TÜRKÇE

Right on the center line of the umbral path, ORDU is a nice small town with serviceable lodgings.

Photo Gallery of 'ORDU'

Total Solar Eclipse of 2006 March 29
Ordu/TURKEY

On Wednesday, 29th March 2006, the shadow of the Moon will sweep a band starting from Brazil, through Atlantic Ocean, Gold Coast of Africa, Saharan Desert, Mediterranean Sea, Turkey, Black Sea, Georgia, Russian Federation, northern shores of Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan; ending in Mongolia. The duration of totality will be less than 2 minutes near the sunrise and sunset limits, but will be as long as 4 minutes and 7 seconds in Libya, at the moment of greatest eclipse. The path of totality will be 180 kilometers wide at that moment.

The partial phases will be witnessed by all of Europe. All Asia west of Yakutsk, Mongolia, central China and Myanmar, and north of the line joining Bombay and Calcutta will see some of the Moon in front of the Sun. Also, only the southeastern parts of Africa will miss the partial eclipse.

A total eclipse of the Sun is an inspiring event. Everyone should ensure that they experience at least one in their lifetime. The last total solar eclipse of the 2nd millennium was observed from Turkey (August 11, 1999) and the first total eclipse of the Sun in the 3rd Millennium took place in Southern Africa in 2001. However, this is the first total eclipse of the Sun in the 3rd Millennium takes place in Turkey, which bridges two continents and has been the cradle of so many past civilizations. Wouldn't you like to witness this magnificent event one more time in the mystic ambiance of central Anatolia, which offers its guests Turkish hospitality and a lot of historical examples of paganism, Christianity and Islam. Among the countries from which the eclipse will be visible, Turkey seems to be one of the most suitable countries in terms of its climate and observational facilities.

The total solar eclipse that will take place on March 29th, 2006, will have a duration of totality of about 4 minutes. The shadow of the Moon will first cover the eastern coastal regions of Brasil soon after the sunrise and will travel along the Atlantic Ocean, reaching the west coast of Africa at Gana. The shadow will then proceed from Gana through Nigeria, Saharan Desert, Libya, and the Mediterranean Sea, entering Turkey at Antalya Bay. The 165 km wide shadow zone will travel in its path in our country from Antalya to Ordu with a speed of 3250 km/h. It will reach Mongolia at sunset via the Black Sea, Georgia, Northern Caspian Sea, and Kazakhstan

The location of Ordu is just under the central line of eclipse path.
See '...Eclipce Path Through Ordu/Turkey' on the right.

Webmaster: İlhan ÖZTÜRK

FIRST RESULTS FROM THE TUBITAK NATIONAL OBSERVATORY

PHOTOGRAPHS DURING THE ECLIPSE IN ''ORDU'' 29 MARCH 2006

Total Eclipses of the Sun

Anybody who has experienced nature's most awesome and unusual phenomenon never forgets it. We have met people who have seen total eclipses by accident and their reaction is always one of amazement.Although the entire eclipse can last for a couple of hours, the spectacular total phase lasts only for a few minutes. The maximum duration of totality is just over seven and a half minutes. For any one location, total eclipses of the sun occur rarely; on average, once every 410 years or so. For the Earth as a whole, total solar eclipses occur roughly seven or eight times every ten years. If we are to see one we must travel.Total Eclipses of the Sun occur when the Moon passes in front of the Sun blocking out its light for a few minutes. The sky darkens, the air cools, birds and animals react, and unusual colours bathe the landscape. Because they occur so infrequently, the event is a new and unknown experience for the local people.

There are four types of solar eclipses:
*Partial
*Total
*Annular
*Hybrid
When the Moon's shadow misses the Earth but passes very close to it, only a Partial eclipse is visible. These types of eclipse tend to be visible away from the tropics.
When the Moon's shadow hits the Earth and the Moon is close to the Earth, then a Total eclipse is visible along the narrow path of Totality. (A Partial eclipse occurs on either side of the path of Totality). For a Total eclipse, the Moon can appear to be as much as 6.5% larger than the Sun. The maximum duration of Totality is 7m 31s. Eclipses over seven minutes long are rare; only three occurred during the 20th Century and none are expected in the 21st Century. Longer eclipses tend to occur nearer the tropics.

When the Moon's shadow hits the Earth but the Moon is far from the Earth, it will not be large enough to cover the Sun completely. A ring of Sun remains around the Moon. This ring-shaped partial eclipse is called an Annular Eclipse (from annulus the Latin for ring). At its most extreme, the Moon can be 10.9% too small to cover the Sun. The maximum duration of Annularity is 12m 30s.

A Hybrid Eclipse is where the Moon is at such a distance that the eclipse is Annular in some areas and Total in other areas. The duration is usually very short for these types of eclipses.

In any calendar year there must be TWO solar eclipses and there can be as many as FIVE. Less than half will be Total. The table below shows all Solar Eclipses occurring between 1999 and 2012. The next four Total eclipses are described in detail below.

Resources For More Information:

...Eclipse Path Through Ordu/TURKEY...

...Weather Prospects for the Eclipse...

...The complete 2006 eclipse publication(PDF)...

...Eye Safety During Solar Eclipses, by Fred Espenak...

...Local Circumstances for TURKEY...

...2006 Total Eclipse Animation (GIF)...

...Solar Eclipses for Students and Beginners!...

...Solar Eclipse Reports and Photographs...

TUBITAK National Observatory

BU Kandilli Observatory