Total Solar Eclipse

[iceman]

Who here has observed any total (or partial) solar eclipses?

Has anyone started making plans for 2012 in Cairns?

Would love to hear you experiences, see your images etc.

[glenc]

I have been to 4 total solar eclipses.
1. Port Moresby, PNG in 1983. It was perfectly clear.
2. Big Island, Hawaii, 1991. It was cloudy. :(
3. Woomera, SA, 2002. It was perfectly clear, but too short.
4. Side, Turkey, 2006. It was almost perfectly clear and nice and long.
The main thing to look at is the weather prospects. See:
http://www.clocktower.demon.co.uk/eclipse2012t/index.htm and
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~jander/clouds/november.png (http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/%7Ejander/clouds/november.png)
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/map/climate_avgs/clim_avg1.shtml
Also be mobile so you can drive to a better location if need be.
I suggest we also have an IIS astrocamp near Cairns before or after the 14/11/2012 eclipse to look at the northern milky way.

[leon]

Only one Mike, no, that is actually two, one when i was about 20, gee, that's ages ago, about 1980's, and one from my place looking due West when it was at Ceduna.

Here a couple of pic's i took standing on the neighbours roof with a Pentax Camera, and 1000mm lens, on a tripod.

Cheers Leon:thumbsup:

[RB]

I've never seen a Total S.E. :(
Only seen a Partial S.E, but it blew me away.

We had bushfires in the area at the time which acted as a natural filter.
I had to climb a silo to get this photo, a bit scary trying to hold the camera and onto dear life too.

Looking forward to 2012.

[glenc]

Here are daily solar exposure maps for 13/11/2006 and 14/11/2006.
It looks like a 60% chance of clear skies on the Cairns coast according to the www.bom.gov.au (http://www.bom.gov.au) statistics.
The third image shows shadows under a bush at Side (pronounced c-day) Turkey.

[Ric]

Hi Mike, I have seen only the one in 1976. My Dad and I travelled from Canberra to Bombala and even though it was cloudy it was still an amazing event. We recorded the event on a Super 8 movie camera and watched what we could through the C8 which was brand new then.
Eclipses can have an amazing effect on people, my Dad still used to mention it and have a chat about how amazing it was right up until he passed away a few years ago. He used to say his favourite bit was watching the cows in the next paddock all get ready for bed and then all getting up again a little while later, he thought it was very amusing.
I am aiming to be in Cairns in 2012 and would urge anyone who has never seen an eclipse in real life as they say to see at least one in their lifetime.
You will not be sorry.

Cheers

[iceman]

In Sydney we get a 60% partial in 2012, but that will be nothing like the total. I agree a must to get there in person. I'm already laying the ground work with my family :P

[huckabuck]

hi mike,
i had the honor to view a total years ago somewhere around1972 or 73. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. i've seen several partials but they don't hold a candle to a total. get there by any meann possible!

[ving]

i'll be taking pics of teh 60% then i guess :)

havent see one yet tho. :(

[h0ughy]

yes but I cannot get confirmation of the accomodation they will not take a booking 5 years in advance....

[okiscopey]

I saw the 1976 total solar eclipse in Bombala with three friends. (I didn't bump into Ric though ... no IIS ... not even the internet then).

There's no doubt about it, this phenomenon needs to be experienced to be believed! I'd advise anyone that it's worth travelling halfway round the world to see one.

We were in the township itself a few hours before the eclipse, but the clouds seemed to be getting worse. About half-an-hour before totality we thought it looked clearer some distance from town and jumped into our hired slide-on campervan and madly drove in that direction.

Set up our 4-inch junk reflector in a field about 5 km out of town with a home-made projection screen held in place with a bent stick, prayed for some clear sky, and tried out our bits of (no. 3?) welder's glass.

Five minutes before totality, it looked pretty grim, but one lass who was with us decided an 'eclipse dance' was in order (the opposite of a rain dance) and guess what ... it worked!

