Few events in the lexicon of Nature have the intensity and beauty of a total solar eclipse. Over the course of a few magical minutes, the solar glare is blocked to reveal a facet of the Sun’s personality that can only be appreciated by those along the dark path of the shadow. In those fleeting seconds, time seems to race ahead, and before the mind fully grasps the spectacle, it is suddenly over and gone, perhaps until the next eclipse.

Eclipses take the observer across the globe, seeking out both popular and obscure places to stand under that shadow, making every expedition an adventure that goes beyond astronomy. This presentation will share the many treats of an eclipse passion: the oncoming shadow, the changes in lighting, the solar corona and chromosphere, sun-bright beads in lunar valleys, blood-red prominences, and ephemeral shadow bands, but also the journey to strange and beautiful places.

About the Speaker:
Jay Anderson is a Canadian meteorologist and avid eclipse chaser who, for over forty years, has published studies of the climate along eclipse tracks to help those who want to place themselves in the most favorable place under the lunar shadow. These studies were originally incorporated into the circulars of the US Naval Observatory, and then, with co-author Fred Espenak, by NASA. Jay has a BSc in Physics and Astronomy from the University of British Columbia, and a Master’s Degree from the University of Manitoba. With Fred Espenak, he is co-author of Eclipse Bulletin: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024. He also created Eclipsophile, a website that provides climatology and weather information for celestial events. Since his first eclipse in 1979, Jay has traveled the world with his wife Judy to stand under the shadow of the Moon; the eclipse on April 8th will be his 34th.

Recorded: Friday, January 12 2024