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Computing the Eclipse
Built-in Wolfram Language function SolarEclipse automatically computes nearly 100 properties about eclipses. For past and future eclipses, find type, magnitude, path, maps, umbra, patterns, geo projections, position, etc.
In particular, we know that an eclipse (of at least some kind) occurs if the angular separation between the Sun and the Moon in the sky is smaller than the total of their apparent radii (or about 0.5°). Well, we can predict what the obscuration of the Sun around the time of totality should be—and but for the 20% effect of “ limb darkening ”, this should give the intensity of sunlight: But the characteristic shimmering associated with such shadow bands —while very difficult to capture on video, perhaps because actual images aren’t being formed—happens much faster than the glitches we’re seeing.
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