143 UFO Sightings, By U.S. Navy Pilots, Remain Unidentified

 

A still image from the video of a UFO, taken from the U.S. Navy ship, the USS Russell, off the coast of San Diego in July of 2019.

(Image Sources: U.S. Navy, Wikipedia.org, By US Navy - Cropped still from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKsLK_Na7iw, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=105357643)

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

A U.S. Government study has preliminarily determined that 143 anomalous objects in the sky, observed by trained military aviators, cannot be identified. In this highly-anticipated public report, the U.S. Intelligence Community outlines what is known about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), better known to the general public as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs),

The new report, released late on Friday (2021 June 25), does not speculate whether some of these unidentified objects are flown by extraterrestrial beings, as some amateur UFO researchers contend. Nor, does the report determine that the observed UAP is some type of breakthrough or disruptive technological advancement by nations such as China or Russia, or a terrestrial, non-state entity. Secret U.S. Government testing of advanced, technological air or space vehicles is also doubted, if not completely ruled-out.

The results of the report were inconclusive regarding the nature and intent of the unknown objects, due to the “limited amount of high quality reporting on” UAP. However, the report stated that “UAP clearly pose a safety of flight issue and may pose a challenge to U.S. national security.”

Last year, the U.S. Department of Defense released three videos (one from 2004 and two from 2015) , taken by U.S. Navy pilots, which showed mysterious objects flying at high rates of speed across the sky. In 2017, a report in The New York Times revealed the existence of the Defense Department's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which studied UAP from 2007 to 2012. Last August 4, the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) was officially formed, within the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence.

This unclassified, nine-page UAP report was issued following a classified report on UAP earlier this month. Several U.S. Congressional Representatives and Senators received a classified briefing on the earlier report.

The June 25 report, titled “Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena”, was officially submitted to the U.S. Congress by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). This report was specifically requested by the U.S. Congress “in response to the provision in Senate Report 116-233, accompanying the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2021”.

This study focused on UAP “largely witnessed firsthand by military aviators and that were collected from systems we considered to be reliable.”

This contrasts with much older programs, administered by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), which studied UFO reports from the general public, in addition to governmental sources. The best known of these projects was Project Blue Book, which ran from March of 1952 to 1969 December 17. Project Blue Book was preceded by two shorter USAF projects which conducted similar studies: Project Sign (1947 and 1948) and Project Grudge (1948 to 1951).

The 144 UAP incidents summarized in the June 25 report were incidents which occurred between 2004 November and 2021 March. However, the majority of reports studied occurred between 2019 and the present. Most incidents studied were of UAP “that interrupted pre-planned training or other military activity.” According to the report, “UAP sightings also tended to cluster around U.S. (military) training and testing grounds, but we assess that this may result from a collection bias...”

The reason the UAP Task Force concentrated on the last two years was because it was not until March of 2019 when the U.S. Navy established a “standardized reporting mechanism” for reporting UAP. The U.S. Air Force adopted that standardized reporting mechanism in November of 2020. Additionally, technical data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is being used to assist in the analysis of UAP reports.

Of the 144 UAP incidents studied, “80 reports involved observation with multiple sensors.” “In 18 incidents, described in 21 reports, observers reported unusual UAP movement patterns or flight characteristics.”

“Some UAP appeared to remain stationary in winds aloft, move against the wind, maneuver abruptly, or move at considerable speed, without discernible means of propulsion. In a small number of cases, military aircraft systems processed radio frequency (RF) energy associated with UAP sightings...The UAPTF holds a small amount of data that appear to show UAP demonstrating acceleration or a degree of signature management.”

Only one of these 144 UAP incidents was identified “with high confidence”: “a large, deflating balloon. The others remain unexplained.”

The report states “Limited data and inconsistency in reporting are key challenges to evaluating UAP.”

The UAP Task Force did hear about anecdotal observations, but could not analyze them without some type of formal or informal report.

With an array of aerial behaviors reported, the UAP Task Force has concluded that there is a distinct “possibility there are multiple types of UAP requiring different explanations.“ The UAP Task Force has divided the possible explanations into five categories:

Possible Explanatory Categories ---

Airborne Clutter: These objects include birds, balloons, recreational unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or airborne debris like plastic bags that muddle a scene and affect an operator’s ability to identify true targets, such as enemy aircraft.

