THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

      1991 SOLAR ECLIPSE EXPEDITION



SOLAR ECLIPSE OUIZ



1.   The term "eclipse" of the sun is actually a complete misnomer for the
     event that we will see tomorrow. The proper name of the phenomenon is
     a(n) _____________________ of the sun.


2.   The English translation of the Latin word that is our name for the sun's
     atmosphere that we see during the total phase of a solar eclipse is
     _______________________.

3.   Annular eclipses are more frequent than total eclipses.  True or false?

4.   During solar eclipses, the moon's umbral shadow moves across the earth
     in a west to east direction

     (a)  always        _______________
     (b)  usually       _______________
     (c)  sometimes     _______________
     (d)  rarely        _______________
     (e)  never         _______________

5.   The last total solar eclipse visible in Mexico occurred on what date
     (month and year)? ________________

6.   At this eclipse, the moon's shadow will move across the Baja Penninsula
     at what velocity (within 20%)?      ______________ per second.

7.   The (fictional) residents of how many other planets in the solar system
     might see a total eclipse of the sun from the surfaces (or visible cloud
     tops in the case of gas giant planets) of their home planets?


8.   It is possible for two successive solar eclipses to be entirely total.
     True or false? _________________________

9.   The theoretical maximum duration of totality for any total solar eclipse
     is ______________________ (minutes and seconds, within 10%).

10.  The theoretical maximum duration of annularity for any annular solar
     eclipse is ___________________ (minutes and seconds, within 10%).

11.  which of the following statements is (are) true? Einstein's theories
     of relativity provide that, at a solar eclipse,

          (a)  stars near the sun appear to be deflected toward the
               sun,                      __________________________

          (b)  stars near the sun appear to be deflected away  from
               the sun,                  __________________________

          (c)  your telescope appears to be deflected  toward  your
               neighbour's telescope,          ____________________

          (d)  your can of cerveza (beer) appears to fall over
                                             ______________________

12.  Since 1989, this Expedition has had

          (a)  One            _________________________
          (b)  Two            _________________________
          (c)  Three          _________________________
          (d)  Fifty-five     _________________________

     price increases.


                                    2.


13.  The last total eclipse in the Saros to which tomorrow's event belongs
occurred on what date (month and year)?      ____________________________

14.  At that eclipse (referred to in question 13), observers who experienced
the longest duration of totality were in the moon's umbral shadow for
how long (within 10%)?   _____________________________

15.  Earlier in the history of the solar system, total solar eclipses were

          (a)  less frequent than       ____________
          (b)  of the same frequency as ____________
          (c)  more frequent than       ____________

     they are now.

16.  which American singer made reference to a particular solar eclipse in
     a hit song from the 1970s?   ____________________

17.  which Greek singer used as a song title the umbra in which we will be
     enveloped tomorrow?  ______________________

18.  If tomorrow you see shadow bands for 8 minutes in succession without a
     break,

          (a)  it will be a very unusual observation,      ________________

          (b)  you will have imbibed too many margueritas
               tonight,                                    ________________

          (c)  you will have missed the 3:00 a.m. wake-up
               call and will be observing the eclipse from
               just outside the path of totality at
               Puerto Vallarta,                            ________________

          (d)  quite possibly all of the above.            ________________

19.  Historical records show that ancient solar eclipses were  visible  at
     locations further east than modern calculations originally indicated.
     This determination  established  the  existence  of  what  phenomenon
     associated with the Earth?
     ____________________________________________________________________

20.  The given name of the astronomer who first described the last several
     points of the sun's photosphere that blaze through the valleys on the
     moon's limb just before totality was _______________________________.

21.  The next total solar eclipse visible from Canada will take place in what
     year (within one year)? _________________________________

22.  Total eclipses are visible from any Qfl& place on the earth's surface (on
     average) once every how many years (within 10%)?

23.  Total eclipses are visible from some place on the earth's surface (on
     average) how often (within 10%)? ____________________________

24.  Tomorrow the solar corona will shine in which constellation? _________

25.  This eclipse takes place at which node (ascending or descending)?
     ______________________________





FOR EXTRA CREDIT ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

26.  solar eclipse expeditions usher in the age of

     (a)  Aquarius            ______________
     (b)  Poverty             ______________