Astronomy question about the sun please help!

[joeygiraldo]

Astronomy Forum:

Hello. I know there's a solar forum but it's dead over there and I wanted a quick answer.

I'm curious to know what the best way to describe a setting sun passing through the gap between two buildings in the distance.

In the distance of this video I'm describing, I film the sun sloping into the horizon, crossing from BEHIND one building, into BEHIND the second building. The effect is somewhat like so: weblogs.marylandweather.com/nycsunset_tyson_big.jpg ....Only the view isn't from streetlevel, it's from a roof.


I'm looking for the accurate term to use in my description of the sun passing into the other building. It's not an eclipse because theres only two elements not three (the sun and the building, which is static) right? What about transit? Occultations? Do the buildings "occult" the sun? What about umbra and penumbra? Are the shadowed buildings in front of the sun now called umbras?

Please help. I'm just trying to get the technical stuff right. Thanks!

- Joey

[Michael Steen]

This is a good question! There being no large buildings in outer space, I don't think I've ever heard it come up before.
I'd use the term "occultation" when a larger body moves in front of a smaller body and hides it (or when the smaller body moves behind, as in the case of Jupiter's moons. "Transit" usually means the much smaller body moves in front of the larger, often casting a shadow on its surface. Jupiter's moons do this all the time. "Eclipse" is when one body completely blots out the other.
I'm sorry; you've got me.
However, given that the sun APPEARS smaller than the buildings, I'd have to go with "occultation" on this one.
Contrary opinions are welcomed and encouraged!

[joeygiraldo]

well the problem is that these terms all involve moving objects but buildings don't move (ok, we can get technical and say it "moves" with the Earth but that doesn't count).

but thanks for the reply, michael. anyone else please help?