Natural Atmospheric Phenomena: Natural atmospheric phenomena includes ice crystals, moisture, and thermal fluctuations that may register on some infrared and radar systems.

U.S. Government or Industry Developmental Programs: Some UAP observations could be attributable to developments and classified programs by U.S. entities. We were unable to confirm, however, that these systems accounted for any of the UAP reports we collected.

Foreign Adversary Systems: Some UAP may be technologies deployed by China, Russia, another nation, or a non-governmental entity.

Other: Although most of the UAP described in our dataset probably remain unidentified due to limited data or challenges to collection processing or analysis, we may require additional scientific knowledge to successfully collect on, analyze and characterize some of them. We would group such objects in this category pending scientific advances that allowed us to better understand them. The UAPTF intends to focus additional analysis on the small number of cases where a UAP appeared to display unusual flight characteristics or signature management.

The primary conclusions given in the June 25 UAP report were that, to explain UAP, better collection of incidents and more robust analysis of UAP cases will be necessary. And, this will require a greater commitment of financial resources.

This report only studied military (primarily from the U.S. Navy) reporting of incidents of UAP between 2004 November and 2021 March. However, military observations of such unidentified phenomena date back much further.

When most people hear the words, “Foo Fighters”, they think of the popular rock-and-roll band, which recently re-opened New York City's Madison Square Garden with the first post-pandemic concert before a sold-out house of more than 15,000 fully-vaccinated fans. However, the words “Foo Fighter” actually originated from the name given to UFOs by perplexed and frustrated military aviators, during World War II.

In November of 1944, Foo Fighters, described as fast-moving, round glowing objects, began to be observed. Pilots and air-crew reported that these Foo Fighters would fly formation with their aircraft and could not be out-maneuvered or shot-down. Although the Foo Fighters seemed to be under intelligent control, they never displayed hostile behavior.

The name “Foo Fighter” was coined by Donald J. Meiers, a radar operator in the 415th Night Fighter Squadron, who had taken the word “Foo” from a syndicated, newspaper comic-strip (seen in the Chicago Tribune), Smokey Stover. Drawn by cartoonist Bill Holman, Smokey Stover's catch-phrase was "where there's foo, there's fire".

U.S. Intelligence Report: “Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena”, 2021 June 25:

Link >>> https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Prelimary-Assessment-UAP-20210625.pdf

Internet Links to Additional Information ---

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena / Unidentified Flying Objects: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unidentified_flying_object

Pentagon UFO Report: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagon_UFO_Report 

Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP): Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Aerospace_Threat_Identification_Program 

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF): Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unidentified_Aerial_Phenomena_Task_Force 

Project Blue Book: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Blue_Book 

Foo Fighter: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foo_fighter

Related Blog-Posts ---

"50th Anniversary: Kecksburg, Pa. "UFO" Incident." Wed., 2015 Dec. 9.

 Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2015/12/50th-anniversary-kecksburg-pa-ufo.html

 

"Tue. Morning Fireball Over Pittsburgh Seen in Several States." Thur., 2015 Feb. 19.

Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2015/02/tue-morning-fireball-over-pittsburgh.html

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss.

                 Monday, 2021 June 28.

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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator:
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

Summer Begins at Solstice Late Sun. Night

       

[Graphic Source: © Copyright 2005, Eric G. Canali, former Floor Operations Manager of the original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center - Pittsburgh's science and technology museum from 1939 to 1991), and Founder of the South Hills Backyard Astronomers amateur astronomy club; permission granted for only non-profit use with credit to author.] 

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

Late Sunday night, Summer begins in the Northern Hemisphere of Earth, while at the same time, Winter begins in the Southern Hemisphere.

                                              2021 Summer Solstice

For 2021, the season of Summer begins at Earth's Northern Hemisphere's Summer Solstice (and the season of Winter begins at the Southern Hemisphere's Winter Solstice) at the moment of the June Solstice: Sunday Evening, 2021 June 20 at 11:32 p.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) / June 21, 3:32 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

In etymology, the word solstice comes from the Latin terms Sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still). In ancient times, astronomers / astrologers / priests recognized that on one day of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere, on or near the day we now call June 21), the Sun would appear to stand-still as Sol reaches its highest point in the sky for the entire year. The motion of the Sun's apparent path in the sky (what is known astronomically, today, as the Sun's declination) would cease on this day, before appearing to reverse direction.

