The study of the patterns of eclipses in Uganda

Abstract

The analysis of the study of patterns of eclipses in Uganda contributed to the dismissal of fears, suspicions and superstitions people had over eclipses. Thus, in this study we aimed at identifying past solar eclipses in Uganda, next solar eclipses predicted by NASA and predicting future eclipses in Uganda by a local person. To achieve this, past years from 1546 to 2013 and future years from 2041 to 2534 were sampled and data for the type of eclipse, saros cycle, magnitude, width of eclipse path and maximum duration of that particular eclipse were obtained and analyzed. Additionally, a saros cycle was used to predict future eclipse by a local person. It was found out that in the past years Uganda experienced only one hybrid eclipse which occurred on 3/11/2013 at Pakwach and experienced more of total solar eclipses compared annular solar eclipses. For the future years predicted by NASA from 2041 to 2534, Uganda will not experience any of hybrid solar but experience equal number of total and annular solar eclipses. Additionally, it was found out that the prediction of future eclipse using a saros cycle do not happen in the same place as the first one but one-third of the way around the Earth. Since only synodic month was considered in prediction of the next solar eclipse, one can consider a draconic or anomalistic months in prediction of the next eclipse.