TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OF FEB 26, 1998, OVER VENEZUELA
Information for Observers
来年の日食が見られる国のうち、 ベネズエラでは早閃と日食委員会が組織され、 さまさまな惰報提供を開始しています。 既成のツア ー に飽きたらす、 自主ツア ー を計画される方は、 ご自分で連絡を敗ってみると良いでしょう。以下にベネズエラ日食委員会からのメッセ ー ジを掲叡します。

INTRODUCTIONOn February 26, 1998, there will be a total solar eclipse over Venezuela.

The

information below is given to help observers plan their trips.

The eclipse path will pass over two large cities : Maracaibo (population 1 million) andPunto Fijo (population 400.000).
Maracaibo may be reached from Miami by a 3 hour plane trip costing between

150-250 US$.

You can also fly to Caracas (the capital of Venezuela, population 3.5 million)

and then continue on to Maracaibo.

At Maracaibo you are near the equator (10 deg N), thus the temperature may reach

100 F (37 C) during February at mid day.

Dress accordingly.

At Maracaibo or Punto Fijo the eclipse will last 3min 49sec, and the Sun will be at analtitude of 64 degrees.
on your location.

The eclipse will take place at around 2pm local time depending

The width of the shadow is 144 Kms.

Electncal outlets m Venezuela are 110 V, 60 cycles/s.
ECLIPSE PATH
The eclipse path can be consulted in Oppolzer's "Cannon of Solar Eclipses", or in
Espenak's "Fifty Year Canon of Solar Eclipses : 1986-2035" (NASA Reference Publication
1178 Revised).
Consult also a Note to The Observatory by Espenak and Anderson (The Observatory,Dec. 1995, p. 328).

The path can also be obtained from the following address:

http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/eclipse/predictions/1998・february-26.html.
For updated information and a copy of the NASA bulletin on the eclipse, contact

Espenak at espenak@lepvax.gsfc.nasa.gov .

The eclipse enters from the Pacific Ocean into Colombia, and then continues on into
the northern part of Venezuela, which is also the northern tip of South America.

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CLOUDINESS AND OBSERVING SITES
Rain over Maracaibo and Punto Fijo, in mm.
<-------Maracaibo------->゜ ゜゜゜ ゜

1992
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAYJUNJUL
AUG
SEP
OCTNOVDIC

1993

1994

1975-1989

52.5
113.9
29.1
87.0
66.3
145.2
23.8
54.1
3.20.9
4.6
2.3
26.2
22.8
1.9
5.6
70.0
118.5
41.8
89.9
48.5

11144
20
19136
11
1758
52
41

0.9

5.3
82.0
33.4
28.0
28.5
84.3
121.7
89.6
18.4

<----Punto Fijo----->

What these measurements show is that minimum cloudiness takes place in JAN-FEB,
arid thus the prospects for observing the eclipse from Maracaibo are excellent.

I visited

the place in Feb of 1994 and the sky was clear, although if there is some wind there may
be some thin haze over the area.

Wind is rare.

The second place where prospects are also excellent, is over Punto Fijo on theParaguana Peninsula, except that the place is rather windy all day. The peninsula is adesert area with desert fauna and flora.
You may also observe the eclipse from Colombia or the Eastern Caribbean islands.
However as you move east or west of Maracaibo and Punto Fijo, you get into progressively
worse weather conditions.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Observers must be aware that the central path takes place around 40 Krns aboveMaracaibo.

This area is near to the border with Colombia, and thus it is not advisable tobe in that area by yourself.
Any place in the Paraguana peninsula is safe for observing.

Maracaibo is also safe.

The University del Zulia will set up an observing camp in Maracaibo for thoseinterested in installing scientific equipment.

We must emphasize that the facilities of thescientific campground will only be available to those involved in a scientific experiment andsupported by a recognized institution.

If this is your case we urge you to return thequestionnaire given below.

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If you are planning to observe the eclipse from some other part in Venezuela, please
let us know.

We can give advice on any other observing site you may have selected.

QUESTIONNAIRE:-NAME OF OBSERVERS:-NAME OF INSTITUTION:-BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT:-E-MAIL ADDRESS:-EXPECTED NUMBER OF MEMBERS IN PARTY:-EXPECTED DATE OF ARRIVAL:-REQUIRED AREA FOR YOUR EXPERIMENT:-REQUIRED POWER SUPPLY:-OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Send this information at your earliest convenience to ferrin@cida.ve .
This bulletin will be updated with additional information in the near future.
be obtained via ftp from: ftp chivac.cida.ve, with anonymous login.
e-mail address.
NETSCAPE

The password is yourThe directory is /pub/eclipse98, and the file is eclipse98.
canac cessthesameinformation

It canf r om

Those using

theURL:

ftp://chivac.cida.ve/pub/eclipse98

Members of the National Eclipse Committee: Dr. Ignacio Ferrin (Coordinator)(Universidad de los Andes, ULA),(ULA),
Cadenas,Lic. Nestor Sanchez,

Dr. Francisco Fuenmayor (ULA),

Javier Gonzalez

Lic. Ingrid Inciarte, Prof. Jeannette Stock,

Prof. Pedro Franceschini (Universidad de! Zulia),

Alberto Dubuc (Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomia, CIDA).

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Prof. Ruben

Dra. Gladis Magris and