Solar Eclipse This Week Is Australia's 2nd in 6 Months

A spectacular "ring of fire" solar eclipse will be visible from northern Australia Friday morning local time (May 10), treating lucky skywatchers in the region to their second solar eclipse in less than six months.

During this week's annular solar eclipse, which begins late Thursday (May 9) Eastern time due to time zone differences,  the moon's disk will appear to be about 4.5 percent smaller than the disk of the sun, so the effect is like placing a penny atop a nickel. A ring of sunlight remains visible surrounding the moon, resulting in a ring of fire, or annular, solar eclipse. 

The shadow path from which the ring will be visible runs for thousands of miles, but will get no wider than 107 miles (172 kilometers) at the point of greatest eclipse. Much of the path falls over the Pacific Ocean, but at or soon after local sunrise Friday (when it will actually be Thursday in North America), it will slice across a part of northern Australia. [See Spectacular Photos of a 'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse]

And in Queensland, amazingly, the eclipse track passes over the very same area that experienced a total solar eclipse last November! Places that fortuitously find themselves within the path of both eclipses include Kowanyama, Maramie, and Dixie. The center lines of the two eclipses end up crossing just to the northeast of Mitchell-Alice Rivers National Park. 

A rare event

Just how often does the same region get two solar eclipses in less than six months? Certainly it would seem to be an exceptionally rare occurrence.  

The mean frequency of a total solar eclipse for any given spot on Earth is once every 375 years, and it's once every 224 years for annular eclipses, according to the famous Belgian eclipse calculator Jean Meeus, By combination, this yields an annular or a total eclipse every 140 years. 

But the paths of total and annular solar eclipses, while narrow, can also run for thousands of miles across the surface of the Earth. And sometimes, the paths of two different eclipses cross each other after a short time interval, as happens with the eclipses of November 2012 and May 2013. 

When the moon passes squarely in front of the sun and either completely obscures it or allows a ring of sunlight to remain, we call that a "central" eclipse. A little less than six months is the shortest time interval you can have between two central eclipses. 

WARNING: Never look directly at the sun during an eclipse with a telescope or your unaided eye; severe eye damage can result. Scientists and serious eclipse-watchers use special filters to safely view these events. [How to Safely Observe the Sun (Infographic)]

Coming attractions

Interestingly, during the 20th century such back-to-back solar eclipses occurred 12 times. But during the 21st century, it happens 23 times.

Prior to 2012-2013, the last time this happened was in 2009-2010 over China. A very long (almost seven-minute) total eclipse occurred on July 22, 2009, followed on Jan. 15 by an annular solar eclipse.

Chongqing, the largest and most populous of China's four provincial-level municipalities (pop. 31.4 million) was in the totality path in July 2009. Six months later, it ended up on the central line of annularity, with the ring phase lasting 7 minutes and 50 seconds.

The next time this will happen after this week involves two annular eclipses, on Dec. 26, 2019 and June 21, 2020. In fact, the two eclipse tracks will cross each other not once but twice — first over Arabia and later over the Pacific Ocean. 

And if you live in south-central Texas, the track of an annular eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023 will cross with the track of a total eclipse on April 8, 2024. The middle of each track (roughly 120 miles, or 200 km, wide) will intersect 10 miles (16 km) north of Utopia, Texas which is located to the west of San Antonio. 

The annular eclipse will last five minutes, while the total eclipse will run an unusually long 4 minutes 26 seconds. Amazing!

Eclipse drought will soon end

While we’re on the subject of successive central solar eclipses in certain places, it's worth pointing out that there are other parts of the globe suffering a solar eclipse drought. 

Take for example, northern New York State and much of central and northern New England. The last time an eclipse of the sun was visible from these places was on Christmas Day, 2000.

But the wait will finally come to an end later this year when, on Nov. 3, the latter stages of a partial solar eclipse will be visible at sunrise for the Eastern Seaboard, including upstate New York and New England.

Editor's note: If you live in the observing area of this week's solar eclipse and safely snap an amazing picture of the sun that you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, send photos, comments and your name and location to managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.     

