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Talk:Magnitude of eclipse

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Definition of magnitude[edit]

@Tameteora, Cmglee, and Jordgette: This is unclear:

Technically, the magnitude is computed as follows: draw a straight line between the centers of the eclipsed body and the eclipsing body (or shadow). Find out how large a fraction of this line within the eclipsed body is in eclipse; this is the geometric magnitude of the eclipse.

On first reading, I took it to refer to "the centers of the eclipsed body and the eclipsing body", exactly as written: i.e., the center of the Sun and the center of the Moon, respectively. That line runs straight from the Sun to the Moon and, in a total eclipse, to some point on the surface of the Earth, and the length of it that it within the body of the Sun tells us nothing about the eclipse.

In fact, it is intended to refer to the centers of their disks as seen from Earth (where on Earth?) during the eclipse (when?), as a plane geometrical figure drawn on the sky.

I'm pretty sure I have that right, but I am no astronomer and will leave the correction to someone who is.

Thnidu (talk) 05:35, 21 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Hi, it seems that the unclear paragraph has been added already in 2009. As it does not really make sense, and does not clarify anything, I'll remove that. I will also amend the lead section a bit though I am no astronomer. And happy birthday to your Talk page entry! --Micraboy (talk) 10:23, 21 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

It would be useful to give the maximums and the minimums, with examples of each, so that readers can understand how this variable affects the width of the path of totality and the length of totality in minutes and seconds. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 05:04, 24 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]