Turn off the daylight display. Open the “Planet” Palette,
center on the Sun, and then lock on the Sun. Using the
“Settings” button, set Orientation to Ecliptic. Using
the “Settings” button, select Planet/Sun and turn off Enlarge
Moon Size. Set the date for March 1, 2003. Set the
time step to 24 hours. Move ahead one step at a time until
the Moon passes the Sun. Then set the time step to 15
minutes and move back and forth in time until you find the
smallest angular separation of the Sun and Moon. Use the
Angular Separation Tool to measure the angular separation
For More Information of the Sun and Moon. Then reset the time step to 24 hours
and step ahead until the Moon again passes the Sun. Again
find the distance of closest approach. Repeat until you find
a time when the Moon and Sun appear to overlap. Check
Table 9.2 to see if you have found the date of a solar eclipse.
Set your geographical location to Reykjavik, Iceland. Turn
on the daylight display. Set the time to 1 A.M. (Reykjavik
time) and the time step to 15 minutes. Start the clock and
see if an eclipse occurs. Note the date and compare with
Table 9.2.