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmer's Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on SPACE.com.

• How to Safely Photograph the Sun (A Photo Guide)
• Solar Eclipse & Evening Planets - May 2013 Skywatching Guide | Video
• Solar Eclipses: An Observer's Guide (Infographic)

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

View the original article here

In Cuba, much work remains 6 months after Sandy

HAVANA (AP) — Many people in eastern Cuba are still living with family or in houses covered by flimsy makeshift rooftops six months after Hurricane Sandy pummeled the island's eastern provinces, residents and aid workers said Thursday.

Many praised the government's efforts to rebuild Santiago and other cities but said much work remains to recover from the storm, which caused 11 deaths in Cuba before raging up the U.S. Atlantic Seaboard and killing 72.

"It was very hard-hit, but Santiago is once again blossoming," Aristides Zayas, a receptionist in Santiago said in a phone interview. "Of course the magnitude was such that not everything can get off the ground in six months. It will take time."

The half-year mark comes amid preparations for similar commemoration by states up and down the U.S. East Coast, where Sandy blew ashore in New Jersey on Oct. 29 as a monster storm that resulted in billions of dollars in damage.

Sandy had raked eastern Cuba four days earlier, causing major crop losses and damaging an estimated 130,000 to 200,000 homes. The government has not said how many of those have yet to be repaired or rebuilt.

Cuban scientists say Sandy's surge penetrated 50 yards (meters) inland and permanently altered much of the eastern coastline, washing away entire beaches and depositing sand elsewhere.

Shortly after the storm hit, Cuban President Raul Castro visited Santiago and said the city looked like it had been "bombed."

Cuba's highly organized civil defense brigades mobilized to get newly homeless people into shelters, distribute food and water and replant uprooted trees. Authorities also extended loans for rebuilding and knocked 50 percent off the price of home materials for storm victims.

Communist Party newspaper Granma said Thursday that for visitors today, "the first thing that catches one's attention and impresses ... is to find a clean and well-ordered city."

But residents said problems remain.

"From what I hear some things are still lacking," said Sister Mirtha, a Roman Catholic nun in the town of El Cobre, 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of Santiago. "Some people have roofs, but others still do not. There are people who are getting rained on, and it's thanks to neighbors that they have somewhere to go."

She said some who live in informal housing situations have had difficulty getting their hands on building materials, because residents are required to show property titles to get the discounted items.

An international aid worker who has been closely involved in the relief effort said construction materials like bricks and corrugated iron rooftops are in short supply since local production is not meeting demand, and many items must be imported. Some families have moved back into damaged homes with just plastic sheets covering the roofs.

"They've done really well on re-establishing access to services like electricity and water, reopening roads, clearing out trees that have fallen down," the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to maintain the organization's relationship with island authorities. "All of that was quite quick given the scale of the impact."

"But at the individual level there's still a lot of work that needs to be done ... and my sense is that the government can't tend to every family's individual needs."

State-run news agency Prensa Latina reported this week that Santiago provincial authorities are prioritizing construction to make sure everyone displaced by Sandy has a safe place to live, a mission that takes on more urgency with the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season set to begin June 1.

There's also still plenty of work for international aid groups, which are continuing to distribute things like water tanks, purification tablets, mattresses, sheets, towels and other household goods.

"There's still a lot of families that are living in very precarious situations," the aid worker said. "Now that's a bit of a concern, because the rainy season's coming and you want to make sure that people have proper shelter."

___

Associated Press writer Andrea Rodriguez in Havana contributed to this report.

___

Follow Peter Orsi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peter_Orsi

View the original article here

Ethiopian leader very present 6 months after death

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia's long-ruling leader died half a year ago, but it seems Meles Zenawi still holds on to power. In the capital, his face looks down from hundreds of posters plastered on walls, and government representatives vow to implement the late Meles' vision without alteration.

