Oleg Zabluda's blog
Friday, May 18, 2012
 
As you watch annular solar eclipse on May 20, 2012, you've got to be in awe that after the Sun (mag -26.7) and Venus...
As you watch annular solar eclipse on May 20, 2012, you've got to be in awe that after the Sun (mag -26.7) and Venus (mag -4.7), the next brightest Hevenly body is ... the Moon (mag -2.5), which is 1 magnitude brighter then next brightest object Sirius (mag -1.5). The Moon will be illuminated by the Earth, and this is called Earthshine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthshine
It is easier to see during other phases around New Moon, but is happening during an eclipse/New Moon as well.

Just imaging how bright the Earth is from the Moon at that time. Ii's mag -16, i.e. 16 times brighter then Full Moon (mag -13), and sparkling blue.
For the reference, during the eclipse, from Venus, the Earth is mag -5.5 and the Moon is -1.7, brighter then Sirius. They will be 5' apart.

Let's also calculate magnitude of Sun during the eclipse. The Moon covers 0.9439^2=89% of the Sun, reducing Sun's magnitude by a whooping 2.4, making it a measly -24.3. Whoopee.

Reminder: in the cocktail "Full Moon", you have to replace vodka with gin due to planetshine, and serve wit a lemon ring, because it's an annular solar eclipse.
https://plus.google.com/112065430692128821190/posts/e3gQ7QX1Bma
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthshine

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