For each eclipse there are some weather forecasts for the region where the path of totality is going. Sometimes these predictions can be right, but mostly they are way of the truth. For the eclipse of august 1999 the predictions where in sinc with reality. The chances on good weather increased to the west of the track. For Western Europe the changes for seeing the eclipse where about 30 to 40%, Eastern Europe had a fifty-fifty chance and in Iran there was about 90% change.
In Western Europe the reality was very similar. Clouds played tricks with observers and very few observers could watch the partial eclipse under perfect conditions. The sun appeared and disappeared in the clouds, so that eclipse-shades where not always a necessity. For people with weak hearts it became a difficult time. Until the last moment it was an open question whether the totality would pass after a cloud or between two clouds. The greater part of the observers could observe totality, but very few could observe it from second till third contact. Some saw the first half of totality, others only the second part.20 Seeing the eclipse was very often in the southern part of Belgium, and the northern part of France a question of a couple of meters! Mobility was an option witch was not always a good one. Some people moved from one spot to another, missing totality only to hear later on that the eclipse was visible on their original spot, others where capable to get right on time on the right place.
To get more or less perfect conditions for the eclipse one had to move at least to Hungary, but the side effects where visible throughout the path of totality.
For Europe this was an important astronomical event, finally we could bring the audience in touch with astronomy at its most spectacular, but for the experienced eclipse-chaser this was also a rather unique opportunity. Under normal expeditions one comes in the region just a few days until a couple of weeks before the eclipse. This time eclipse veterans could see how the fever gradually increased until its peak during the last two weeks. In Belgium Astronomical groups where preparing already two years before, and the great boom came about one year before the eclipse. Outsiders where only mildly interested.20 For eclipse fanatics in Europe this was an opportunity to get some family-members to go to totality and finaly understand the virus called eclipse shasing. Every Belgian astronomer dragged the family along, I was capable to get my relatives and friends to organise a day's trip to totality and all but one saw the eclipse. Patrick Poitevin did better, all but one of his relatives went to the totality zone, and all of them could observe the eclipse, they where spread out over the path of totality, going from France to Iran!
In July finally the press got interested, and with that also the non-astronomical population. Although astronomers had been giving information about the eclipse for more than a year, only when the press gave some space for the event people started to realise that the eclipse was going to be total. Astronomical society's that organised trips could no longer handle the requests, so a lot of people had to make it on their own resources.
Eclipse shades, sold already by the astronomical groups, became suddenly very wanted items, and commercial institutes started to sell them as well. Most of them pretty save, but two of them had to be taken out of the market. On the end of July there where more demands than there where shades available!
In that time the advertisement-world discovered the eclipse, and every advertiser used the eclipse to bring his product to the people. We had eclipse-coffee, eclipse-cars, eclipse-hifi,..... and eclipse-bananas. Very cute where the advertisements from electricity-company's declaring that although the sun would go out, they would continue to bring light, or even wishing their biggest competitor (the sun) good luck.
At this time in Belgium there is one advertiser who still uses the eclipse, but he had some stuff mixed up. In the advertisement they picture a lunar eclipse, which near totality changes abrupt to a solar eclipse with a diamond-ring!
After the eclipse the headlines from the press reflected mainly the weather: 'Eclipse eclipses it self'; 'Unforgettable'; 'Divine'; It was incredible'; In the clouds'.
In this section you'll find the observations as they where reported by the different groups. The Dutch reports where usually from people that went along with Belgian expeditions, or people whom in the past already reported to the Belgium Eclipse Section. The partial phase in Western Europe was a mix of bright solar-light, or light blended by clouds. In every expedition solar protection occasionally consisted out of the cloud which obscured the suns light enough.
In summary, every expedition could see parts of the partial phase. For second contact the scenario changed. The lucky break in the clouds occurred for some shortly before, or just after second contact, but for others it never came.
The expeditions that did not see totality where capable to watch the side effects, and the reaction of nature to the phenomena. The groups that had gone trough the trouble of learning a little bit about eclipses before the event where the ones who saw the most of these effects (also for the groups in totality). First time observers who did not go through al the info saw virtually nothing at all!
Every observer was capable of seeing the sudden darkening of the surroundings, and the spectacular re-emerging of the light afterwards, and this effect was enough to book a trip for the 2001 eclipse. Colouring of the horizon was observed by al expeditions, and the observations agree with each other. Some report a lighter horizon, or twilight-colours. Others where a little more specific by describing a red, or orange-red horizon, or even a orange-yellow horizon during totality.
The most specific description comes from Felix Verbelen who saw orange-red in the west and east, dark bleu in the south and black in the north.
Due to the clouds in Western Europe there where some irisation effects visible in the clouds shortly before and after totality (Steyaert, Van Loo and Pauwels) the only description of this effect outside Europe came from D. Van Hessch who observed the eclipse in Hungary.