Although the Summer months in the Northern Hemisphere are known for the year's warmest weather, the Earth is actually at the point in its orbit farthest from the Sun (astronomically known as the point of aphelion) around July 5; the Earth's closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) each year is around January 2. Hence, in general, the distance from the Earth to the Sun is not the major factor determining the heat of Summer or the cold of Winter.

However, because Earth is farther from the Sun during our Spring and Summer seasons, people in Earth's Northern Hemisphere actually benefit from a few extra days of warmth (on average), than the number of days in the Autumn and Winter seasons of the year. When Earth is closer to the Sun, the Earth travels faster in its elliptical orbit around the Sun (during the Autumn and Winter months); and, when Earth is farther than average from the Sun (during the Spring and Summer seasons) the Earth travels a little more slowly --- again, this refers to the Northern Hemisphere. Hence, the Spring and Summer seasons, in the Northern Hemisphere, have a few more days than the Autumn and Winter seasons.

In fact, Jay Pasachoff, Field Memorial Professor of Astronomy at Williams College and author of widely-used, college astronomy text-books, has precisely calculated the duration of each season, in the Northern Hemisphere:

* Summer: 93 days, 15 hours

* Spring: 92 days, 19 hours

* Autumn / Fall: 89 days, 20 hours

* Winter: 89 days, 0 hours 

Solar radiation, and hence the heat from the Sun, depends on the length of daylight and the angle of the Sun above the horizon. The tilt of the planet's axis toward the Sun determines the additional and more direct solar radiation received by a planet's Northern or Southern Hemisphere, and hence, the warmer season of the respective hemisphere.

While the Sun does have motions, it is actually the motion of the Earth tilted on its axis, away from the plane of the ecliptic (Earth's orbital plane around the Sun), while revolving around the Sun, that causes the Earth's seasons. As of this June Solstice, the tilt of Earth's axis is 23.4365 degrees / 23 degrees, 26 minutes, 11.4 seconds. Hence, as the Earth arrives at the point in its orbit around the Sun, when the north polar axis is most directly inclined toward the Sun, this marks the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.

Alternately, the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (the Winter Solstice is always on or near December 21) occurs when the Earth reaches the point in its orbit when the North Pole is most directly inclined away from the Sun. And, conversely, at this time Summer begins in the planet's Southern Hemisphere.

For Earth observers at precisely 23.4365 degrees / 23 degrees, 26 minutes, 11.4 seconds North Latitude at the moment of June Solstice, the Sun will appear to shine directly overhead. The line around the Earth at 23.4365 degrees / 23 degrees, 26 minutes, 11.4 seconds North Latitude is known as the Tropic of Cancer. Likewise, at 23.4365 degrees / 23 degrees, 26 minutes, 11.4 seconds South Latitude is located the Tropic of Capricorn, where the Sun appears directly overhead at the moment of the December Solstice.

However, as the tilt of the Earth is dynamic, and changes minutely over the years, the location of the Tropic lines also change. Currently, these Tropic lines are moving north at the rate of 0.47 arc-seconds / 49.21 feet / 15 meters per year.

The names Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn were coined in the last centuries B.C., when the Sun would appear in the Constellation Cancer the Crab on the June Solstice and in the Constellation Capricornus the Horned Goat on the December Solstice. However today, hours after the June Solstice, the Sun enters the Constellation Gemini the Twins, 30 degrees from Cancer. And at the December Solstice, the Sun is now in the Constellation Sagittarius the Archer.

This is due to “Precession of the Equinoxes” of Earth, which is analogous to the wobbling of a spinning top. In the case of the Earth, this 25,772-year wobble causes observers to view the Sun in different parts of the sky over the centuries, at the same time of year while remaining in the same geographical location. As the Earth wobbles over the centuries, the north pole star also changes. Currently, Polaris is our north pole star; around A.D. 13,700, Vega will be our north pole star, due to the Precession of the Equinoxes.

