[vsnet-obs 42502] The total solar eclipse over South Africa

["Berto Monard" <LAGMonar@csir.co.za>]

Hi,

I like to report briefly on the Dec 04 solar eclipse that took place
over the Northern edge of South Africa. It was my first attempt to
witness this unique show as it was relatively nearby (500km). 

This is an isolated region. Large plains, some with thorn (acacia)
trees make up the landscape, with here and there a towering baobab tree,
a really magnificent sight. 

Several thousands of eclipse chasers made the effort to go to that
region in order to see a totality of more than one minute.
 
As the sun rose on the 4th of Dec, my wife and myself drove (quite
early) from our stay in the Tshipise camp towards the centre line of the
eclipse path and noticed a large cloud pack moving away from Venus
towards the SE. This looked like a promising sign for the eclipse that
would take place some 4 hours later (08:20 LT). It had been a hot couple
of days with even an open night sky from 3 to 4 Dec.

However as time went by, this large cloudy spell started moving back
North and from 5:30 onwards it covered the observing site, just to get
more dense by the minute. After 6:00 observers in the Kruger National
park, South of our observing site reported a fully overcast stage. The
sky above Zimbabwe, just to our North seem to hold for a while longer. 

More dense lower level clouds moved in from the South East while higher
up there was cirrus moving in a different direction. There might have
been another layer in between.

When eclipse time came, it was obvious that only some lesser dense
parts of the heavy cloud layers would possibly offer glimpses of the
event. 
It happened that where I was we saw the last seconds before the
totality, including the 'diamant' and some three seconds of totality.
Then cloud density increased. The next 'opening' showed that the moon
had moved off the sun again.

It had been 'night' dark during totality, but no stars were visible and
a glow was always seen towards the North. 

I noticed that someone nearby had filmed the event with a handheld
camera. My wife was impressed with the images he was able to show.
People with telescopes were not that successful. It must have been near
impossible to line up towards a sun that only showed in patches and at
vastly different intensities.


Had it been worthwhile all those efforts? Probably, but I can imagine
how much better it would have been in better conditions. 

Better luck next time, in 2030 (or is it 2040?).....I will not be 100
yet.


Berto Monard
Pretoria / South Africa

VSNET Home Page

Return to Daisaku Nogami

---

vsnet-adm@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp