See gallery for more photos

Thomas Goodey, Mathematician and scientist.

The Maldives Science Society has held a stargazing event especially aimed at school students titled ‘STARGAZE with Astronomers Without Borders’. The event which was held on 18 February 2010 at Lale International School in Hulhumale’ was attended by a significant number of students from 11 schools. The event was held in affiliation with Astronomers Without Borders and was co-hosted by Lale International School.

Thomas Goodey handing over a Galileoscope to a school student.

The event was marked by the Maldives Science Society’s donation of 11 Galileoscopes to 11 schools. The donations were handed out by the British mathematician and scientist Thomas Goodey who had been staying in the Maldives since a few days before the 2010 annular solar eclipse _ he was a key figure in the pendulum experiments conducted in the Maldives in connection with the eclipse. In the event Thomas Goodey also briefed the students on aspects of astronomy _ its origins and evolution _ and the use of telescopes. He also commented on our propitious location straddling the equator and how this contributes towards stargazing and other projects relating to astronomy. The Maldives Science Society’s screening of the science documentary ‘Eyes on the Sky‘ and the Maldives Open Source Society’s demonstration of the astronomy software ‘Stellarium‘ were also key highlights of the event.

The stargazing session which was cancelled due to unfavorable weather conditions and which was originally planned to be a part of the event is now scheduled to take place in the new future. The Maldives Science Society says this will give students a chance to see celestial objects and phenomena up close.

The main objective of  STARGAZE, with Astronomers without borders is to create interest towards Astronomy amongst the youth and school children and to demonstrate how to use telescopes to view stars and other objects in space.

During the event, an astronomical researcher from the UK Thomas Goodey will make presentations to those present and students and visitors will also have a chance to view the stars and other objects with a computer controlled telescope.

The Maldives Open Source Society’s demonstration of how to use the open-source software ‘Stellarium‘ will also be a key highlight of the event. The event is to continue on the following day [19 February 2010] as well.

On both days the event will start at 7:00pm and end at 11:00pm.

Google maps location

"STARGAZE, with astronomers without borders" event location on google maps

UPDATE:

Programs will continue as we planned except the stargazing with the telescope. If the weather is good enough at the time of event we will try to arrange viewing at least some celestial objects in the sky.

Date: 18th Feb 2010
Time: 1900hrs to 2100hrs. (changed)

hubblesite.org

Members and Supporters of MSS

Those who wish to support MSS activities will find this an opportunity to actively take part in MSS events.

We need volunteers to help us organize an event for the distribution of Galileoscopes to the schools and conduct a star gazing event for the schools and general public. The star gazing event will be presented by one of the eclipse researchers. He would setup an advanced, computer controlled telescope for attendees viewing of Moon, Mars, Saturn, Satellites and other Deep Sky Celestial objects.

Star event’s volunteers meeting
Date: 06 February 2010
Time: 2200hrs – 2300hrs
Location: Journey Meeting Hall (Alikilegefaanu Magu)

Kindly attend this evening to guide and help us coordinate this event. Please fill the form to register as a volunteer (including those who wish to help but cannot attend the meeting) We shall contact you.

• Registration form: http://www.sciencemaldives.org/star-gazing-event-volunteers-registration-form/
• Journey office location on google map

Location map of journey office

Sincerely,
Secretary General

Mars will come into Opposition on January 29, 2010 in the constellation Cancer. Two days before, on January 27, 2010, the planet will have come to its closest approach to Earth during this apparition: 99.33 million km (0.66399 AU). This is not very close, as Mars will be quite close to its aphelion at the time of this opposition; the aphelion is passed on March 31, 2010. This opposition will occur during Northern Spring and Southern Autumn on Mars, so primarily observable will be the Northern hemisphere of Mars.

Jan 27, 2010
Closest approach of Mars and Earth (0.664 AU = 99.33 million km). Apparent diameter of Mars is 14.105″.