No matter which hemisphere, the day of the Summer Solstice always has the most hours and minutes of daylight (the length of time between sunrise and sunset) for the year, while the Winter Solstice always has the least number of hours and minutes of daylight for the year. The exact number of hours and minutes of daylight, for a particular location, depends on the locale's geographic latitude on the Earth. Astronomers, amateur ("ham") radio operators, and long-distance radio enthusiasts (“radio DXers”), all of whom mostly depend on non-daylight hours to ply their craft, often prefer the days closer to the Winter Solstice.

The Vernal Equinox, when the season of Spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere (and the season of Autumn begins in the Southern Hemisphere), occurs between the Winter and Summer Solstices when the Earth reaches the point in its orbit around the Sun when the Earth's axis is inclined neither toward nor away from the Sun. Likewise, when the Earth reaches the point in its orbit around the Sun, between the Summer and Winter Solstices, when the Earth's axis is inclined neither toward nor away from the Sun, this is known as the Autumnal Equinox (beginning of Fall or Autumn) in the Northern Hemisphere; at this time Spring begins in the Southern Hemisphere. And, half-way between the beginning points of each season are Cross-Quarter Days, each related to traditional holidays: Groundhog Day (February 2), May Day (May 1), Lammas Day (traditionally, the first harvest festival of the year on August 1), and Halloween (October 31).

In ancient times, the Summer Solstice was known as Mid-Summer Day, in early calendars observed around June 24. At that time, May 1 to August 1 (i.e. the two Cross-Quarter Days) was considered the season of Summer. Such early European celebrations were pre-Christian in origin. Many will associate this ancient holiday with the famous William Shakespeare play, “A Midsummer Night's Dream.” Some speculate that the play was written for the Queen of England, to celebrate the Feast Day of Saint John.

As with the Roman Catholic Church's decision to Christianize the pagan Winter Solstice festivals with the introduction of Christmas Day on December 25 (by an early calendar, December 25 was reckoned as the Winter Solstice), the Church began to associate the Mid-Summer festivals with the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist on June 24. In the Christian Bible, the Gospel of Saint Luke implies that Saint John was born six months before the birth of Jesus, although no specific birth dates are given.

The most famous celebration of the Summer Solstice occurs each year at the Stonehenge pre-historic monument in England. Constructed between 3,000 B.C. and 1,600 B.C. in three phases, the actual purpose of the landmark is still unclear. However, it seems to have been associated with burials, originally. It was also used as a type of astronomical observatory, particularly for observing the Sun, which was important to help early cultures make annual decisions regarding agriculture.

Stonehenge is known as a way for pre-historic peoples to mark both the Summer and Winter Solstices. From inside the monument, a viewer facing northeast can watch the Sun rise (weather-permitting) above a stone outside the main circle of rocks, known as the Heel Stone, on the day of the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Although today, due to serious erosion of the stones, visitors on the Summer Solstice can only walk around the landmark from a short distance away during this annual event.

Although not as prominent as Stonehenge, a calendar ring using smaller rocks was also constructed at Nabta Playa in southern Egypt, perhaps as early as 7,000 years ago! As with Stonehenge, some stones aligned with sunrise on the day of the Summer Solstice.

Today, a Stonehenge-like event occurs each year at the University of Wyoming (UW) Art Museum in Laramie, Wyoming, free-of-charge to the general public. At 12:00 Noon Mountain Daylight Saving Time (MDT) / 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC on the day of the Summer Solstice, visitors can see a single beam of sunlight shine through a solar tube in the ceiling of the UW Art Museum's Rotunda Gallery; the beam of sunlight then shines onto a 1923 Peace Silver Dollar embedded in the floor of the Museum's Rotunda Gallery. Visitors are encouraged to arrive at the museum by 11:30 a.m. MDT / 1:30 p.m. EDT / 17:30 UTC, to view this rather unique architectural feature.