Due to this bit of jiggery-pokery we didn't miss one of nature's oddest, most spectacular happenings: sunset all around the horizon, birds confused, a definite drop in temperature; cows deciding it was time to call it a day, and a great view of the brighter stars and planets. Luckily we were on a bit of a hill and I recall seeing the umbral shadow racing towards us over the nearby properties. There were no trees around, so didn't manage to see any 'pinhole' projections, and I also looked for and couldn't see any 'shadow bands' ref: http://www.earthview.com/tutorial/effects.htm

It was all over an a minute or so, but left a lasting impression for life.

Interestingly, when we returned to Bombala, everyone we spoke to said they'd been clouded out .. so, Ric, were you in town or just outside it?

No photos to post - all on Kodachromes and not yet scanned.

[jjjnettie]

I vaguely remember my class being trooped outside to observe an eclipse when I was in Primary School.
But I can't find any record of an eclipse, partial or otherwise, occuring in Brisbane between 1969-1974.
If any Brisbanites here can remember back that far, I'd be grateful for some info on this.

[Ric]

Hi Mike, we were just out of town with the group from the Canberra Astronomical Society. From memory we missed the start due to cloud but caught everything else perfectly.
I was the hippy looking 16 year old standing next to a red Torana SLR 5000 with a brand new C8 orange tube and a homemade mylar filter on it with a Hanimex Super 8 movie camera on a tripod. :lol:

Cheers

[okiscopey]

Oh yes! Of course I remember seeing you .. and the the Torana ... and the C8!

That was a quick reply .. I hope you're NOT looking at IIS during WORK hours like me!

[Ric]

Who me, noooo never. :whistle:
I would never waste public service money like that ;)

Cheers

[astro_nutt]

Yep I remember the total in Melbourne in 76..I used a KMart focal super 8 movie camera to record the event..it was eerie to see the shadow move away!!!..I have the film somewhere...must look for it!

[glenc]

On 20/6/74 there was an eclipse that was 39% in Brisbane at about 3pm.

[Blue Skies]

I've got a 6000 word essay on my trip to Ceduna lying around....

I've seen several partial eclipses, can't remember them all.

I saw an annular that passed over Perth just after sunrise in 1991.
I saw the 1999 annular eclipse that passed over Greenough, just south of Geraldton.

And I made it to Ceduna in 2002. That was just mindblowing, there are so many things about totality that just can't be easily described with words. I remember when I first looked up at the eclipsed sun and the corona that I finally understood why people would be so terribly afraid of such a thing. It's like being transported to another world, as it is neither night or day and the animal instinct in you mind starts to tell you it's not natural. But the diamond ring at the end was breathtakingly stunning. You just have to see at least one total eclipse in your life. You'll soon find out why eclipse chasers will head to the ends of the earth to see one!

[ballaratdragons]

I saw a Total Solar Eclipse in Sydney as a youngin' but I can't remember what year (probably between 1964 and 1970) and I saw the Total Solar Eclipse from Melbourne back about 1976 I think it was.

I watched the reflection of it in the window of a building (I thought that would be safer than directly watching it :P ).

I have also seen 3 partials Solar eclipses, and 2 full lunar eclipses and 2 or 3 partial lunar eclipses.

All blew me away! Spectacular events.

[glenc]

The last 6 total solar eclipses in Australia were:
9/5/1910 Tas
29/4/1911 NSW/Vic at sunrise.
21/9/1922 from WA to NSW
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEplot/SEplot1901/SE1922Sep21T.GIF
20/6/1974 SW tip of WA
23/10/1976 SA/Vic
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEgoogle/SEgoogle1951/TSE1976google.html
4/12/2002 SA at sunset
Next one is:
14/11/2012 NT/Qld at sunrise. (Cairns)
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/TSE2012google.html

[xelasnave]

If I am still alive I plan going up.
alex

[glenc]

Alex I reckon you'll make another 6 years easy.

