The upcoming partial lunar eclipse in September will cover most of the United States. Will it qualify for the Gold ride as long as we are over the 300 mile prerequisite and stop somewhere for the obligatory 30 minutes during the maximum partial viewing? Interesting according to the map the partial begins and ends just about 30 minutes wherever we would happen to choose for a location.
September Partial Lunar Eclipse, Gold?
- Thread starter MarkG
- Start date
You're mixing things up. The maximum is a singular time. For Chandler, AZ for example it lists 7:44 pm. The duration of the partial viewing is 1 hour, 3 minutes, from 7:12:58 to 8:15:38. Ride 300 miles and get wherever that is at least 15 minutes before the maximum. Send a ping if you can. At the maximum time, send another ping, if you can. Hang out for 15 minutes and maybe even send another ping before you take off. Finish the miles for the SS1K. You'll be fine.
The partial lunar eclipse ride is listed on the Monthly Rides page HERE.
The rules for the Solar/Luna Eclipse rides are HERE.
Clearly stated for both standard and Gold level rides is that Spotwalla is required.
For the Gold ride it states:
Solar Eclipse 1000 Gold or Lunar Eclipse 100 Gold- ride at least 300 miles to your eclipse viewing location which MUST be within the path of the eclipse (the Annular dark pink shaded area on the map in the link above) and view the eclipse at the time of the 'maximum view' of the eclipse for that location - 24 hours
From that link - September 17–18, 2024 Partial Lunar Eclipse it lists the duration of the partial eclipse as 1 hour, 3 minutes.
The IBA would like to see multiple pings at the viewing location. The page says this:
To 'prove that you were at your viewing location at the maximum view of the eclipse, plan to arrive there 15 minutes before that time so your phone/spot device can send a 'ping' at that location. Plan to stay for 15 minutes after the maximum view time to be sure your device sends another 'ping'.
Hope that helps.
The partial lunar eclipse ride is listed on the Monthly Rides page HERE.
The rules for the Solar/Luna Eclipse rides are HERE.
Clearly stated for both standard and Gold level rides is that Spotwalla is required.
For the Gold ride it states:
Solar Eclipse 1000 Gold or Lunar Eclipse 100 Gold- ride at least 300 miles to your eclipse viewing location which MUST be within the path of the eclipse (the Annular dark pink shaded area on the map in the link above) and view the eclipse at the time of the 'maximum view' of the eclipse for that location - 24 hours
From that link - September 17–18, 2024 Partial Lunar Eclipse it lists the duration of the partial eclipse as 1 hour, 3 minutes.
The IBA would like to see multiple pings at the viewing location. The page says this:
To 'prove that you were at your viewing location at the maximum view of the eclipse, plan to arrive there 15 minutes before that time so your phone/spot device can send a 'ping' at that location. Plan to stay for 15 minutes after the maximum view time to be sure your device sends another 'ping'.
Hope that helps.
What is says is: Solar Eclipse 1000 Gold or Lunar Eclipse 100 Gold- ride at least 300 miles to your eclipse viewing location which MUST be within the path of the eclipse (the Annular dark pink shaded area on the map in the links above) and view the eclipse at the time of the 'maximum view' of the eclipse for that location - 24 hours
That map for the partial solar eclipse on Sept 18 shows the dark pink shaded area as covering the entire US.
They only use Annular for a solar eclipse. If the IBA wishes to exclude Lunar eclipses & Partial eclipses from the Gold rides, there should be a note to that effect.
From the link on Eclipse info:
"An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon covers the Sun's center, leaving the Sun's visible outer edges to form a “ring of fire” or annulus around the Moon."
That map for the partial solar eclipse on Sept 18 shows the dark pink shaded area as covering the entire US.
They only use Annular for a solar eclipse. If the IBA wishes to exclude Lunar eclipses & Partial eclipses from the Gold rides, there should be a note to that effect.
From the link on Eclipse info:
"An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon covers the Sun's center, leaving the Sun's visible outer edges to form a “ring of fire” or annulus around the Moon."
You'll know if it a total, partial or other type by the description for it on the ride of the month page. Look at April 8th 2024. It says 2024 TOTAL Solar Eclipse. Sep 17-18 it says PARTIAL Lunar Eclipse. March 24-25 says PENUMBRAL Lunar Eclipse. I've observed from total to barely perceptable ecipses of both the sun and moon.
I agree, and apparently it's under review on how to change the wording. Personally, it's throwing away cert income to limit gold rides to total eclipses. 
The rules do not mention TOTAL ECLIPSES at all. The word "total" does not appear on the rules page. Total eclipses and partial eclipses are just eclipses.
My reading of the rules, are:
If you are in the path of the eclipse (i.e. this mornings eclipse included my Irish location) you can get a GOLD, if all other criteria are met.
If you are NOT in the path of the eclipse (e.g. Australia. See map) you can still ride the ride and get a standard non-gold cert.
The key wording is for GOLD "your eclipse viewing location which MUST be within the path of the eclipse".
FYI the partial lunar eclipse of 18 Sep is listed on the "Rides of the Month" page. Therefore it is a valid eclipse for IBA.
my capture of the eclipse this morning, in Ireland:
My reading of the rules, are:
If you are in the path of the eclipse (i.e. this mornings eclipse included my Irish location) you can get a GOLD, if all other criteria are met.
If you are NOT in the path of the eclipse (e.g. Australia. See map) you can still ride the ride and get a standard non-gold cert.
The key wording is for GOLD "your eclipse viewing location which MUST be within the path of the eclipse".
FYI the partial lunar eclipse of 18 Sep is listed on the "Rides of the Month" page. Therefore it is a valid eclipse for IBA.
my capture of the eclipse this morning, in Ireland:
Apparently, the IBA is using the term "annularity" to signify that only a total eclipse, Solar or Lunar, is applicable for Gold rides. It would be better if a simple statement that Gold rides must be a Total eclipse was made in the rules for the Eclipse rides. The "ring of fire" on the Gold certificate is apparently meant to limit it to total eclipse events.
An "Annular solar eclipse" is by definition, not a total eclipse.
https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/annular-solar-eclipse#:~:text=An annular solar eclipse occurs,annulus” around the darkened Moon.
https://www.space.com/difference-between-total-solar-eclipse-and-annular-solar-eclipse
In any event, this morning's eclipse was a lunar eclipse, and there is no such thing as an annular lunar eclipse. The Earth is too big, compared to the moon to leave an annulus or ring.
https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/annular-solar-eclipse#:~:text=An annular solar eclipse occurs,annulus” around the darkened Moon.
https://www.space.com/difference-between-total-solar-eclipse-and-annular-solar-eclipse
In any event, this morning's eclipse was a lunar eclipse, and there is no such thing as an annular lunar eclipse. The Earth is too big, compared to the moon to leave an annulus or ring.
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