The bright Star Spica (Alpha Virginis), the brightest star in the Constellation Virgo the Virgin and the 16^th brightest star in Earth's night sky (Apparent Visual Magnitude: + 0.97), may have helped develop another one of civilization's early calendars. A calendar of ancient Armenia used the year's first sighting of Spica in the dawn sky, a few days before the Summer Solstice, to mark the beginning of the New Year for this particular calendar. The development of this calendar somewhat coincided with the beginning of agriculture in Armenia.

Like clock-work, a well-known asterism (pattern of stars in the sky, not officially recognized as a constellation) of three stars shaped as a triangle is visible nearly overhead around local midnight during the Summer months (weather-permitting). And logically, as Star Trek's Mr. Spock might say, this asterism is known as the Summer Triangle!

Three of the brightest stars in the Summer sky constitute the Summer Triangle ---

1. Vega (Alpha Lyrae - brightest star in the Constellation Lyra the Harp); brightest of the three stars and closest to the zenith (highest point in the sky);

2. Altair (Alpha Aquilae - denotes the eagle eye and brightest star in the Constellation Aquila the Eagle); second brightest star of the trio;

3. Deneb (Alpha Cygni - denotes the tail star, is the brightest star in the Constellation Cygnus the Swan, and is the “head” star of the asterism known as the Northern Cross).

The term Summer Triangle was popularized in the 1950s by American author H.A. Rey and British astronomer Patrick Moore, although constellation guidebooks mention this triangle of stars as far back as 1913. And, during World War II, military navigators referred to this asterism as the “Navigator's Triangle.”

Regardless of city light pollution, the three bright stars of the Summer Triangle should be visible to nearly everyone in Earth's Northern Hemisphere (weather-permitting). So, just look overhead late-evening or early-morning throughout the Summer for these annual visitors to our Summer sky!

Internet Links to Additional Information ---

Summer Solstice: 
Link 1 >>> http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/SummerSolstice.html 
Link 2 >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_solstice  

Season of Summer: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer  

History of Mid-Summer: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer
 
Summer "Solstice Day" Annual Free-of-Charge Day (With Snowballs !), 1985 to 1991, at the original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science and technology museum from 1939 to 1991:  
Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2015/06/snowballs-on-first-day-of-summer.html

Stonehenge: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge

News Release - University of Wyoming Stonehenge-type event:
Link >>> https://www.uwyo.edu/uw/news/2018/06/uw-art-museum-to-celebrate-summer-solstice-june-21.html

Star Spica: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spica

Precession of the Equinoxes: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_precession 

Tropic of Cancer: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropic_of_Cancer 

Tropic of Capricorn: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropic_of_Capricorn 

Summer Triangle: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Triangle 

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss.

                 Friday, 2021 June 18.

                             Like This Post?  Please Share!

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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator:
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

 

Annular Solar Eclipse Early Thur. w/Web-Casts

NO ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE / ANNULAR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OR THE PARTIAL PHASES OF ANY OTHER SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN IS SAFE TO LOOK AT DIRECTLY, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER TRAINING AND PROPER EQUIPMENT TO DO SO SAFELY. OTHERWISE EYE-SIGHT COULD BE DAMAGED PERMANENTLY !!! This graphic shows one way to safely view an Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun or the partial phases of any other Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun by building a Solar Pinhole Viewing Box (a.k.a. Pinhole Camera) as shown above. After building this box, you must turn your back to the Sun and allow the light from the Sun to go through the pinhole and shine on a white piece of paper on the other end of the box (NEVER LOOK THROUGH THE PINHOLE AT THE SUN!).
(Graphic Source: Eric G. Canali, former Floor Operations Manager of the original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center - Pittsburgh's science and technology museum from 1939 to 1991) and Founder of the South Hills Backyard Astronomers amateur astronomy club.)

More information: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/FAQ/soleclipse/solareclipseviewingtips.html

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

Early Thursday, a somewhat unusual Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun will be visible in parts of Canada, Russia, and Greenland, with a Partial Solar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Sun viewable in other parts of Canada, eastern and mid-western U.S., Alaska, Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa. The Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun can also be viewed on live-stream web-casts.

NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT ANY SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER TRAINING AND PROPER EQUIPMENT TO DO SO SAFELY; OTHERWISE EYE-SIGHT COULD BE DAMAGED PERMANENTLY !!!

