Panasonic to Broadcast Live a Total Solar Eclipse Using Only Solar Power. From Australia to the World!

Filming the sun, using the sun

Panasonic Eclipse Live by Solar Power Key Image (Graphic: Business Wire)

OSAKA, Japan--()--On the morning of November 14th, 2012, the North of Australia will witness a total solar eclipse. Panasonic, using only its HIT® solar panels and lithium ion batteries for storage, will produce a live broadcast of this incredible and dramatic spectacle of the heavens live via USTREAM.

Regular project updates are being posted to our Facebook page, and visitors to the page will also be able to see the live broadcast here.

Official Facebook page:
http://facebook.com/PanasonicEclipseLiveBySolarPower
Official Twitter account:
http://twitter.com/EclipsebySolar
@EclipsebySolar #PanasonicEclipseLive

In May of this year, Panasonic broadcast an annular eclipse from Mount Fuji, Japan, so this will be the second such live broadcast. This time our challenge is to produce a clear live broadcast of an even more dramatic and spectacular total solar eclipse.

Previous project report video (2mins12sec)
(English)http://ch.panasonic.net/contents/10226/
(Japanese)http://ch.panasonic.net/jp/contents/10225/

Filming the Sun, Using the Sun.
Join us in witnessing this incredible show of the heavens!

[System Used]
Power Generation:HIT® Solar Panel VBHN235SE10×9
Power Storage: Portable Power Storage CB-LS01H×30
Video Capture: Full HD Camera LUMIX GH2×6

[Broadcasting Location]
Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort, Cairns, Australia
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=370&PS=AP_MEC_Sheraton_google_Phrase_sheraton%20mirage%20port%20douglas

[International Live Broadcast Times]
Live Start (tentative)   11/13/2012 18:30:00(UT)   11/14/2012 4:30:00(Cairns)
Partial Eclipse Begins 11/13/2012 19:44:54(UT) 11/14/2012 5:44:54(Cairns)
Total Eclipse Begins 11/13/2012 20:38:45(UT) 11/14/2012 6:38:45(Cairns)
Mid-Eclipse (Total 1m40s) 11/13/2012 20:39:36(UT) 11/14/2012 6:39:36(Cairns)
Total Eclipse Ends 11/13/2012 20:40:26(UT) 11/14/2012 6:40:26(Cairns)
Partial Eclipse Ends 11/13/2012 21:40:14(UT) 11/14/2012 7:40:14(Cairns)
Live Finish (tentative) 11/13/2012 22:00:00(UT) 11/14/2012 8:00:00(Cairns)
 

About the Total Solar Eclipse
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon crosses between the sun and Earth, therefore effectively concealing the whole body of the sun from view. Since the total eclipse is a phenomenon in which the sun itself can't be seen, it is actually the hot gases of the Corona, the so called "diamond ring" and the "prominence" that we can actually observe. The viewing path from which someone is able to observe a total solar eclipse in its totality is very narrow, and therefore you would be lucky to see this even once in a lifetime.

[Related Links]
Press Kits (photos, images, etc)
http://news.panasonic.net/presskits/eclipselive_by_solarpower2
Eclipse Live by Solar Power Achieves More than 200K Viewers from 142 Countries (May 21, 2012)
http://news.panasonic.net/archives/2012/0521_10874.html
Panasonic's Batteries & Energy Products
http://panasonic.net/energy/
LUMIX Global
http://panasonic.net/lumix

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50431954&lang=en

Contacts

Panasonic Corporation
Hisao Tsugita
presscontact@ml.jp.panasonic.com
Advertising & Sponsorship Group,
Groupwide Brand Communications Division

Contacts

Panasonic Corporation
Hisao Tsugita
presscontact@ml.jp.panasonic.com
Advertising & Sponsorship Group,
Groupwide Brand Communications Division