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IAF
role in study of solar eclipse has been on since 1995 New
Delhi: The Indian Air Force has always had an essential role in the scientific
study of total solar eclipse and since 1995, it has been assisting Government's
Department of Science and Technology (DST) in their quest to film this celestial
alignment. With aviation speeds streaking past the supersonic barrier, the scientific
experiment of photographing the eclipse from air was made possible, as IAF pilots
chased the umbra shadow during the October 24, 1995 eclipse, which also heralded
IAF's participation in scientific study that continues till date. Air Marshal
S Mukerji, Air Officer-in-charge Personnel (AOP) at Air Headquarters, was then
a Group Captain, who had the rare opportunity to fly a Mig-25 to film the Sun's
corona from an astounding altitude of 80,000 feet, straight from the Stratosphere.
"We flew at Mach 2.5 in the path of the eclipse at 80,000 feet along the planned
central axis of the eclipse over Neemkathana, near Agra," Air Marshal Mukerji
said of his historic sortie that finds a mention in his flying log book plainly
as - 'Supersonic Profile'. He further mentioned that weather and other visibility
were not any constraints, as clarity at stratospheric levels is far better than
that nearer ground. With a manual Hasselblad camera mounted above the instrument
panel and a special lead and button provided to the second pilot, Wing Commander
YS Babu seated in the front cockpit, the duo with special solar filters on their
visors flew straight towards the Sun for a minute and twenty-four seconds, clicking
never-before images of the spectacle, during the total solar eclipse. "A lot of
preparation went in ahead of the sortie. The sortie route had to be charted, axis
programmed on the inertial navigation system and briefings by scientists with
NASA charts were done. The aircraft were put on jacks, the angle-of-attack or
'alpha' simulated on ground to harmonize the camera along the axis. In addition,
the aircraft belly camera could capture the shadow beneath that was 85 kms in
width," said Air Marshal Mukerji. Despite a top speed of Mach 3.2, it was not
quick enough to catch-up with the umbra shadow that notched Mach 5, on that occasion.
"This
time around a high speed chase would not be necessary as the speed of the Umbra
shadow over Gulf of Khambhat begins with Mach 50-60 slowing down to Mach 20 near
Bhopal," said Dr. Vinay B Kamble, Director of Vigyan Prasar and Adviser of DST,
who is coordinating with the IAF to capture the longest total solar eclipse of
the 21st century. A 10-member team of scientists and camera team from Doordarshan
would be flying in an AN-32 from Agra airbase in an endeavour to capture and film
the eclipse on Wednesday. The aircraft would fly along the central axis on a north-westerly
direction at an approximate altitude of 25,000 feet reciprocal from overhead Khajuraho
and land back at Agra. Meanwhile, a Mirage-2000 trainer would also take off from
Gwalior airbase and the pilot from the rear seat will click images even as the
fighter flies in an angular track to the central axis. The Eclipse will begin
on July 22 at 5:28 am (IST), when the shadow of the moon touches the Earth at
local sunrise at a point in the Arabian Sea close to the western coast of India.
The eclipse will end at l0:42 am (IST), when Moon's shadow will finally leave
the Earth at local sunset at a point in the South Pacific Ocean. At approximately
6:23 am (IST), the umbra of the eclipse will touch the earth at sunrise at a point
in the Gulf of Khambhat in the Arabian Sea near the southern coast of Gujarat.
At this time, the path of totality will be about 200 Km wide and the duration
of totality at the central line will be about 3 minute 30 seconds. -July
21, 2009 Go
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