Continuation…
Dr. Shanker Adawal
10.6 Eclipses
Part
1
10.6.1
Introduction: Astronomically, an eclipse is the
interposition of a dark celestial body between a luminous one and the eye, or
passing of a luminous body into a shadow of another body. In astrology. The Sun
& the Moon are considered as luminous planet; although Sun is a star and
the Moon a satellite of Erath. From the Earth, the Sun, with a diameter of
139200 KM, on an average is at a distance of about 15 Crore KM, while the Moon
with a small diameter of 3476 KM is only at a distance of 3.8 Lakh KM. But when
seen from Earth, the Sun & Moon appears to be of same size, because of
their relative distances. An eclipse is an interesting and unique transit
phenomenon in which the Earth & Moon during their transit, happens to come
in one plane & line of sight with the Sun, obstructing the light of Sun.
The solar eclipse always happens at new Moon when both the luminaries are
conjunct with the either Node and the Moon is in between the Sun & the
Earth. It comes on from the West and passes over Eastward. While a Lunar eclipse
always happens on a full Moon day, when the two Luminaries are in exact
opposition one posited with Rahu & the other with the Ketu, such that the
Earth is in between the Sun & the Moon. It comes from the East and passes
over Westward.
10.6.2
Causes: The Sun takes about 365.25 days to complete one
apparent cycle of the zodiac, while the Moon takes 27.25 days to complete one
cycle and another about two days to catch up the additional movement Sun makes
during this period. Thus the Moon takes about 29.3 days to come to the same
original longitude. Thus in a solar year, there are 12 positions of new Moon
& Full Moon each. Had the planes of orbit of Moon around Earth and of Earth
around Sun been in the same plane, there could have been an eclipse every New
& full Moon. But it is not so. The Nodes, which are basically point of
intersection of Earth’s orbit around the Sun and of Moon’s orbit around the
Earth, play an important & decisive role in an eclipse to occur, as the
luminaries at the time must be within 5 degree of the Nodes, which is also the
angle between the two planes of the orbits under consideration. The angular
distance of Moon or any other planet from the ecliptic towards North/ South is
called the celestial latitude of the planet. When the Moon is on zero degree
latitude, it is called Rahu (Northern Node) or Ketu (Southern Node). The Moon
during its one revolution of about a month, crosses Rahu & Ketu once, but
The Sun transits Rahu & Ketu only once each during its one year of
revolution. If the Moon happens to be near Rahu/ Ketu, when the Sun is also
near Rahu/ Ketu and the two planes of orbits are within 5 degree, an eclipse
may occur. The ancients discovered the regularity or the recurrence of eclipses
after a period of 18-2/3 years, which is also the cyclic period of one
revolution of a Node in the zodiac.
10.6.3
Types of Eclipses: When the Earth comes in between the Sun
& the Moon, casting its shadow on Moon, it is Lunar eclipse. If the shadow
of the Earth covers the Moon completely, it is called Total Lunar Eclipse and if the shadow covers only a part of the
Moon, it is called Partial Lunar
Eclipse. Similarly when the Moon comes in between the Earth & the Sun,
such that the small disc of Moon casts its shadow on the Sun, it is Solar
eclipse. If the shadow of the disc of Moon being equal to or more than the disc
of the Sun, it covers the Sun completely, which happens when the longitudes of
Sun, Moon & either of the nodes are exactly the same, a Total Solar Eclipse occurs. If the Moon
has just crossed the Node, but its center is still transiting over the Sun, it
covers only a part of the Sun, a Partial
Solar Eclipse may occur. A third case may be when the shadow of the disc of
Moon may be shorter than the disc of the Sun, then the some part of the Sun
around a circular dark circle may remain luminous, the resultant eclipse is
known as Annular/ Kankan Solar eclipse.
An eclipse is not visible from all the places on the Earth of same duration,
type or intensity.
Continue…
Dr. Shanker Adawal
Profile: www.connectingmind.com
Research work and articles on Bhrigu Nadi astrology: www.shankerstudy.com
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Year 2012 for you: http://tinyurl.com/2012foryou
Research work and articles on Bhrigu Nadi astrology: www.shankerstudy.com
www.shankarsastro.com
Published articles on Articlesbase.com
http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/shanker-adawal/149926
or search keyword "shanker adawal" in google search for published articles
Join my Facebook Group for free Astro Queries: www.facebook.com/adawal
Published articles on Newspapers: http://tinyurl.com/2wyxtfk
Year 2012 for you: http://tinyurl.com/2012foryou
