please empty your brain below
Ken and I were able to make the 1999 eclipse - I wrote about it here. There are a few photos as well, nothing that wonderful, but not bad given what we were working with. (Heh, the page is a bit primitive - I've improved since then!)

Disappointment over the clouds notwithstanding it was an amazing experience. We haven't managed to make it to any since, but are still hoping...

Joules | Homepage | 04.10.05 - 3:08 a.m. | #

I love them because they seem to connect us to whats happening off our planet. We see the sun and moon everyday - thats normal but when something extraordinary happens it reminds you of the vast universe outside our planet's limit.

harriet | Homepage | 04.10.05 - 1:21 p.m. | #

The '99 eclipse was the first one I saw properly... through partial clouds in our London garden. It did get darker, the birds did stop singing and the Brugmansia which usually only give out their scent in the evening let loose a delightful aroma. I only got one half-decent picture but it does serve as a vivid reminder of that day. Yesterday I'm glad I got to see a bit of it but it wasn't anything on '99. 2015 looks like the next one to get close to that I suppose.

NiC | Homepage | 04.10.05 - 1:46 p.m. | #

'99/'00 was a period of big build-ups and crashing disappointments, wasn't it? Here in Nottingham, we had beautiful sunny weather and were able to view the partial eclipse for a good ten minutes or so... pin holes into pieces of cardboard being particularly effective.

mike | Homepage | 04.10.05 - 3:24 p.m. | #

Did the same thing, DG.

First heard about the 1999 total eclipse on the regional news when my family moved me to Cornwall in 1980.

19 years and a train journey later and the only impressive thing about the day was seeing flashbulbs from peoples' cameras lighting up the clouds.

I WASTED MY LIFE!

Commander Zorg | 04.10.05 - 3:30 p.m. | #

I viewed the eclipse the no-hassle way - live on the internet! An amateur astronomer friend of mine plans his overseas holidays around eclipses in regions of the world that have a good chance of being cloud-free.
A few years ago there were two of us working overtime in the office on a Saturday afternoon during a partial solar eclipse. The sun was shining in the window, so I rummaged around in a drawer for two pieces of plain card and made a pinhole camera. When I showed my co-worker the image, she was absolutely astounded - had no idea anything was going on or how to view it. I like to think it was a revelatory moment for her, like yours in 1971, dg.

Great Aunt Annie | 04.10.05 - 10:13 p.m. | #











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