Solar Eclipse

Prediction of solar eclipse and its duration using the time of new moon

test_Eclipse.m calculates the central line of a solar eclipse and the duration of the total or annular phases, starting with the date of the next New Moon.

The core of the program is the Intersect function, in which the intersection of the axis of the shadow with the surface of the Earth is determined from the geocentric coordinates of the Sun and the Moon. In addition, the diameters of the two shadow cones near the Earth are calculated, from which the respective phases of the eclipse are determined. The Central function converts the equatorial coordinates of the umbra provided by Intersect into geographic coordinates, and also determines the duration of totality.

test_Eclipse.m requires step size of outputs and the date of new moon which is highlighted with letter "c" in moon phases results at the following link:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/118770-moon-phases?s_tid=srchtitle

Moreover, test_EclTimer (as an extension to the test_Eclipse.m) enables the local circumstances of an eclipse to be calculated for any given point which is accessible here:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/55609-local-circumstances-of-a-solar-eclipse?s_tid=srchtitle

References:

Montenbruck O., Pfleger T.; Astronomy on the Personal Computer; Springer Verlag, Heidelberg; 4th edition (2000).

https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEcat5/deltatpoly.html