Meles, who held tight control of the country since 1991, died Aug. 20 at the age of 57. A major U.S. counter-terrorism ally, Meles was credited with uplifting the country's poor, but he was condemned for human rights abuses and crushing the opposition.

Since his sudden death, Meles' pictures and past statements have become commonplace throughout Addis Ababa, the capital, and smaller cities and towns.

"Our great leader ... we will never forget you!" reads one gigantic billboard erected in the capital's main street.

An upcoming meeting of the congress is billed as an opportunity to achieve goals, speed up development and build democracy "based on the vision of Meles." That vision can be boiled down to two things: economic advancement, and a tight hold on political power.

While Meles has many fans in Addis Ababa, some residents feel the six-month lionization has gone on too long.

"During the news of his death and funeral, all the pictures and tributes were understandable and also fitting as a lot of people wanted to celebrate a man's life who had left a clear mark in the nation's history," said resident Adey Derbew.

"But now ... when you see such a sustained campaign spearheaded by the government, you wonder what it is really about. I think it actually hurts the people's confidence in the government as the current leaders are saying that their best one is gone," she said.

State-run media still carry headlines of officials vowing to follow the late leader's visions in all sectors, ranging from pastoralist area development projects to efforts to modernize the country's military.

Meles long insisted he wanted to create a developmental state with his ruling party dictating the country's fate. Meles said the opposition would undermine the country's constitution if they get the chance. An untold number of opposition leaders were jailed during his rule.

"You are allowed, as they say, until you become a 'clear and present danger' to public institutions," Meles said to the lone opposition member of parliament.

A number of projects and activities, including the country's national soccer tournament, have been named after Meles in recent months.

On Jan. 17 the parliament issued legislation to establish The Meles Foundation. The upcoming foundation will include a mausoleum where the body of the late premier will rest and be visited by the public. Officials say the foundation premises will also showcase the late leader's writings and documentary videos done on his life, while promoting research on developing states and green economies.

Ethiopia's new leader, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, also continues to praise Meles in all of his major speeches both at home and abroad.

Following Meles' death, the country saw its first ever peaceful power transfer. Though the power transition went smoothly, Hailemariam has three deputies, each from the other three parties of the ruling coalition. That was not the case for Meles, who was a founding chair of the ruling party and accompanied by a low-profile deputy. Meles was re-elected to the position and premiership several times, always unchallenged.

Hailemariam's leadership is unlikely to be challenged anytime soon. Next month when some 2,500 ruling party elites and supporters meet for a congress in a regional town, Bahir Dar, he is expected to be re-elected as party chairman. Senior officials back in September, however, announced that Hailemariam can serve only two terms as prime minister.

The memory of Meles will also cast its weight on the decision. The head of the secretariat of the ruling party, Redwan Hussein, told journalists on Thursday that the congress will serve "to renew commitment, to achieve the goals, to speed up development and build democracy based on the vision of Meles."

Some observers of Ethiopian politics are concerned that Meles' policies are sticking around too long, such as suppression of the free press.

The country's largest weekly, Feteh, and the opposition paper Finote Netsanet were forced off the market last year after the state-owned Berhanena Selam printing company refused to continue printing them. Charges against the editor of Feteh, Temesgen Desalegn, were dropped during Meles' funeral, but those charges were revived last month.

"Hailemariam has thus far perpetuated the policies of late Meles Zenawi in limiting the growth of independent media in Ethiopia," said Mohamed Keita, Africa Advocacy Coordinator of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. "But he still has an opportunity to show strong leadership. He holds the power to remove Ethiopia from the list of nations in Africa with journalists in prison."

Tired of the lack of opportunity to gain political traction, leading opposition parties have decided to boycott local elections due in April.

"Thirty-three opposition parties have demanded the election be carried out properly and for the electoral board to be neutral and independent. We wanted to talk about this . they said no," said Girma Seifu, the lone opposition member of parliament. "So we said in that there is no point of contesting, as these people are determined to have themselves elected by any means. There is no competition; it is only the ruling party's candidates that are contesting the seats, so there is no real election."

View the original article here