Total (and other) Solar Eclipses

Total Solar Eclipse 1999 August 11 (successfully observed)
Annular Solar Eclipse 2003 May 31 (observed as partial)

Future eclipses
General Eclipse Links

My Solar Eclipses

Annular Solar Eclipse - 2003 May 31

This annular eclipse was visible in the North Atlantic area as the map to the left shows. In much of western Europe a deep partial eclipse was visible at or just after sunrise. I chose to observe the partial eclipse from Denmark as the Sun there was well clear of the horizon at maximum eclipse (89%). It was also an opportunity to visit some family. However my observation of the eclipse also became an insight into local meteorology.

I got up before sunrise and the conditions looked very favourable with only some thin clouds near the horizon. However at 5 am just after sunrise a thick fog rolled in and it did not look like it would go away. So I send a scout (my brother) out to look for clearings. He came back a little later with good news. Near the coast on the other side of a large hill in the area the eclipse was plainly visible. It looked like the hill was blocking the fog.

So we rushed away with cameras and webcams while leaving my telescope behind. However, in the hurry I also left a box with all my solar filters behind, argh! We found a good place just at the time of maximum eclipse, but only then I discovered that the filters were missing. Thus my brother had to do another drive to fetch them, took another 15 minutes. In the mean time I could only enjoy the morning without really looking at the eclipsed Sun (eclipse shades still to arrive!). I took some photos with the OM1 and a 135 mm lens (no filter!). The image to the left is a scan of one of the prints. The negatives look better and I hope to get the opportunity to scan the negatives directly. Ten to six (15 minutes after maximum) I finally got my filters and could start doing my webcam exposures and video recordings.

These two animations are both from a time lapse webcam recording with one frame recorded each 10 seconds. The first one shows the beginning of the time lapse while the second animation shows the time lapse at one frame per 100 seconds. A 35 mm lens was attached to the webcam to provide a magnification equivalent to a 350 mm lens with 35 mm film.

Detailed map

Map generated by Wineclipse

Annular Solar Eclipse of 2003 May 31 NASA/Fred Espenak

Total Solar Eclipse - August 11, 1999

This eclipse is the first and so far only total solar eclipse I have observed.

Read my Report from France with pictures

Track through Western Europe

Maps generated by Wineclipse

Total Solar Eclipse of 1999 August 11 by NASA / Fred Espenak

Upcoming solar eclipses

Annular Solar Eclipse - 2008 February 07

Visible in southern Pacific and Antarctica

Annular Solar Eclipse of 2008 Feb 07 NASA/Fred Espenak

Total Solar Eclipse - 2008 August 01

A not too easy eclipse to observe as the track crosses mostly sparsely populated areas of the Arctic, Russia and China.

Map generated by Wineclipse

Total Solar Eclipse of 2008 Aug 01 NASA/Fred Espenak

Annular Solar Eclipse - 2009 January 26

Visible in Indian Ocean and Indonesia

Annular Solar Eclipse of 2009 Jan 26 NASA/Fred Espenak

Total Solar Eclipse - 2009 July 22

A very long total eclipse lasting more than 6 1/2 minute. The track crosses straight through Shanghai in China which seems to be a good base for observing this eclipse. Unfortunately, it is in the wet season.

Map generated by Wineclipse

Total Solar Eclipse of 2009 Jul 22 NASA/Fred Espenak

Annular Solar Eclipse - 2010 January 15

Visible in Kenya, south tip of India and China. Exceptionally long annular eclipse, 11 min 08 sec

Annular Solar Eclipse of 2010 Jan 15 NASA/Fred Espenak

Total Solar Eclipse - 2010 July 11

Easter Island in the south Pacific is spot on for this quite long duration eclipse (5 min 19 sec)

Map generated by Wineclipse

Total Solar Eclipse of 2010 Jul 11 NASA/Fred Espenak

Links to other eclipse sites

NASA's Solar and Lunar Eclipse Site Managed by Fred Espenak
MrEclipse.com: Fred Espanak's personal site on eclipse photography. Wonderful photos
Hermit Eclipse Eclipse mechanics, Saros series, searchable eclipse database, list of solar and lunar eclipses etc. Great site
Sheridan Williams' Solar Eclipse Web Site
Klipsi (Olivier Staiger), Swiss eclipse fanatic, live webcasts
Zonsverduistering.nl: Dutch eclipse site
EMapWin Eclipse Simulation Software
WinEclipse Forecast lunar and solar eclipses, very nice graphics

Home