Solar Eclipse Gallery
Total Eclipse 11 Aug 1999
This was the first total
eclipse to be visible from mainland UK since 1927, with the path
of totality crossing Cornwall before heading on to France and
ultimately ending in the Indian Ocean. Cloud cover hindered many
people who travelled to the south west, but mainland Europe was
lucker, as I am privileged to report.
Total Eclipse 4 Dec 2002
A total eclipse with a short
totality, starting west of Africa, crossing the southern Indian
Ocean, and ending in Australia. I used this as an excuse to go
down under, and caught the eclipse in the Outback just before
sunset. Totality was only 26 seconds but it, and the Outback adventure
to see it, was unforgettable.
Annular Eclipse 31 May
2003
A highly unusual annular
eclipse, in which the shadow comes over the north pole of the
Earth and just clips the Earth in a track between northern Scotland
and Greenland. The Moon is too far away to cover the Sun completely
on this occasion, but the Ring of Fire that is the uneclipsed
ring (or annulus) of the sun potentially makes a spectacular
sight as it is just rising above the NE horizon.
Annular Eclipse 3 October
2005
A more conventional eclipse
with a track running from the Atlantic to Indian Oceans, conveniently
crossing Portugal and Spain. After being clouded out in the Orkneys,
a total success this time!
Total Eclipse 29 March
2006
A long duration eclipse
with a track starting in Brazil and heading north east across
west and north Africa, across the Mediterranean and Turkey and
ending in central Russia. A stunning success as a party of us
headed for Libya and the clear desert skies of the Sahara. It
was an eclipse and a holiday to remember!
Forthcoming Eclipses...
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