Jan 29, 2010
Mars opposition on Earth, Earth in inferior conjunction on Mars. Apparent brightness of Mars reaches -1.28 mag in constellation Cancer.

http://beautywithoutborders-mars2010.blogspot.com/

About mars opposition and the event:

http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/allabout/nightsky/nightsky03.html
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/01/25/hello-red-planet/

Credit & Copyright: Stefan Seip

A presentation given on what the scientists were researching on during the eclipse by Ed Oberg and Prof. Hector Munera .

Edward Oberg, mechanical engineer / project manager (retired), Sydney, Australia
He is here to observe the progress of the pendulum experiments during the solar eclipse and to correlate the results with the Iasoberg Model (www.iasoberg.com), a proposed pattern which he has developed for the pattern of the Allais effect across the Earth’s surface, that makes predictions for severe weather events and earthquakes. He is also coordinating data collection during the eclipse from a number of gravimeter stations around the Indian Ocean, for integration into his model.

Hector Munera, professor of physics (Newtonian mechanics), National University, Bogota, Colombia (retired)
Currently, Prof. Munera is devoted full-time to his main passion: research into the foundations of classical physics. He is in Maldives to witness the operation of the various pendulums that will be gathering data during the solar eclipse. He will use that data to determine if there are aspects of the dynamical behaviour of the pendulums during the eclipse that cannot be explained by current gravitational theory, and, if the answer is positive, to try develop an appropriate theoretical model.

The Maldive Islands will receive a longer period of eclipse than any other country with over 10 minutes and 50 seconds of annularity.

During solar eclipses, there have been a number of reports of physical anomalies regarding disturbances to sensitive equipments. Scientists from around the world are now in the Maldives to do research into this possible effect. In fact the scientists currently doing research in Addu happens to be the greatest gathering of pendulum speacialist ever.

The research team consists of an association of researchers, both academic and independent, who are studying and publicizing Professor Maurice Allais’s mid-twentieth century work in mechanics and optics, which he is still actively pursuing on the theoretical level. With their own current researches, the team of scientists also hope to extend Allais’s studies in both depth and breadth.

The Allais Effect

The Allais effect is a claimed anomalous precession of the plane of oscillation of a pendulum during a solar eclipse. It has been speculated to be unexplained by standard physical models of gravitation, but recent mainstream physics publications tend rather to posit conventional explanations for the reported observations.

The effect was first reported in 1954 by Maurice Allais, a French polymath who went on to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. He reported another observation of the effect during a 1959 solar eclipse.

Prof. Allais’s explanation for this and other anomalies is that space evinces certain anisotropic characteristics, which he ascribes to structural modifications and motion through an aether. He has presented this hypothesis in his 1997 book “L’Anisotropie de l’espace”.

Prior Arts

Over the last fifty years evidence has accumulated from diverse physics experiments that, in some situations, various dynamical systems behave in ways which are not predicted according to current theory. These are experiments related to rotational or accelerated motion, and typically the anomalies correspond to forces of 10-3 to 10-5 of the forces that are causing the main motion. Moreover, some of these anomalous effects have been particularly manifested during solar or lunar eclipses, sometimes quite strongly.

Our Plans for Research with Paraconical Pendulums

In the 1950’s Maurice Allais constructed his paraconical pendulum, which was the most sensitive and accurate physical pendulum ever made up to that time. (A ‘physical pendulum’ is a pendulum with a solid rod joining the bob to the suspension, as opposed to a flexible wire or cord.) Allais operated his pendulum over a number of marathon month-long runs, and observed several interesting unexplained periodic effects, as well as serendipitously discovering his famous Eclipse Effect when a solar eclipse passed not far from Paris in 1954. These effects are probably related in some manner, but the details are still mysterious.

