Total Eclipse from Kastelorizo
April 06, 2006
Provided by: Anthony Ayiomamitis
Summary authors & editors: Anthony Ayiomamitis
At the risk of being trite, the exhilaration one experiences watching a total solar eclipse is nearly beyond description and is hopefully something that every amateur and professional astronomer should experience at least once in their lifetime. We were privy to exceptional weather and temperatures for the observation (and imaging) of this year's total solar eclipse -- the path of totality included the 9-square km Greek island of Kastelorizo, in the eastern Aegean. The well over 3,000 visitors to the island, fifteen times the permanent population of this small island community, were treated to a first rate show, lasting 2.5 hours from start to finish.
The three minutes of totality yielded a breathtaking view of the ethereal corona, stunning prominences placed all over the solar limb (for example, upper left of photo -- pinkish color) as well as a magical view of Baily's beads (not shown here). Regrettably these three minutes seemed to pass in a matter of seconds as the velvet blue/black sky very gradually returned to daylight conditions. In fact, our feathered friends started their chirping in anticipation of a "new" sunrise.
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