Discussion: Solar Eclipse during Italy WC middle quals!

I just read that there will be a solar eclipse (annular) across western Europe and N. Africa on Oct 3 2005. Details here. How cool is that!?! I didn't see any mention of this in bulletin 3. We'll have to throw our compasses at the sun to drive away the evil spirits.

In Rome we should get something like 75% of totality, with max eclipse at 9:15 UT (10:15 local I think, which is smack in the middle of the Middle distance qualifier races). This will be noticably darker than normal for that time of day, although not particularly *dark*, per-se. Animals may act funny. One cool effect will be from the tree leaves. They will cast crescent-shaped shadows. I wonder if this will be distracting on course? Looks like there will be a live webcast of the eclipse from various places - available on that NASA eclipse website.

Be sure to take your head lamp.

This is bad news. I can just see you stopping after control #6, setting up your telescope, and giving up your 2 minute lead.

I really think we should leave my telescope out of this. Besides, I'll have a 3 minute lead by then. :)

I think this is gonna play havoc on teams that haven't practiced orienteering during eclipses to the extent we have.

I think it also presents a great opportunity for Randy to ask at the team officials meeting about what steps the officials have taken so that the eclipse doesn't affect the competition unfairly. And maybe whether headlamps will be allowed.

Just to see if they have their act together.

PG - I don't think you understand. This is Italy. The coolness of the whole setup far outweighs any concerns about fairness.

Early starts will be an advantage. We can give Randy a tabulated list of % sunlight as a function of start time.

O Crap! Now aside from micro-O we have to arrange for an eclipse at team trials. I had no idea this meet was going to be so hard to direct.

I'm afraid the eclipse was a bust in Italy. It was overcast and raining during the middle quals and final. But I'll still blame my big error in the middle qual on the combined gravitational pull of the sun and moon - made me pull up short on control #3.