Re: Eclipses

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_cs.ucc.ie>
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 12:32:54 +0100 (BST)


Julian Lord hails me as the Golden Buseri:
> Well that's pretty damn weird, although I certainly defer to your
> knowledge in this particular field.

I've read enough of Harmastsaga to see the trap in accepting this recognition -- but thanks. ;-)

> I myself would have thought that *something* at least must occur when the
> *apparent* directions & heights of the Moon and Sun coincide

Assuming they're of equal sizes, at least, yes. The question is, when and where does this happen?

First of all, note that while the position of the red moon is always the same, the height of the sun varies seasonally; therefore, no place suffers total eclipses _daily_, which was my original observation. (Other factors working out correctly, they may see them either once or twice per year, however.)

> Or are you suggesting that the Moon *always* appears either higher
> or lower than the Sun, depending on whether you're inside the Glowline
> or out ?

No; though the truth may be odder still. ;-) My current understanding (thinking, or assumption, as the case may be) is that: a) the red moon is always in the apparent direction of Glamour; b) it doesn't have a "physical height", at least inside of the Glowline; rather, it appears in effect to be "in" the Sky; and c), the Glowline itself effects what _part of_ the sky the moon is seen in (and possibly even whether it's part of the Sky, or part of the Middle Air).


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