Allais’s pendulum experiments have never even been repeated, let alone improved upon, although Prof. Latham of Imperial College, London made a valiant effort around 1980. Yet the expense and effort involved would be quite trifling upon the general scale of modern physical research. We think that the main barriers have been informational and institutional. The fact that almost all Prof. Allais’s original reports have remained (until now) in the French language has undoubtedly been an impediment. We have realized that, with the general advance of technology, it would be possible to reproduce Allais’s experiments with much greater accuracy than he was able to attain, and we intend to do this and to study the Allais periodic deviations in depth. Moreover, we intend to set up sets of suitable pendulums at strategically chosen locations upon the Earth’s surface near to the paths (and anti-paths) of upcoming solar eclipses. This effort should confirm or disprove the fifty-year-old question of the existence of the Allais Eclipse Effect definitively, one way or the other (but, if it does exist, understanding its details and its cause may be a much tougher proposition).

—————————————————————————–

Rene Verreault (father), professor of physics, University of Quebec (Chicoutimi), Canada

Maxime Verreault (son), professor of physics, University of Quebec (College Ste-Foy, Quebec City), Canada

This team has installed a long pendulum in a 9-meter elevator shaft in Hithadhoo (Addu). The motion of the pendulum is recorded with a high-resolution video camera and followed by computer. They hope to confirm observations they first made in Canada in 2001 relating to the influence of the Moon upon the pendulum. They also are interested in investigating the Allais effect, which is the abnormal disturbance of a pendulum during a solar eclipse, as yet unexplained.

Hector Munera, professor of physics (Newtonian mechanics), National University, Bogota, Colombia (retired)

Currently, Prof. Munera is devoted full-time to his main passion: research into the foundations of classical physics. He is in Maldives to witness the operation of the various pendulums that will be gathering data during the solar eclipse. He will use that data to determine if there are aspects of the dynamical behaviour of the pendulums during the eclipse that cannot be explained by current gravitational theory, and, if the answer is positive, to try develop an appropriate theoretical model.

Thomas Goodey, independent researcher, London, England

Since 2004 he has been constructing and improving a robotically operated short pendulum apparatus for investigation of the Allais effect. So far he has transported the equipment to the sites of six solar eclipses, and now it is set up in Feydhoo, Addu atoll. He hopes to see some interesting phenomenon during the eclipse, and he is also very happy to be the first person ever to perform pendulum experiments upon the Equator.

Dimitrie Olenici, astronomer, Suceava Planetarium and Observatory, Suceava, Romania

Cezar Lesanu, astronomer, Suceava Planetarium and Observatory, Suceava, Romania

This team has been researching the Allais effect, and the associated Jeverdan effect, since 2001 in Romania, using various types of pendulum of various lengths. Professor Olenici has more experience of this type of experiment than anyone else in the world, having personally performed more than 4,000 hours of observations. During this eclipse, using similar pendulums of around 4 m in length, they will perform two coordinated experiments 530 km apart: one in Hithadhoo (Addu) and one in Male. The comparison of the results will be of extreme interest.

Professor Lesanu is also a dedicated radio amateur, and is using his time in Addu to make amateur radio contacts worldwide. Very many amateurs seem to be rather excited about the possibility of making contact with such an exotic location.

Edward Oberg, mechanical engineer / project manager (retired), Sydney, Australia

He is here to observe the progress of the pendulum experiments during the solar eclipse and to correlate the results with the Iasoberg Model (www.iasoberg.com), a proposed pattern which he has developed for the pattern of the Allais effect across the Earth’s surface, that makes predictions for severe weather events and earthquakes. He is also coordinating data collection during the eclipse from a number of gravimeter stations around the Indian Ocean, for integration into his model.

———————————————————————————————————

National Eclipse Tracker Team (NETT-Malaysia)

This team was established on late 2005 and includes members from multi-goverment agencies in Malaysia (related to astronomical observation and research) such as Space Physics Laboratory of University Malaya, Islamic Affair & Development Department, State Mufties Department (about 5 states), Malaysia Mapping and Survey Department, and other astrophotographers. The core business of this team is to track and do a research about eclipse around the world.