[ving]

ok, asked cheryl if she wanted to take a holiday to cairns in 2012...

:lol:

it would be too hot and she'd keel over she stated :P

can i go by myself? i asked

you would be spending too much time away from meeeee!!! :(

hehe, god i love this woman :)

[swannies1983]

I was fortunate enough to see the outback SA one 5 years ago. I didn't start my planning for the trip until a year before the event. Most tours we booked, and the ones which weren't cost around $2000 as the eclipse was only part of the tour. Lucky enough, I came across a small tour group who was only taking us to see the eclipse (somewhere in the middle of nowhere on a cattle station). No clouds and only a little bit of wind but it was the best 25 secs of my astronomical obsession :)

[Ric]

Hey Ving, tell Cheryl your astro buddies are going to look after you :whistle:
and that "Absence make the heart grow fonder" ;)

Cheers

[fringe_dweller]

the only one I have seen was the 2002 dec SA one from Stuart highway near centreline, for 29 seconds of totality - yes it was very short (they can be as long as 7 minutes or so I think) but you get a different effect with the short (and narrow path - same thing) horizon number and that is the shadow cone being very evident/dramatic amongst other things :-)
so i liked it for that reason, and also it was in my homestate/backyard - that to me made it even more special ;)
anyone who was on the south eastern side of centreline on stuart highway might remember me as the person who single handledly flagged down the nice Motorcycle policeman and asked him to stop this over officious guy (cant remember who he represented the farmer or organisers of centreline party?) but he was desperately and threatening aggressively trying to move all of parked by the road on and herd us to centreline party - it forced a showdown and the policeofficer and this ******** nearly ended up in blows (the cop made motions of getting of his bike to deck this wanker at one point) - words were exchanged it was getting heated - but the cop won when he said ' if a bunch of weirdos want to watch the sky go dark - whats the harm in that?' or something along those lines - and the official was going on about damage to this fenceless barren outback roadside stretch of nowhere, and the cop responded laughing ' 'wha! theres all these cattle and sheep everywhere ruining it, WTF are ya on about!' quite right i thought - or something like that
anyway the officious guy ran off with his tail between his legs and the cop was chasing him on the bike - he could of booked him for abusing a police officer/interfering in course of duty easily - lucky the cop was feeling generous - he came very close!
anyway that cop was very much a hero (maybe forgotten? he is featured on a couple of websites i have seen) that day - to the s/e side of centreline stuart highway owe him a debt of gratitude anyhoo :thumbsup:
i will be going to the 2012 aussie one, all going well that is - I wanted to go to the long duration one in china 2010? - would have to look it up again - all ya have to do is get a flight to chainghi (spelling?) get off plane at airport watch it - then get back on plane ;)

[glenc]

Eclipse in 2009 is at:
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/%7Ejander/tot2009/tse09intro.htm

[Ric]

Great story Fringe_Dweller :lol: :lol: :lol: I can just picture it.
It's little things like that that make these occasions all the more memorable.

I always remember a lunar eclipse many years ago, we were all set up in a local park and a loomy rolled up with a Rams skull on a pole and did the "we're all doomed" bit. That was fine until he started to wave a machette about, we felt safe but thought he was going to do himself in so the local law was called. It turned out he was the local loony and totally harmless and did this sort of thing every full moon and the red moon had really got him going.

Cheers

[fringe_dweller]

Thanks for the link Glenn - thats the one I think!

:lol: :lol: Ric - that fella sounds like a true luna - tic ;) excellent story! love it! was it the july 2000 TLE per chance - that was the best one i have ever seen! wouldnt be surprised what that would do to an already excitable full-moon worshipping loony!!!

re little things surrounding events - thats true, I remember these little details just as much as the events themselves - somehow they get heightened coz of the already unusual circumstances? - mebbe :shrug:

[fringe_dweller]

should also say as it turned out, due to cool (for there) weather ( 21-23 C i think? ) the s/e side of centreline stuart hwy was favoured, as predicted by Fraser Farrell on his page, as the centreline was moved a few 100 mtrs by defraction? due to cool temp)

[Ric]

It was further back in the early 90's, i'll have to dig out my old log books to get the exact date.