Internet links to live-stream web-casts of this eclipse are located near the end of this blog-post.

WHERE CAN THIS ECLIPSE BE SEEN ?

                    

This short video shows the extent of the June 10 eclipse on Earth (click anywhere on the image to start the video). The small oval shows the path of the Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun. The much larger light-gray circles show the paths of the Partial Solar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Sun. (Graphic Source: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)

Depending on your location, during, or shortly after, sunrise on Thursday morning (2021 June 10), an Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun will be visible in a narrow band (known as the Path of Annularity) starting in portions of eastern Canada (parts of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and the territory of Nunavut), northwestern Greenland, the North Pole and ending in Russia (part of northeastern Siberia). People in other parts of Canada, eastern and mid-western U.S., Alaska, and Europe as well as parts of the Caribbean, northern Asia, and northern Africa will see a Partial Solar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Sun.

Of course, as with all astronomical events, visibility is weather-permitting 

WHEN CAN THIS ECLIPSE BE SEEN ?

This eclipse will occur in the early morning hours of Thursday, 2021 June 10 ---

(EDT = Eastern Daylight Saving Time / UTC = Coordinated Universal Time)

• First location where partial eclipse begins: 4:12:20.2 a.m. EDT / 8:12:20.2 UTC

• First location where full annular eclipse begins: 5:49:47.7 a.m. EDT / 9:49:47.7 UTC

• Greatest eclipse (local Noon, northern Greenland): 6:41:56.3 a.m. EDT / 10:41:56.3 UTC

• Primary Moon Phase: New Moon – Lunation #1218: 6:52 a.m. EDT / 10:52 UTC

• Last location where full annular eclipse ends: 7:33:50.8 a.m. EDT / 11:33:50.8 UTC

• Last location where partial eclipse ends: 9:11:21.4 a.m. EDT / 13:11:21.4 UTC

Each point where the Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun occurs, the time of Annularity or “Ring-of-Fire” does not exceed 3 minutes and 51 seconds.

The time this eclipse can be seen varies for each location on Earth. Of course, it can only be seen after the Sun rises, and in many locations the eclipse is well under-way by sunrise.

To find out when the Sun rises in your locale, you can submit your zip-code or city name to the web-site https://www.heavens-above.com and select the Sun rise and set page. For those who can receive the NOAA Weather Radio station in their area, often they provide sunrise and sunset times during their daily local, “Climate Summary” report. Newspaper and television weather reports sometimes also give the local sunrise and sunset times.

A Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun always comes a couple weeks before or a couple weeks after a Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon. The June 10 eclipse follows the first eclipse of 2021, a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon on May 26.

WHAT IS ---

An Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun ?

A Partial Solar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Sun ?

A Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun occurs when the Moon comes directly between the Sun and the Earth and part or all of the lunar shadow falls on a portion of our planet. This is the type of eclipse that is dangerous to eye-sight to view directly, unless you have the proper training and proper equipment to do so safely.

                                    

           View of Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun. (Graphic Source: NASA)

An Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun is somewhat similar to a Total Solar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Sun. However, unlike a Total Solar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Sun, the Sun is never completely covered by the Moon during an Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun.

During an Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun, the Moon blocks-out the vast majority of the Sun, except for the extremely bright edge of the solar disk. Hence, this type of eclipse is often referred to as a “Ring-of-Fire” Solar Eclipse, as the bright edge appears as a ring-of-fire around the dark Moon.

The reason an Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun does not completely block-out the Sun's light, as does a Total Solar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Sun, is because during an Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun the Moon is farther from Earth than normal and appears a little smaller as viewed from Earth. Hence, the Moon is too far, and appears too small, to block-out the entire solar disk.

A Partial Solar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Sun occurs when only part of the Sun is blocked by the Moon. This is also true during the partial phases of a Total, Annular, or Hybrid Solar Eclipse / Total, Annular, or Hybrid Eclipse of the Sun. Usually, more of the Sun is still visible than during an Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun.

There is no time during an Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun when it is safe to look directly at the eclipse, unless you have the proper training and proper equipment to do so safely!

Also, there is no time during a Partial Solar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Sun (or during the partial phases of any other Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun) when it is safe to look directly at the eclipse, unless you have the proper training and proper equipment to do so safely!

