Observations
An analogue video camcorder was used to make a continuous video of the eclipse. The record was interrupted by intermittent cloud, but totality was recorded for 13 seconds prior to the third contact diamond ring and included several Baily Beads, both on the video and observed from a 40 mm refractor projection telescope image on its shaded screen.
Location
Our observing group was set up in a field at the property of Lyn and Cliff Thomas some 14 km South East of the centre line at longitude 133d 47m 08.4s, latitude -32d 11m 48.9s and at an altitude of 31 meters as determined from the hill high point contour on a 1:50,000 scale map of Maltee reference 5633-1 dated 1975.
Baily Beads
The video record was synchronised with a digital watch which proved to be 44 seconds fast when compared to a GPS timing check. Three Beads were seen from the projection telescope and recorded at 19h 41m 27s (local set time) at the center of the thin crescent, another one at the bottom (or North) of the crescent at 19h 41m 35s and one other at the top (or South) of the crescent at 19h 41m 50s which was then obscured by cloud shortly after. These beads have been correlated to David Herald's Occult program BailyBead.exe in the table below. The program was also used for the prediction of beads prior to the eclipse.
A few Baily Beads were seen on the video record quite clearly along with many prominences. A detailed computer video analysis of the video recording allowed timing of six beads as listed below
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At Watts Angle 232.61 degrees. |
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At Watts Angle 205.30 degrees. |
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At Watts Angle 195.91 degrees. |
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At Watts Angle 197.45 degrees. |
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At Watts Angle 200.27 degrees. |
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At Watts Angle 321.47 degrees. |
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Total number of Beads was 6. |
Conclusions
All of the Baily Beads reported, were carefully analysed using the WINOccult program and a video capture card at 10 frames per second. Some events considered earlier as Baily Beads occurred during totality and hence were clearly prominences and not beads. A review of the site co-ordinates has been made as well as the timing correction. The tabulated data above is shown graphically by a typical screen capture from WINOccult for Baily Bead number1.
Considering the cloud cover at the commencement of totality the results obtained are fair, one wonders what might have been revealed if the "little white cloud that cried" had moved away from the Sun some twelve seconds earlier !