Cheers

[CometGuy]

The first solar eclipse I saw was the 1976 eclipse from the Southern outskirts of Sydney. Dad had his 60mm refractor out and projected the suns image onto a screen and still had super 8 footage somewhere. Although we weren't in the path of totality it was a very advanced partial eclipse for us (at least 95%?) and Venus was brightly visible to the naked eye.

Have seen lots of partial eclipses since but it wasn't until 2002 that I actually saw the total eclipse from near Woomera. Its hard to describe in words the spectacle of a total solar eclipse. It is just so removed from normal day-to-day experiences and is perhaps the most spectacular astronomical phenomena you will ever see.

Terry

[jjjnettie]

Thanks Glen.
It was driving me nuts not knowing.

I asked Greg if we could go up to Cairns in 2012 for the eclipse and he said "Sure".
Must get it in writing though, then frame it, and hang it on the wall.
LEST HE FORGET.

[OneOfOne]

I asked my wife at the weekend about going to Port Douglas or Cairns, her response?

"So would we just take the PST or would you take the scope at well?" So I guess that is a yes!

[leon]

Yep, One of One, that's classed as a yes :whistle:

Cheers Leon :thumbsup:

[robagar]

Cornwall (UK), August 11th 1999, one of the best experiences of my life. It was cloudy all day but a small gap appeared just as the eclipse started, and we had a perfect view.

Now in Cairns, waiting for 2012 :)

[glenc]

"Now in Cairns, waiting for 2012"
Getting in early robagar.

[robagar]

it's a great excuse to lie in a hammock in the garden :D

[mickoking]

When I was a Kid in Sydney I saw the 1976 eclipse (mainly on tv) and I remember it being quite dark outside where the oldies were enjoying a few tinnies in the back yard.

I plan to be in China for the next few years so I have the 1 Aug 2008 and 22 July 2009 total solar eclipses penciled in :thumbsup:

[fringe_dweller]

I'm a little concerned about the Chinese eclipses when viewed from densely populated industrial area's, I have seen seen some dramatic pics of the air pollution in/over china recently, will this be an issue for visual observations??

[ballaratdragons]

That's wierd Glen, coz I can remember the one from Sydney back some time between '64 -'70. Even our teachers made a big event out of it.

Oh well, maybe my memory ain't as good as I thought :lol:

[glenc]

There are some partial eclipses between 64 & 70 on:
10/6/64, 23/11/65, 18/3/69 & 1/9/70.

[mickoking]

The 2008 eclipse is in the west of China which is desert with little air pollution. The 2009 eclipse, the biggie, will pass thru some huge chinese Mega cities like Chongqing and Shanghai but it is just a matter of getting away from the urban areas.

[glenc]

The 2008 eclipse is short and hard to get too. I think air pollution could be a problem in 2009.

[mickoking]

I think the major problem with the 2009 eclipse will be cloud cover. The best bet would be to view it as close to the east coast of china as possible.

[fringe_dweller]

Thank you kindly for the inside info Mick :thumbsup:

[Starkler]

I remember the 76 eclispe in Melbourne as a little tacker . I recall being outside as the dusk came and the birds making a racket, and then eerie silence during the totality.

[fringe_dweller]

yeah ya gotta love natures response Geoff - at the 2002 dec aussie one - we didnt expect to see much in the way of animal/bird life reactions out there - but during totality and out of the small ancient saltbush/bluebush (i have been reliably informed they can be as old as 400 - 500 yrs in age!! oh well let the sheep/cattle graze on it ;) ) came some surprisingly large (they seemed bigger than the bushes they came out of! almost like the bushes came to life and flew about!) and startled birds of some description (dunno what they were- they kinda looked like pheasants from a distance? bush turkeys???)). They flapped around disorientated in circles, like they were drunk!
i failed to mention earlier, another interesting view of you get from short TSE's of the nature of the 2002 south aussie one - read apparent smaller disc size of the moon, it fitted perfect ;) - you get really nice baileys beads, and the prominences around the sun are visible NE all the way thru :-)))))) that was pretty cool

[SMR]

Hi Mike.