So, there is no time during the June 10 eclipse event when it is safe to look, directly, at the eclipse, unless you have the proper training and proper equipment to do so safely!

HOW TO SAFELY VIEW ANY SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN ---

1. Internet - Watch the eclipse on an Internet, Live-Stream Web-Cast (Internet links to web-casts near the end of this blog-post). Of course, people outside of the path of an eclipse can also watch the eclipse on an Internet, Live-Stream Web-Cast, as well as people within the eclipse path where clouds obscure the view..

2. Public Observing Events - Sometimes educational events for eclipse viewing are sponsored by a local planetarium or science museum, astronomical observatory, science department of a local college or high school, amateur astronomy club, or local library.

3. Solar Pinhole Viewing Box - Create a Solar Pinhole Viewing Box, as displayed and described at the beginning of this blog-post.

4. “Solar Eclipse Glasses” - For a few dollars you can purchase Solar Eclipse Glasses. However, only use such glasses that are specifically labeled for solar eclipse viewing, preferably approved by the American Astronomical Society (to ensure you do not purchase fake eclipse glasses). Special Note: Solar Eclipse Glasses are very fragile and must be handled gently. Also, before each use during an eclipse, check the glasses by looking through the glasses at a lit light bulb; if you find any holes or tears in the glasses, that pair of glasses could damage your eye-sight during eclipse viewing and should be discarded.

5. Shade Rating Number 14 Welder's Glass – Shade Rating Number 14 Welder's Glass (and only Welder's Glass Rated at Shade Number 14, the strongest shade available) can be used for safe eclipse viewing, but may be uncomfortable to some because the Sun still appears very bright through this glass.

THESE ARE THE ONLY SAFE WAYS TO VIEW ANY SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN !

Live, On-Line Web-Casts of June 10 Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun:

Link 1 >>> https://www.timeanddate.com/live/eclipse-solar-2021-june-10 

Link 2 >>> http://time.unitarium.com/events/eclipse/062021/live.html

Link 3 >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ9fDbx7QkM   

SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: TIPS FOR SAVE VIEWING:

Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/FAQ/soleclipse/solareclipseviewingtips.html

Internet Links to Additional Information ---

More Information on June 10 Eclipse: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium4.tripod.com/astrocalendar/2021.html#soleclipse20210610

Solar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Sun: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse

Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse#Types

Related Blog Posts ---

"Astro-Calendar: 2021 June / Solar Eclipse June 10." Tue., 2021 June 1.

 Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2021/06/astro-calendar-2021-june.html

 

""Super-Moon" Total Lunar Eclipse Early Wed. w/ Web-Casts." Tue., 2021 May 25.

Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2021/05/super-moon-total-lunar-eclipse-early.html

 

"Great American Solar Eclipse Next Monday: Some Ways to See It Safely." Mon., 2017 Aug. 14.

Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-american-solar-eclipse-next-mon.html

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss.

                 Tuesday, 2021 June 8.

                             Like This Post?  Please Share!

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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator:
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

Laser Pulses: Faster Than Speed-of-Light?

An image of our Sun, which is a natural fusion energy reactor. Research indicating faster-than-light laser pulses could help develop artificial and clean fusion energy reactors on Earth.

(Image Sources: Wikipedia.org, By NASA Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres and Yohkoh Legacy data Archive - NASA Goddard Laboratory for Atmosphereshttp://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/rsd/images/yohkoh.htmlhttp://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/rsd/images/yohkoh_l.gifYohkoh mission of ISAS, Japan. The Yohkoh Soft X-ray telescope was prepared by the Lockheed-Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and the University of Tokyo with the support of NASA and ISAS.http://ylstone.physics.montana.edu/ylegacy/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38853089)

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

Many people have heard that Albert Einstein, in his Special Theory of Relativity, sets-up a “cosmic speed limit” which forbids anything from traveling faster than the speed-of-light. Well, scientists now claim that a laser pulse can move slower or faster than the speed-of-light, in special circumstances.

The speed-of-light is defined, precisely, as 299,792,458 meters-per-second, which also translates to 186,282.39705 miles-per-second. And, this “cosmic speed limit” has always referred to light or anything in the electromagnetic spectrum, conventional matter, energy, or any signal carrying information, passing through a vacuum.

