Be sure to write down the date and time of each observation. This is important information in all astronomical observations.

Open Starry Night and make sure your view is set to your home location.

If it’s not already visible, turn on the Display palette by clicking the Display icon in the Tool palette.

If it is daylight in your location at the time you do this project, turn daylight off by clicking Daylight on the Display palette.

Turn on Onscreen Info by clicking Info in the Display palette. Click the button next to Info in the Display palette. Click in the RA and Dec. box. (Hint: You might want to change the label color to white for better contrast.) Click OK.

Turn on the Planet palette by clicking the Planets icon in the Tool palette. Double click Sun in the Planet palette to center the display on the Sun.

1. Is the Sun above or below the horizon? If it is below the horizon, turn off display of the horizon by clicking Horizon in the Display palette.

Click the Current Field of View window in the Tool palette and select a field of view of 1º.

2. Describe the Sun in as much detail as possible. What are the various markings on the surface?

Set the date and time to February 26, 1979, 15:07:00 UT (universal time) in the Time palette.

Click the Location button in the Tool palette and set the location to Seattle, Washington.

Click the Current Field of View window in the Tool palette and select a field of view of 10º.

3. What do you observe?

Click the Flow Time Forward button in the Time palette and watch the total eclipse of the Sun.

4. Without using special filters, what part(s) of the Sun can we see during a total solar eclipse that we can’t see at any other time?

Return to 15:07:00 UT and click the Step Time Forward button in the Time palette.

5. At what time does the eclipse begin? Be as precise as possible.

6. At what time is the eclipse total?

7. At what time does the eclipse end?

8. Record the celestial coordinates of the Sun at the beginning, at totality, and at the end of the eclipse.

Visit the U.S. Naval Observatory’s Data Services Upcoming Eclipses [http://aa.usno.navy.mil/AA/data/docs/UpcomingEclipses.html] web site to obtain data about the next total solar eclipse.

Set the date and time to 10 minutes before the next total solar eclipse.

Use the Step Time Forward and/or Flow Time Forward buttons in the Time palette to watch the eclipse.

9. Is the eclipse total in your location?

10. If not, what kind of eclipse is it?