I'm planning my 10th eclipse trip, China next year. Should be fun.

We already have plans underway for the 2012 eclipse in north Qld. Cairns is in the path, but the prospect of clouds in the morning is a bit of a problem. We are planning to head inland a bit to get some altitude. Let me know if you are interested.

But if you can't wait till 2012, how about the Cook Islands in 2010? Or somewhere south of Japan in 2009? Lots of choices.

Steve.

[SMR]

The area around Shanghai is the best land-based choice for 2009. Even so, the chances of cloud are high.

You'll get a bit better chance of clear skies by heading out to sea. Costs a lot more, of course. Even so, chances are it will be cloudy.

It's a real shame. The 2009 eclipse is the longest eclipse since the 1991 monster in Hawaii/Mexico. We'll have to wait until 2027 for the next chance to see that one again.

The good news is that there are four total eclipses in AU between 2028 and 2038. Put them in your diary NOW ... :-)

Steve.

[SMR]

Depends what you mean by "short". 2002 in South Aus was short: < 30 seconds. 2008 in western China is nearly 120 seconds. Definitely worth the airfare ...

Steve.

[mickoking]

I am thinking Shanghai for 2009, But 2008 looks like a ripper. For the 2008 eclipse Hami in Xinjiang province looks the go. On the Silk road it is easily accessible by rail from Xian and Beijing.

[SMR]

Mick, have you booked a hotel room in Hami yet? If not, you are going to have to pay a US or Euro travel company for a room. They bought them all months ago. Total package prices start at minimum US$3000 ex Beijing for a week, which is robbery.

My group is going to Jiayuguan. The main reason is because it is actually inside the path, and only 150km driving distance from the centreline. Hami is outside the path, and a LOT further to travel (Google Earth it) to get to the two accessible parts of the centreline. Worst case scenario? We can observe the eclipse from the JYG airport. Hami gets a 99% partial eclipse. The choice is a no-brainer.

BTW, all of the remaining JYG hotel rooms were booked out in January by a German and a Japanese travel company. Except for the rooms I booked last year.

Steve.

PS. Want to join my 2010 group? :)

[iceman]

Excellent info, Steve. I might talk to you about coming with your group to 2012. I'll be trying to bring my family with me though, not sure if that will cramp the group? Will others be bringing families?

[SMR]

Hi Mike




My understanding is that we have access to a farm (friend of a friend) in the hinterland. We should be able to cope with a few hundred selected guests. Remind me to get you on the A-list. :)

Steve.

[iceman]

Soudns good Steve, my name on the door! :) I'll start talking to my wife about it then.

How far away from the coast will it be? I'll be keen to check out some local tourist attractions as well, for some terrestrial photography (waterfalls, etc).

[White Rabbit]

I saw one in about 86 through a pair of welding goggles:rolleyes: when I lived in Munich Germany. I think it was a partial eclipse. It was still a sight to behold.

[mickoking]

Thanx for the info Steve, Jiayuguan does sound like a more attractive option. As for accommodation I will either camp or stay with a local.

[SMR]

Camping? Sounds like a fun idea to me. But I've no idea how easy or hard that will be. Travel in lots of China is still very restricted. I suggest you have a chat with someone with more experience than me to see if camping is even feasible.

JYG has limited support for tourists, though this is being expanded as the popularity of the Silk Road tourist route increases.

Good luck!

Steve.

[SMR]

Hi Mike.

Sorry if I'm a bit short on details at this stage. As I said, the property belongs to a friend of a friend. My understanding is that it's a fair way into the hinterland, but that's really all I know at this stage. I'll have a chat with my friend and see if I can get more details.

