Analysis of Images from the Lunar Eclipse of 2003 November 9

provided by

Byron Soulsby - Theodore Lunar Observatory


Two observers from South America have provided images of the 2003 November 9 total lunar eclipse and these have been analysed for the possible change in shape of the umbra during the eclipse. The images from Souza and Filby have been measured using Image Analyst software and graphs of umbral size are given for two sets of images.


 

Here the semi-dameter of the imaged umbra was measured using Image Analyst software with each of the 39 images from Souza and (right) 24 images from Filby, all calibrated with the limb size equal to the semi diameter of the Moon. The gray scale was kept constant, but some flucuations may have been present due to unknown changes in the exposure settings for each individual image. The change in semi-diameter of the umbra (the blue and pink lines) is due to fore-shortening from the spherical nature of the Moon and possibly to changes in the size of the umbra during this total eclipse. (The time base on the left chart at the X axis shows midnight (UT) at 0 and on the right local time. The polynomial best fit - the black line on both charts - is a 6th order best fit).

Here is one of the Image Analyst screen captures from Souza:


My computer analysis to determine the changes in shape of the umbra produced the following chart:

Using my MS Quickbasic program (ViaX4.BAS), Fi is the computed topocentric size of the umbra (semi-diameter in degrees) and delta is the slant angle of the Earth's shadow at the plane of the Moon, both computed for the locations of Souza and Filby The best fit polynomial (6 th order) shows the true umbral semi-diameter during this total lunar eclipse as would be seen from these locations. Here some change in the size of the umbra can be seen, in particular at 0.5 and 2.3 hours and the size can be compared to the traditional constant semi-diameter of 0.65 degrees.


Comparison of the primary contacts observed are compared to that estimated from my Impoved Lunar Eclipse Ephemeris (ILEE) computer program given in the Circumstances for this eclipse.


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This page is maintained by the * Theodore Lunar Observatory - Australia * Updated 2003 November 18.