Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Aug 1999
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999eso..pres...or.&link_type=abstract
ESO Press Release, 08/1999
Mathematics
Logic
Scientific paper
This webpage provides information about the total eclipse on Wednesday, August 11, 1999, as it was seen by ESO staff, mostly at or near the ESO Headquarters in Garching (Bavaria, Germany). The zone of totality was about 108 km wide and the ESO HQ were located only 8 km south of the line of maximum totality. The duration of the phase of totality was about 2 min 17 sec.
The weather was quite troublesome in this geographical area. Heavy clouds moved across the sky during the entire event, but there were also some holes in between. Consequently, sites that were only a few kilometres from each other had very different viewing conditions.
Some photos and spectra of the eclipsed Sun are displayed below, with short texts about the circumstances under which they were made.
Please note that reproduction of pictures on this webpage is only permitted, if the author is mentioned as source.
Information made available before the eclipse is available here. Eclipse Impressions at the ESO HQ
Photo by Eddy Pomaroli
Preparing for the Eclipse
Photo: Eddy Pomaroli
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Photo by Eddy Pomaroli
During the 1st Partial Phase
Photo: Eddy Pomaroli
[JPEG: 400 x 275 pix - 135k] [JPEG: 800 x 549 pix - 434k] [JPEG: 2908 x 1997 pix - 5.9M]
Photo by Hamid Mehrgan
Heavy Clouds Above
Digital Photo: Hamid Mehrgan
[JPEG: 400 x 320 pix - 140k] [JPEG: 800 x 640 pix - 540k] [JPEG: 1280 x 1024 pix - 631k]
Photo by Olaf Iwert
Totality Approaching
Digital Photo: Olaf Iwert
[JPEG: 400 x 320 pix - 149k] [JPEG: 800 x 640 pix - 380k] [JPEG: 1280 x 1024 pix - 536k]
Photo by Olaf Iwert
Beginning of Totality
Digital Photo: Olaf Iwert
[JPEG: 400 x 236 pix - 86k] [JPEG: 800 x 471 pix - 184k] [JPEG: 1280 x 753 pix - 217k]
Photo by Olaf Iwert
A Happy Eclipse Watcher
Digital Photo: Olaf Iwert
[JPEG: 400 x 311 pix - 144k] [JPEG: 800 x 622 pix - 333k] [JPEG: 1280 x 995 pix - 644k]
ESO HQ Eclipse Video Clip [MPEG-version]
ESO HQ Eclipse Video Clip (2425 frames/01:37 min) [MPEG Video; 160x120 pix; 2.2M] [MPEG Video; 320x240 pix; 4.4Mb] [RealMedia; streaming; 33kps] [RealMedia; streaming; 200kps]
This Video Clip was prepared from a "reportage" of the event at the ESO HQ that was transmitted in real-time to ESO-Chile via ESO's satellite link. It begins with some sequences of the first partial phase and the eclipse watchers. Clouds move over and the landscape darkens as the phase of totality approaches. The Sun is again visible at the very moment this phase ends. Some further sequences from the second partial phase follow. Produced by Herbert Zodet. Dire Forecasts
The weather predictions in the days before the eclipse were not good for Munich and surroundings. A heavy front with rain and thick clouds that completely covered the sky moved across Bavaria the day before and the meteorologists predicted a 20% chance of seeing anything at all. On August 10, it seemed that the chances were best in France and in the western parts of Germany, and much less close to the Alps.
This changed to the opposite during the night before the eclipse. Now the main concern in Munich was a weather front approaching from the west - would it reach this area before the eclipse? The better chances were then further east, nearer the Austrian border. Many people travelled back and forth along the German highways, many of which quickly became heavily congested. Preparations
About 500 persons, mostly ESO staff with their families and friends, were present at the ESO HQ in the morning of August 11. Prior to the eclipse, they received information about the various aspects of solar eclipses and about the specific conditions of this one in the auditorium. Protective glasses were handed out and it was the idea that they would then follow the eclipse from outside.
In view of the pessimistic weather forecasts, TV sets had been set up in two large rooms, but in the end most chose to watch the eclipse from the terasse in front of the cafeteria and from the area south of the building. Several telescopes were set up among the trees and on the adjoining field (just harvested). Clouds and Holes
It was an unusual solar eclipse experience. Heavy clouds were passing by with sudden rainshowers, but fortunately there were also some holes with blue sky in between.
While much of the first partial phase was visible through these, some really heavy clouds moved in a few minutes before the total phase, when the light had begun to fade. They drifted slowly - too slowly! - towards the east and the corona was never seen from the ESO HQ site. From here, the view towards the eclipsed Sun only cleared at the very instant of the second "diamond ring" phenomenon. This was beautiful, however, and evidently took most of the photographers by surprise, so very few, if any, photos were made of this memorable moment.
Temperature Curve by Benoit Pirenne
Temperature Curve on August 11
[JPEG: 646 x 395 pix - 35k]
Measured by Benoit Pirenne - see also his meteorological webpage
Nevertheless, the entire experience was fantastic - there were all the expected effects, the darkness, the cool air, the wind and the silence. It was very impressive indeed! And it was certainly a unique day in ESO history!
Carolyn Collins Petersen from "Sky & Telescope" participated in the conference at ESO in the days before and watched the eclipse from the "Bürgerplatz" in Garching, about 1.5 km south of the ESO HQ. She managed to see part of the totality phase and filed some dramatic reports at the S&T Eclipse Expedition website. They describe very well the feelings of those in this area!
Eclipse Photos
Several members of the ESO staff went elsewhere and had more luck with the weather, especially at the moment of totality. Below are some of their impressive pictures.
Eclipse Photo by Philippe Duhoux
First "Diamond Ring"
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Eclipse Photo by Philippe Duhoux
Totality
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Eclipse Photo by Philippe Duhoux
Second "Diamond Ring"
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The Corona (Philippe Duhoux)
"For the observation of the eclipse, I chose a field on a hill offering a wide view towards the western horizon and located about 10 kilometers north west of Garching."
"While the partial phase was mostly cloudy, the sky went clear 3 minutes before the totality and remained so for about 15 minutes. Enough to enjoy the event!"
"The images were taken on Agfa CT100 colour slide film with an Olympus OM-20 at the focus of a Maksutov telescope (f = 1000 mm, f/D = 10). The exposure times were automatically set by the camera. During the partial phase, I used an off-axis mask of 40 mm diameter with a mylar filter ND = 3.6, which I removed for the diamond rings and the corona."
Note in particular the strong, detached protuberances to the right of the rim, particularly noticeable in the last photo.
Eclipse Photo by Cyril Cavadore
Totality
[JPEG: 400 x 360 pix - 45k]
[JPEG: 800 x 719 pix - 144k]
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The Corona (Cyril Cavadore)
"We (C.Cavadore from ESO and L. Bernasconi and B. Gaillard from Obs. de la Cote d'Azur) took this photo in France at Vouzier (Champagne-Ardennes), between Reims and Nancy. A large blue opening developed in the sky at 10 o'clock and we decided to set up the telescope and the camera at that time. During the partial phase, a lot of clouds passed over, making it hard to focus properly. Nevertheless, 5 min before totality, a deep blue sky opened above us, allowing us to watch it and to take this picture. 5-10 Minutes after the totality, the sky was almost overcast up to the 4th contact".
"The image was taken with a 2x2K (14 µm pixels) Thomson "homemade" CCD camera mounted on a CN212 Takahashi (200 mm diameter telescope) with a 1/10.000 neutral filter. The acquisition software set exposure time (2 sec) and took images in a complete automated way, allowing us to
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