PART 7
*** Brian the Astronomer ***
“Its a bit like standing at the bottom of a swimming pool”
That’s It
PATRICK: And then, when totality ends, it ends with surprising suddenness and the first thing is the appearance of the Diamond Ring.
BRIAN: Yes and its quite stunning because your eyes are dark-adapted by this time of course, and it’s a brilliant effect. It’ll suddenly shoot out there and this is the signal again for safety. You have to start looking away pretty soon because you’re gonna get blinded by this light which is reappearing. It’s a good time to look away and look around. Also a good time to look down at your feet because you may see these illusive shadow bands which are much talked about. I saw them for the first time in Curacao, and I didn’t really believe in them up to that point, I don’t think. But it’s a little bit like standing at the bottom of a swimming pool, because you get these strange fringes which are moving around. We are of course standing at the bottom of a sea of air, which is turbulent, and at this moment in time the Sun is virtually a point source, so this is why you get this very special effect – a nice little thing to look out for. But then, of course it’s all over.
PATRICK: Yes indeed.
BRIAN: Sadly.
PATRICK: And of course we must admit straight away, we’re entirely at the mercy of the weather.
BRIAN: Yes.
PATRICK: If the sky’s partial cloud, you may be lucky, and don’t give up too early, but if it’s totally overcast then I fear there is nothing you can do really. You’ll note the drop in temperature, the drop in brightness and I’m afraid that will be all. You’ll have to rely upon pictures taken elsewhere. So……
BRIAN: Yes.
PATRICK: Let’s then hope that doesn’t happen. Where will you be, Brian?
BRIAN: I’ll be in Cornwall at my friend, Roger’s house, and we’ll celebrate whether we see it or not, I think.
PATRICK: I shall be in Cornwall, just outside Falmouth, doing a commentary for the BBC so let’s only hope for clear skies. If we fail, well there are other totalities. There’s one in 2001 in the continent of Africa, they do occur once every 18 months or so, but so far as we are concerned, well as we said, the last was in 1927, the next will be in 2090, therefore, so far as I am concerned and I think, also as far as you’re concerned, this is our one and only chance of a solar eclipse visible from England.
BRIAN: The next 90 years, yes.
PATRICK: Exactly so let’s hope for clear skies.
BRIAN: Absolutely.
PATRICK: Brian, thank you very much.
BRIAN: Thank you so much Patrick.
PATRICK: Well its newsletter time. If you want your newsletter, send your stamped
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POSTAL NEWSLETTER NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Newsletter No 74
The Sky At Night
BBC TV
LONDON W12 7TS
We have of course got our website. www.bbc.co.uk/skyatnight/. We have our usual information line 0891-800330 or Ceefax page 620.
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PATRICK: Now we’re all getting tensed up for the eclipse and when I come back next month, I’ll be joined by Dr Peter Cathermole and Ian Nicholson and we have our very last pre-eclipse rehearsal techniques, and therefore let’s hope that we are going to have clear skies and for our last pre eclipse programme, we’ll see you next month, and after that the great day’ll be upon us, our one and only English total solar eclipse.
Goodnight.
<Closing music.>