Now, scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California and the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics in Rochester, New York have succeeded in both slowing-down and speeding-up the transmission of a laser pulse through hot plasma. This research was outlined in a paper titled, "Slow and Fast Light in Plasma Using Optical Wave Mixing", published in the journal Physical Review Letters on 2021 May 19.

In these hot swarms of charged particles, the researchers have been able to fine-tune the speed of a laser beam from one-tenth the speed-of-light to more than 30 per-cent faster than the speed-of-light! The scientists emphasize that, in these cases, the laser pulses can exceed the speed-of-light, without violating Dr. Einstein's “cosmic speed limit” or any other laws of physics.

Electromagnetism mandates that individual photons must stay within the “cosmic speed limit”. However, within certain frequencies, pulses of photons create regular light waves.

What is called “group velocity” describes the rate at which whole groups of light waves move through a medium. Depending on the specific electromagnetic conditions of the medium, the group velocity can be tweaked to slow-down or speed-up.

In these experiments, the researchers did this by using a laser to strip-away electrons from hydrogen (H) and helium (He) ions. They were, then, able to use a second laser to change the group velocity of light pulses from the first laser.

These experiments will not lead to “Star Trek”-type faster-than-light travel anytime in the foreseeable future. However, it could lead to breakthroughs in advanced technologies.

This could be particularly true for laser technologies. It could lead to much more powerful lasers, a research emphasis at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

The problem with traditional laser technology is that as the energy increases, their solid-state components tend to get damaged. This problem could be solved by using streams of plasma to amplify or change the light characteristics.

Clean fusion energy and speeding-up research particle accelerators are just two of the applications which could benefit from these more powerful lasers.

 Internet Links to Additional Information ---

More Details on This Research: Link >>> https://www.sciencealert.com/pulses-of-light-can-break-the-universal-speed-limit-and-it-s-been-seen-inside-plasma 

Research Paper Abstract: Link >>> https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103 /PhysRevLett.126.205001 

Speed-of-Light: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light 

Laser: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser 

Plasma: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_(physics)

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss.

                 Saturday, 2021 June 5.

                             Like This Post?  Please Share!

           More Astronomy & Science News - SpaceWatchtower Twitter Feed:
            Link >>> https://twitter.com/spacewatchtower

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                Want to receive SpaceWatchtower blog posts in your in-box ?
                Send request to < spacewatchtower@planetarium.cc >.

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator:
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

Astro-Calendar: 2021 June / Solar Eclipse June 10

 

Image of a 2012 May 20  Annular Solar Eclipse / Annular Eclipse of the Sun, what some call a "Ring of Fire" Eclipse due to the edge of the solar disk still visible while the Moon completely blocks light from the rest of the Sun. People in portions of Russia (part of northeastern Siberia), northwestern Greenland, the North Pole, and eastern Canada (parts of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and the territory Nunavut) will view an Annular Solar Eclipse on June 10. People in other parts of Canada, northeastern U.S., and Alaska will see a Partial Solar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Sun.

Details: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium4.tripod.com/astrocalendar/2021.html#soleclipse20210610 

NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT ANY SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER EQUIPMENT AND PROPER TRAINING TO DO SO SAFELY !!!
SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: TIPS FOR SAFE VIEWING

(Image Source: Wikipedia.org)

Astronomical Calendar for 2021 June ---
Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium4.tripod.com/astrocalendar/2021.html#jun

 Related Blog Post ---

"Astro-Calendar: 2021 May / Total Lunar Eclipse May 26." Sat., 2021 May 1.

Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2021/05/astro-calendar-2021-may-total-lunar.html

Source: Friends of the Zeiss.
            Tuesday, 2021 June 1.

                             Like This Post?  Please Share!

            More Astronomy & Science News - SpaceWatchtower Twitter Feed:
            Link >>> https://twitter.com/spacewatchtower

        Astronomy & Science Links: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#sciencelinks

                Want to receive SpaceWatchtower blog posts in your in-box ?
                Send request to < spacewatchtower@planetarium.cc >.

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator:
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc