Total Solar Eclipse North Queensland 2012

Presenter(s): Mr Terry Cuttle

Affiliation(s): Astronomical Association of Queensland

Session details: Sunday, 2010-04-04 00:00:00

Abstract

Everyone should see at least one Total Solar Eclipse in their lifetime. The Eclipse of 14 November 2012 will be the first in Australia since 2002 and there won’t be another until 2023. The presenter, a veteran of many eclipse expeditions spent two weeks in November 2009 in the eclipse path in North Queensland assessing viewing locations, weather prospects, road and track access, accommodation options etc. This talk will be a primer for the 2012 eclipse and will include a description of the eclipse circumstances, details of the shadow path, possible viewing locations (including the east coast beaches, tableland sites, remote cattle stations and indigenous communities) weather prospects and weather contingency strategies, access including remote area road conditions and hazards and other issues that will be important in planning to view and photograph all the phenomena associated with nature’s grandest spectacle.

Biography

Terry Cuttle has had a lifelong interest in natural phenomena with astronomy and photography being an important part of that. Over the years he has contributed to a number of astronomical societies and is currently Technical Secretary of the Astronomical Association of Queensland. He has a keen interest in transient astronomical phenomena and frequently travels to remote locations to observe and photograph eclipses, comets, transits, meteor showers etc. Total solar eclipses hold a particular fascination and he describes himself as an eclipse enthusiast having so far been to 14 total or annular solar eclipses. After many years of weight limitations on equipment to haul to remote locations, he is keenly awaiting the total solar eclipse of 2012, at last one in his home state that he can drive to and take as much gear as he can stuff into the car.