Al observations of the corona are in agreement, a rather small, but very bright corona, symmetrical but with chaotic streamers inside. The few reports on the colour of the corona state that it was bleu-white in colour. The eye-catcher of the eclipse where of course the prominences, who could be admired al around the dark lunar disk. The observers who had a thin part of a cloud in front of the sun could see the flares rather easy!
A good indication for the brightness of the corona can be seen on pictures of second and third contact where you can clearly see the diamond-ring with a large part of the corona and the solar-flares, al caught in one image. I, and Ive Boogaerts covered the re-emerging disk of the sun with the thumb and could see the corona until 8 minutes after third contact, only then it was lost in the bright sky.
The most impressionable description came from Van Loo : The unforgettable corona, with bright and ruby-red flares, al this in a sky as painted by Michelangelo. It was biblical!
Several observers kept a log about the temperature. There where some differences according to observational circumstances. Her an overview: Belgium: a drop of 11 degrees (al temperatures in Celsius-scale) by Olivier Blot
a drop of 5 degrees by the Murzim-expedition Hungary: a drop of 15 degrees by Dirk Van Hesche Al measurements in direct sunlight.
a drop of 7 degrees in direct sunlight; a drop of 0.4 degrees in the shadow; no drop under the ground and a drop of 8 degrees in a box. The eclipse-breeze is a topic, which has been discussed many times before. From about 50 reports there was only one person who claimed to have felt a little breeze during totality. Al the other reports agreed; the breeze disappeared shortly before totality!
Before the eclipse the Belgium Solar Eclipse section gave different lectures on observing the eclipse, and also gave information about the flying shadows. It's clear out of the different reports that the audience did not sleep, a lot of observers could see the flying shadows. A resume out of these reports make it clear that the shadow-bands before totality where present but weak; after third contact the flying shadows where very explicit and easy to see.
In Iran Patrick saw before totality even shadow-circles! The sky surrounding the sun did not escape attention of course. In Western Europe observers could sometimes see the planets and some stars trough openings in the clouds.
Remarkable was the planet Venus, it became visible only short before totality, Mercury was only detected during totality itself. Other objects in the sky where spare, clouds in the West, and a rather bright sky in the east prevented observers from seeing them.
Thierry Pauwels detected Jupiter on the horizon from his observing place on the French coast, and also Procyon. Frans Van Loo in the eastern part of France could see Regulus.
In summary: about twenty minutes before totality the temperature started to drop, and the surroundings where bathing in a very strange light (ferry-like). Just before totality there where some weak flying shadows visible. The corona was very symmetric and of a light bleu colour. On the edge of the moon there where clearly 6 flares visible (without optical aid) of a rather light-red colour. Venus and Mercury companioned the eclipsed sun and the horizon was coloured orange-red. Third contact announced itself with a double diamond, and again there where flying shadows who where more obvious than before totality.
A lot of observer did spend time on observing nature around them. Birds did react (some local newspapers reported that they did not), but on some places they started to fly, but most observers agree that the birds settled during 20 minutes before, during and after totality. Bats came shortly before totality out of hiding, as did spiders, while wasps disappeared. Different flowers closed their leafs, and farmers did indeed stop with working!
Some roosters did react, but most did not. Chicken went inside, but the strongest reaction came from the cows. Al observers who where near some herds of cows reported that these animals went inside the barn before totality, only to come out about twenty minutes afterwards. The cows in open field without shelter al lay down during the same period! Mosquito's did become aggressive, but only a few observers did report this. Probably the bad weather conditions kept mosquitos away. Ants seemed not to react to the eclipse, but in Iran a monkey started to shout.
A total solar eclipse is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena that one can observe, and reactions shortly after the eclipse made this very clear.
A lot of people stood with tears in the eyes. It was tranquillity after the eclipse.
Some vocal reactions: * It was like a ferry-tale * They should make it longer * It was so fine that I'm lost for words (Sander, 11 years) * Unique and o natural * Incredibly, fantastic * The sun is beautiful, even when it's not there * The curtain has fallen, much to soon * Although the day went bye without the end of the world, my world collided on that moment (Danny Vandenghinste, totality took place behind the clouds) * 2001 Angola, here we come (Valentin Kinet) * Victory, tears, lafter, and relieves * Impressive * It's clear that luck is for the pigs (Greet Poitevin, Turkey five minutes after totality a cloud covers the sun) * Sacrilegious
Not al observers who did send in a report are mentioned in the text, therefore here a little overview of al who did send in a report about the eclipse. If you want to read the original reports you could go to the following web-address: WWW.VVS.be and visit the site of the eclipse section (most reports in Dutch!)
Compiegne, France. Bloemendael Hans (NL) Corbeny, France. * Deman Chris List of observers: A star in front of the name indicates that the observer (or observers) moved from their original spot; Dutch observers are marked with (NL); Observation place and country are given between ; the smile's indicate success or no success for observing totality. In the list the observed totality indicator means that the observer saw at least part of totality!
Groups are given in capitals:
Belgium Solar Eclipse Section
Gubbels Guido
Terbeemden 67
3980 Tessenderlo
e-mail : gubgui@innet.be