Join I-LOFAR and DIAS Dunsink Observatory to watch the partial solar eclipse live from two locations in Ireland.

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The partial annular solar eclipse on 10 June 2021 will be visible from Ireland! In Dublin, it will begin at 10:01 until 12:21 with maximum at 11:08. In Birr, Offaly from 09:58 until 12:19 reaching a maximum at 11:06.

Join researchers at I-LOFAR in Birr Castle Demesne (Offaly) and DIAS Dunsink Observatory (Dublin) LIVE from 10:00 Irish time on Thursday 10 June. We have solar telescopes with cameras set up at both locations and will be livestreaming a close up of the Sun so we can see the eclipse as it happens! We will be chatting with some of Ireland’s leading solar physics researchers, Peter Gallagher and Aoife Maria Ryan to understand what we are looking at, what happens during a solar eclipse and why it is important to study the Sun, our closest star.

This free event is open to all and will be livestreamed online via YouTube including an opportunity for attendees to comment and ask questions to the solar physics researchers.

Details

  • Thursday 10th June 2021
  • 10:00-12:00 Irish Time
  • FREE – livestreamed on our I-LOFAR YouTube channel, join the watch party here, or register on Eventbrite to get a reminder and viewing link directly be email.

Contact info@lofar.ie with any queries and accessibility requirements.

To get ready for this eclipse, we chatted with some of the solar physics researchers working a I-LOFAR to learn more about what will be happening…

What is an annular eclipse?

When the Sun, Moon and Earth are exactly in alignment an eclipse will occur. From Earth, the light of the Sun appears to be blacked out by the disc of the Moon. However the orbit of the Moon is not a perfect circle. At different times it is closer and further away. When the Moon is closer to the Earth it doesn’t block out all of the Sun’s disc. It looks like a bright ring around the dark disc of the Moon. This is called an annular eclipse.

How often do eclipses occur?

Eclipses occur 2-4 times a year. However most of these are not observable for us because they happen over oceans which make up 2/3 of Earth’s surface. Most places on Earth will only see a total or annular eclipse one every few hundred years.

Why are eclipses interesting for research?

Solar eclipses are an invaluable tool for scientific research. When the Moon blocks out the Sun’s disc the outer layers of atmosphere, called the solar corona, are revealed. These are not normally visible as the lower layers of the Sun’s atmosphere are so bright. In addition, the conditions on Earth (such as temperature) can be monitored during the eclipse.

Why do we study the Sun?

The activity of the Sun, our closest star, can have an immense impact on our daily lives. The effects of large and violent explosions on the surface of the Sun can be observed at Earth’s magnetosphere, most noticeably as aurorae or disruptions to telecommunications and power grids. This demonstrates the importance and necessity of Solar Physics research, especially into the drivers of space weather.

How can we safely look at a solar eclipse?

We also recommend taking a look at this video from our colleague Ryan Milligan in Queens University Belfast with great tips for safely viewing a solar eclipse at home!

Some previous solar eclipse events we’ve enjoyed watching…

  • March 2015 – an Eclipse Flight to study totality above the clouds in Ireland with the Air Corps – article in thejournal.ie.
  • August 2017 – a partial eclipse in Jackson Hole, Wyoming USA where Peter Gallagher gave a talk on the science of eclipses.
  • July 2019 – a total eclipse in the Atacama Desert in Chile which Aoife Maria Ryan who uses LOFAR to study eclipses travelled to.

Partial Solar Eclipse at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA in August 2017 photographed by Peter Gallagher

Total Solar Eclipse in Atacama, Chile in 2019 photographed by Aoife Maria Ryan

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This event is organised and hosted by DIAS Dunsink Observatory and I-LOFAR through our AstroLands programme, an initiative of Trinity College Dublin supported by Science Foundation Ireland and ESERO Ireland.