Last time we talked about it, it seemed so far away. But it's getting closer, and we'll need to pin down the details by next year.

Stay tuned!

Steve.

[GrahamL]

I remember one in the early 70s in brisbane .. think I got caned for collapsing
the top of the janitors incinerator while we were waiting about
but that could of been another day:whistle:

[SMR]

It wasn't a total eclipse. If you've never seen a total, you ain't lived ... :-)

[fringe_dweller]

Fantastic info Steve, geez you have done your homework well :) onya :thumbsup:
I agree, I sometimes wrestle with what was the best event I have seen - 2 great comets at their best, a meteor storm and fireball shower, two 'great' aurorae, a few others, but the TSE always rises back to top of list, its just the weirdest of them all I think!

[SMR]

Thanks. TSE's have become major tourist events. The crowds in the Sahara last year had to be seen to be believed. That means you have to start planning years in advance and get in early.

I'd been finding it hard to convince my Beijing travel agent how big TSE2008 is going to be. Now there are a lot of travel companies trying to book every hotel room in the path. Suddenly she realised that it's going to be huge!

You'll have to make it to one some day soon. Cook Island in 2010? FNQ in 2012? Both are reachable. Or wait until 2028, 2030, 2037 or 2038; all in AUS!!

Steve.

[mickoking]

I read a book called China on the Lam. It was about someone who crossed China south to North walking and sleeping under a tarp and the occasional night in a locals home, the book was written about 10 years ago. Even tho China is big on capitalism it is still a communist country; most of the land is publicly owned. So there is nothing really stopping someone setting up camp where they feel like it (except nosey locals) :P

[fringe_dweller]

How long till your fully booked on the two Chinese TSE's Steve? believe me I want to go dont worry! i'd go to each and everyone if possible :sadeyes:
maybe i need a slow boat ;)

ahh yes Mick dont you know all property is theft! :whistle:

[mickoking]

I have never seen a TSE and now I am hoping to see two biggies in a year, Tremendous :thumbsup:

[glenc]

I used this page in 2003 for booking hotels in China. http://www.sinohotel.com/index.html
You can also get a sleeper on a train.

[SMR]

I'm fully booked for 2008 at the moment, though I might get a cancellation as the "booking the airfares" bill comes up in August. Ask me again around August 1.

I'm not bothering to organise a trip to 2009. The best location to observe is probably in the ocean south of Japan. I'll let someone else organise the cruise ship. Or I'll travel to Shanghai and take my chances there.

Steve.

[SMR]

Hi Mick. That sounds like a great adventure. I've no idea how easy or hard it is going to be to backpack in far-western China in 2008. It's a pretty inaccessible part of the country, and their resources are going to be stretched to the limit by the thousands of tourists already booked to go there.

But best of luck, Mick If you do get it together, we might be able to squeeze you on our eclipse day bus from JYG to the centerline, if you want a lift.

Steve.

[SMR]

Maybe. The problem is that no online sites are (to the best of my knowledge) letting you book a hotel for July/August 2008 yet. What you'll find when the time arrives is that all the hotels in the eclipse zone are booked.

As for a sleeper to JYG: that's a possibility on the way in. But I don't think it will work on the night after the eclipse. The eclipse is late in the day, and the centerline is a couple of hours drive from JYG, much further for Hami. Getting back to town to catch a train might be tricky. And there's no beach to sleep on ... this is the Gobi Desert.

One more thing to consider: the 2008 Beijing Olympics start one week after the TSE. China is going to be packed with tourists anyway for the Olympics; the eclipse is just going to make it much worse.

Steve.

[fringe_dweller]

thanks for that Steve, cheers :) - to fully answer your earlier question , if i dont make it to one beforehand, i will most certainly be going for the FNQ aussie one - might try for shanghai like yourself tho

[mickoking]

I might just take you up on that offer Steve :thumbsup: