The Total Eclipse  of the sun in Egypt, March 2006

Last  March 2006, Egypt  have witness a total eclipse of the sun at its north west coast.

The Total eclipse of the sun is one of the very important phenomena in astronomy and geophysics. It is also a very rare phenomena, and often happens in the same place every 200 years. This the last recorded eclipse in Egypt goes back to the year 1798.

You get a solar eclipse when the Moon gets between the Earth and the Sun disk. In the total eclipse, the Moon blocks all of the light, creating an eerie deep twilight, and suddenly, in the middle of the day, you can now see the stars. When a total eclipse does occur, the Moon's shadow covers only a small portion of the Earth.

Total Eclipse of the sun

Many people, when given the chance, never enjoy the free cosmic thrill of a total solar eclipse, because they believe the myth that looking at an eclipse, or even being outdoors, will make you go blind.

Although the phenomena had been well studied, still attract Scientists and astronomers. A total eclipse of the Sun is about as astonishing a treat as nature provides.

Eclipse path for the sun in March 2006

The eclipse makes the daytime sky dark enough for stars and planets to be seen; during the 29th of march event many planets such as Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will all be visible in the darkened sky from the southern eastern part of the Mediterranean. And the bright stars of the constellations Gemini, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Orion, and Auriga should be visible, too! Away from the path of totality, the sky will not get significantly darker and the surrounding stars and planets will still be invisible.

On the 29th of March 2006, the total eclipse of the sun  was seen from the north cost of Egypt. It  started at partial eclipse at 09:36:08, and will become total eclipse at 12:11 and will finish at 2:46 PM.

*The total eclipse  have lasted  for 4 minutes and 7 seconds:

 *Sun eclipse position at it is peak has been  67 degrees located at longitude of 16.7 East and latitude of 23.3 North. and the Coverage area will be 183 square KM.
 -Moon shade covered 105.2% of the sun surface

Eclipse phases:

General phases of the solar eclipse

The general eclipse begins when the Moon's penumbra cone starts to sweep across the Earth's disc.
The total or annular eclipse begins when the Moon's umbra starts to sweep across the Earth's disc.
The centrality begins when the axis of the Moon's shadow cone starts to sweep across the Earth's disc.

How it happens

The eclipse's maximum occurs when the terrestrial surface within the umbra reaches its largest area. The centrality ends when the axis of the Moon's shadow finishes its sweep across the Earth's disc.

The total or annular eclipse ends when the Moon's shadow finishes its sweep across the Earth's disc. The general eclipse ends when the Moon's penumbra finishes its sweep across the Earth's disc.

The following table will help you to know exactly when and where the phases of the total Eclipse in Egypt 2006 :
 

The safest way to observe the Sun, and watch the progress of the partial phase of the eclipse, is to not look directly at the Sun at all. Instead, project the Sun's image onto a piece of white paper, using a pinhole camera . Binoculars may also be used to project the Sun's image; they need to be supported on a tripod, one lens should be covered, and a sheet of white paper held behind the eyepiece. Focus the binoculars to achieve a sharp image.
Do not look directly at the Sun through the binoculars! To observe the Sun safely before and during the partial phase of the eclipse, most of its light and its harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays must be filtered out. Safe filters include:
Using two layers of fully exposed and developed black-and- white film (color film will not provide adequate protection).
Using a special metal-coated piece of plastic, typically aluminized Mylar, certified for viewing the Sun. Double-sided coatings greatly reduce the possibility of filter defects. Rectangular welder's glass, shade No. 14. Less dense shades (lower numbers) are not suitable for direct solar observation. Welder's glass will also produce a green-colored image.

Many filters that are sometimes recommended for observing the Sun are not safe for direct-eye viewing, including a piece of glass blackened by soot from a candle, sunglasses, photographic neutral-density filters, and solar filters that operate at the eyepiece of telescopes or binoculars. Eyepiece filters are especially dangerous; they are placed at the point where the Sun's light is most concentrated and magnified. They can crack or even explode.
So when the next total eclipse of the Sun rolls around at march 2006 , just remember a few rules:

1. It's OK to look at the totally-eclipsed Sun with the naked eye - but only when the Sun is totally covered by the Moon, so you have to pick the right moment;

2. Never look at the partially-eclipsed Sun with the naked eye. Even a slim crescent has enough energy to blind you;

3. It's safe to look at the fully-exposed or partially-exposed Sun with approved filters, such as professional Solar Viewing Mylar filters. But never look directly at the Sun with smoked glass, exposed photographic films, or Mylar food packaging.