the Moon moving in front of the Sun’s disc is excellently visible.
It is extremely important not to look at the Sun with binoculars or even a simple theater scope, because it causes instant blindness.
However, with the help of solar foils and solar filters manufactured for astronomical telescopes, we can examine the surface of the Sun in complete safety. With telescopes equipped with solar filters, fine details can be observed that cannot be seen with simple protective glasses.
So, for example, in astronomical telescopes, it appears that the edge of the dark shadow of the Moon is not regular, but an uneven, zigzag line, due to the mountain ranges and valleys on the edge of the Moon. Sunspots are also clearly visible in telescopes, and the darkness of its core, the umbra, is worth comparing with the darkness of the moon’s shadow.
Paying extra attention to the celestial spectacle, the Svábhegyi Csillagviszgáló (1121 Budapest, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 15-17) is holding an extraordinary presentation day, which anyone can participate in without registration. Here, the eclipse can be seen in the country’s largest refractor (lens telescope) together with other telescopes within the framework of a professional presentation.
Cover image: illustration