Solar eclipse observations with small radio telescope in Hong Kong in 21cm radio frequency band

TL;DR

This study used a small 21cm radio telescope in Hong Kong to observe a partial solar eclipse, producing detailed flux density curves and eclipse maps, demonstrating the telescope's effectiveness for solar observations.

Contribution

First application of a small radio telescope in Hong Kong for detailed solar eclipse observation, including flux measurements and eclipse mapping, with data reduction methods validated.

Findings

Total solar radio flux reduced by 55% during eclipse

Maximum eclipsed area was 86.08%

Validated semi-pipeline data reduction method

Abstract

Small radio telescope in 21cm was used for studying the partial solar eclipse, with magnitude 0.89, in Hong Kong on 21st June, 2020. The radio telescope SPIDER 300A was designed and constructed by the Radio2Space Company, Italy. Radio flux density time curves (light curve) and a two-dimension mapping of the eclipse is presented in this paper. Standard radio data reduction methods were used to obtain the intensity time curve. We also adopted the semi-pipeline method for the reduction of data to obtain the same results as with the built-in software of the radio telescope SPIDER 300A. The total solar radio flux of the eclipse was found to reduce by maximum 55 +/- 5 percent, while the maximum eclipsed area of the same eclipse is 86.08%. Other radio observations of solar eclipses in Hong Kong are also discussed in this paper, including SPIDER 300A observation of partial solar eclipse on 26th December 2019 (APPENDIX A); and small radio telescope (SRT), developed by the Haystack Observatory, MIT, USA, observation of 2020 eclipse (APPENDIX B).