Terry Cuttle

SEC 2025 Speaker Terry Cuttle

Abstract - Four Australian Total Solar Eclipses 2028 - 2038

Australia is about to experience an incredible sequence of four Total Solar Eclipses within a period of less than 11 years. The first of these, on 22 July 2028, will cross the country from west to east including passing directly over Sydney. Almost a quarter of the Australian population lives in the path of totality. This represents an enormous challenge to educate the population on how to safely experience the eclipses as well as being an excellent opportunity to promote science and astronomy to the public. In a similar approach to that taken by the American Astronomical Society for the 2017 and 2024 TSEs, the Astronomical Society of Australia has formed an Eclipse Working Group (EWG) to manage this effort. This talk will describe the initiatives being undertaken by the EWG to deliver safe viewing advice, educate the public on the science of eclipses, advise local authorities and emergency services on preparations for managing the event, facilitate eclipse science activities and encourage extensive safe viewing of this spectacular event. The EWG will draw on experience gained from planning for the 2023 TSE in Western Australia and the work will form a basis for preparing for the TSEs to follow in Australia in 2030, 2037 and 2038. The observing opportunities for each of the four Australian eclipses will be discussed (with particular focus on the 2028 TSE), as well as some of the issues and opportunities for travel in Australia,including accessing the more remote areas which often offer the best prospects of clear weather forthese eclipses. 

Bio

Terry Cuttle is a retired engineer, amateur astronomer and astro-photographer. He is an eclipse enthusiast (19 TSEs and 6 ASEs) and has been actively involved in community preparation and education on eclipses, specifically involved in preparation for the 2012, 2017 and 2023 eclipses. Terry has been working with the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) as part of an Eclipse Working Group to prepare Australia for the forthcoming eclipses. He prepared much of the material for the ASA’s 2023 eclipse website and updated the website to focus on the 2028 eclipse. Terry has travelled extensively in Australia including through many of the remote areas favored for the various eclipses. Terry is an associate member of the Astronomical Society of Australia and a member of the IAU Working Group on Solar Eclipses.