Page 33 January February 2018 TCA

a length of black
tubing. A deep,
black plastic
Halloween treats
pail was used for my
collimator; it also
blocked internal
reflections and any
side lighting and
wind.
An Arduino Uno
light/temperature
sensors gadget (see
Figure 5) was put
inside the pail/
Figure 4: ISS Photobombs the Sun! The ISS collimator (see my
transits the face of the sun at over 8 kilometres “The Arduino Uno
per second early in the eclipse. Courtesy: NASA. MCU” parts “Uno”
several prominent sunspot groups adding and “Duo” in the
to the spectacle. A digital camera was November‑
attached to the scope for both visual December 2014 and
viewing/imaging, but I shot nothing January‑February
compared with a NASA photographer who 2015 issues of
caught the international space station TCA). The pail was
(ISS) transiting the sun (see Figure 4)! placed in the
shadow of my house
LIGHT AND TEMPERATURE EFFECTS (north side) to add
more protection Figure 6: VA3ROM Eclipse Lux and Temperatures.
After reading several accounts as to from direct sunlight hitting the sensors. Noticeable changes in lux levels and ambient air
whether or not solar eclipses have any temperatures were detected by the Arduino
effect on air temperatures, I noticed a Figure 6 depicts graphical results of sensor gadget. My PWS and local airport
slight problem with how measurements measurements taken during the partial temperatures remained fairly constant.
were being made by those saying “Not.” eclipse. It was no great surprise that lux
They tended to rely on airport weather (light) levels slowly dropped and then PROPAGATION EFFECTS
and/or personal weather stations (PWS) slowly rose during the eclipse. Neither Maximum solar UV irradiation of the upper
for their conclusion, but the problem is was the fact that both my PWS and airport atmosphere (ionosphere) occurs between
that those weather stations are designed weather stations recorded only a slight 1200 and 1400 local time. This is called
to take average temperature readings of linear increase in mid‑day summer solar noon when the sun is at its highest
the ambient air surrounding them. They temperatures, but perhaps the eclipse point in the sky, and it varies with the time
are also sheltered inside Stevenson slowed down the increase? The Arduino of year, geographical location, and if
screens (or versions of) to shield them temperature sensor showed that Daylight Saving Time (DST) is used.
from direct sunlight and wind effects. something different was going on inside Thunder Bay is one of many wonky time
the collimated light/air column. Exposed zone exceptions because geographically
A better alternative is to use a technique skin is also very sensitive – it’s our
similar to the photographic spot metering largest sensory and body organ. we’re well inside the Central Time Zone,
method, and collimate (to make waves or but we use “Toronto time” (Eastern Time
particles parallel) a vertical column of light After mid‑eclipse I wrote in my notes: Zone) instead of “Winnipeg time”. This
(and air) straight up to the top of the “Feel a definite chill in the air”. creates late evening DST mid‑summer
atmosphere, or until we sunsets (around 2200 local), and solar
hit clouds. Collimators noon (year round) always occurs an hour
are sometimes after civil or by the clock noon.
sophisticated devices The cooling cycle of “my” ionosphere
like telescopes and serendipitously started at the same time
parabolic reflectors, but as the eclipse did, and it appeared to
sometimes they are just accelerate the cooling, creating low band

Figure 5: Collimated openings after mid‑eclipse (see Figure 7).
Arduino Sensor Gadget. Notice how all the WSPR stations lie close
Looking straight up into a to my line of longitude, and south towards
collimated column of light the path of totality. This opening lasted
and air, this gadget has nearly an hour as stations slowly faded,
red, green, blue (RGB) light
and temperature sensors. from west to east, back into the
Readings were atmospheric noise. However, one very
automatically taken and small data set is not enough because
saved at two-minute appearances can be deceiving
intervals for later retrieval (“lies, damned lies, and statistics”).
and analysis.
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