NETT-Malaysia had conducted research work during solar eclipses in Turkey (2006), Indonesia (2009), and China (2009). Maldives will be the forth country they will be visiting to conduct research.

TIME: 10:00 – 14:30

3 October 2005 Anular Eclipse. via http://www.flickr.com/photos/sancho_panza/54940367/

The longest lasting annular solar eclipse of this millennium will occur on 15 January 2010. It will also be the longest annular eclipse until the year 3043. It is not only the longest Annular eclipse, but also the longest solar eclipse for the next ten centuries, meaning you will not see another such eclipse for the next 1,033 years.

Maldives Science Society will be hosting an eclipse viewing gathering for those who love eclipse viewing. MSS reserves 50 eclipse glasses for the viewers to share.

During this time MSS will demonstrate on building a pinhole projector and will keep a bigger pinhole projector for all to view the eclipse at ease.

Eclipse glass, image via seeviewo.org

The Maldives Science Society has a limited stock of special eclipse viewing glasses which we are putting up for sale to the public at a special price of MRF 35 MRF 80. If you wish to purchase this eclipse glasses please fill the eclipse glass order form. MSS will contact you sometime this week to handover the glasses. Please be informed that we have a limited stock of glasses and will be catering on a first come first basis.

eclipse glass order form: http://www.sciencemaldives.org/eclipse-glass-order-form/

Safe Eclipse Viewing: http://www.sciencemaldives.org/safe-eclipse-viewing/

Update: Hand held Eclipse glasses on the way. mail to eclipse@sciencemaldives.org

Even today, in this neon-lit information age, where the visually jaded human eye disregards just about everything, the majestic sight of the fiery ball of the sun disappearing behind the moon remains a sight to be revered. People have struggled long and hard to explain it, through story, song or warning. We continue to possess, to this day, an inherent desire to understand how the puissant sun could be overcome, just like that, from its place in the sky. It is what comes closest to magic in our otherwise humdrum lives.

Annular 101

The annular solar eclipse (also known as a ring-formed eclipse) occurs when only a ring of the sun can still be seen around the edge of the moon. This happens when the moon’s orbit is farther away from the Earth than average, making it appear too small to cover the sun completely. Even though the moon is right in front of the sun, there will still be a ring of visible sun around the edge of the moon. Think Heroes (the NBC series that depicted super heroes losing their abilities due to an eclipse) – the flat, serious text of the title logo, the O that changes into an eclipse and winks at you, pulling you in. So, think Heroes, only better. Think Heroes in real life.

The Annular Eclipse of 2010

The longest lasting annular solar eclipse of this millennium will occur on 15 January 2010. It will also be the longest annular eclipse until the year 3043.

The early morning annulus will appear over the three African nations of the Central African Republic, Uganda and Kenya. The greatest eclipse will occur in the Indian Ocean, just west of the Maldives. Shortly after that, the shadow will bring a little less than eleven minutes of annularity to the islands. It will then move over to southernmost India and across the Bay of Bengal. The shadow will make landfall in Burma and sweep into China before leaving the Earth’s surface.

Why Maldives?

Being at the right place at the right time would give you the chance to witness the brilliant celestial phenomena for as long as ten minutes. Imagine it: just you, the sun, the sky and ten minutes of the realisation of the vastness of the universe, feeling as minute as the grains of sand that your toes are buried in.

The location of the Maldives, just a couple of miles east of the greatest eclipse point, makes it an ideal observation spot for this rare and unusually long eclipse. It will receive over ten minutes and fifty seconds of annularity, more than any other country in the world. It is easily accessible to visitors, and its relative peace makes it the perfect place for you to witness this historic phenomenon.

If you see only one annular eclipse in your life, make this the one. The Maldives will make sure you remember it forever.