please empty your brain below
I watched the 1999 eclipse in France as Cornwall seemed a rip-off. More recently I went to see Carmina Burana on the day of the last partial eclipse in London. Given the first verse I wondered if the unusually blatant new moon would be a bad omen.

Sprout Eater | 21.08.17 - 7:18 a.m. | #

I also travelled from London to Cornwall in 1999 to watch the total eclipse. I took a small tent so avoided the exorbitant hotel charges.
Pity it clouded over, but it was still better to be in the path of totality than just experience a partial eclipse.

I too still have some eclipse merchandise purchased there at the time-long past their use by date black coloured fizzy "Eclipse" drinks!

I considered USA but it is not the cheapest time of year for tickets.
I will watch the eclipse on line, thanks for the link, I will also possibly use some of Earth-cams live webcams.

John | 21.08.17 - 7:25 a.m. | #

The Channel Islands aren't part of the UK.

Red One | 21.08.17 - 8:06 a.m. | #

I was slightly inland, a few miles north of Looe, and had a slightly better view. Regardless, I found the speed of arrival of night and day and the reaction of the birds a really memorable experience. I am pleased to have been inside the path of totality because of that as well as the all-too-brief sightings through broken cloud. Incidentally, the Channel Islands are Crown Dependencies and not part of the UK.

DavidC | 21.08.17 - 8:20 a.m. | #

For a white British person, born in the UK, who occasionally travels to other European countries exclusively, and who wants to visit the US for the purpose of seeing an eclipse, the election of the Trump administration has changed nothing except a perception. The worst changes were introduced by George W Bush, and it was Obama who decided to introduced an entry fee (of which 70% is allocated to promoting tourism to the US).

I do not know whether any of the above are applicable to DG.

On the other hand, it is fair to say that at the time when DG was about to plan his trip, the future was uncertain.

It is the same situation with Europeans visiting the UK now (not those wanting to move here as obviously nobody knows what anyone wants to do about that). Nothing has changed except for a perception. If anything it is the Schengen area which has tightened up its entry and exit procedures since July.

John | 21.08.17 - 8:31 a.m. | #

I travelled to France for the '99 one and arranged to meet our friends at a motorway intersection near Metz. This way we were able to open drive nearly 100 miles west to where the weather was better, and was able to witness this spectacle in all its glory.

Metz itself had been a washout with parade and celebrations ruined by stormy rain, and we felt the frustrations of those few people who remained on our return. Our friends' campsite was likewise affected, however, the people who were there got very lucky with a break in the clouds at the exact moment - the stress would have done for me.

So, for 2026, I will be in Spain with my car strategically positioned to ensure a second successful viewing. And, to all who think that 90+% is an equivalent experience - no - only with totality do you get the corona, darkness, and the diamond ring.

All superlative adjectives have been omitted from describing the wonderfulness of seeing an eclipse, please add your own in nine years time. It has to be at least a once in a lifetime's experience. Our friends were so smitten, they have seen two more already°

Ken | 21.08.17 - 8:32 a.m. | #

To quote Tim Vine:

"I went on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Never again!"

Pedantic of Purley | 21.08.17 - 9:47 a.m. | #

I took the family to France for the 1999 one, and it was definitely splendid. The crowd produced a spontaneous burst of applause at the end, which brought tears to my eyes. (I still don't know exactly who or what they were applauding, but it just felt so right).

Malcolm | 21.08.17 - 9:50 a.m. | #

I was also in Cornwall for 1999. Somewhere south of St Austell, on the Dodman I think. And the cloud broke, or at least thinned enough to make the disc of the sun visible, and then invisible, at just the right time. Spectacular.

And in Spain for the annual eclipse of 2005, which is not quite the same thing but also spectacular. I had considered travelling to the U.S. for this eclipse, and Svalbard for the one in 2015, but also never got around to it.

Thanks for suggesting Spain in August 2026. That sounds do-able. Ideally you want a good few minutes of totality. In that respect the one in Spain in August 2027 looks better.

The other solar phenomenon you really have to see is a transit of Venus. Bit of a wait for the next one now though.

Andrew | 21.08.17 - 9:56 a.m. | #

We were on an Algarve beach for the eclipse in '99.
I wish I could say how profound an experience it was, but in pre-Smartphone days we were oblivious to what was due to occur. We recall having discussed how it had got slightly darker and chilly for a while, then we went back to keeping an eye on our boy, eating sand and talking to his imaginary friends.
The cause of light/temperature changes was only revealed to us in the papers 24 hours later!

Frank F | 21.08.17 - 10:11 a.m. | #

It's slightly disconcerting to realise that a teenage DG-reader today may well still be around for the 2081 eclipse.

Andrew S | 21.08.17 - 10:34 a.m. | #

I'm with DG on Trump and the US. I don't want to visit a country that could elect him. His dark presidency is eclipsing basic decency.

Will | 21.08.17 - 10:37 a.m. | #

I am sure the reality of travel to the USA is not that much worse for a white european under Trump than before. However the border control process is one of the nastiest I've encountered and that was years ago before all the current paranoia and apparent hate. I therefore agree with DG that the USA is not a country I want to vist while Trump is in charge. I took the same view when Dubya was President. I would dearly love to go back because in many ways it's a great country but not when lunatics are in charge of it.

PC | 21.08.17 - 10:48 a.m. | #

I made a pinhole camera for the 99 eclipse. It worked. It was eerie watching all the birds suddenly going back to roost, everything darkening and cooling down.

Your coming to grief that year reminds me of a hilariously tragic story of a famous astronomer/explorer mentioned in a Bill Bryson book. He spent decades planning to witness several cosmic conjunctions of some sort but everything went wrong at the final moment and it all culminated in his bankruptcy and death. It involved one tiny little cloud appearing at a crucial moment and ruining the rest of his life. Wiah I could remember his name...

daveid76 | 21.08.17 - 10:51 a.m. | #

I was in Cornwall for the 1999 eclipse. Although it was cloudy it was eerie as all the birds started singing as if it was twilight , then it was completely silent before they started again . We could see the street lights in Marazion go on and off. It was quite an experience. Afterwards we all had pasties- a very Cornish experince!

Cornish Monkey | 21.08.17 - 11:15 a.m. | #

We had just moved to the Rocky Mountain area of America to live, so was gutted to miss Cornwall 1999.

Moved back to the UK a few years ago so will also miss USA 2017!!

All of my former neighbours are super excited though, and planning Superbowl-like parties for later today!

Cornish Cockney | 21.08.17 - 11:18 a.m. | #

@ daveid76: That sounds like Guillaume le Gentil, whose quest from France to India to observe the transit of Venus across the sun was doomed by delay, cloud, dysentery and shipwreck – as Bill Bryson relates in A Short History of Nearly Everything: “When at last he reached home, eleven and a half years after setting off, and having achieved nothing, he discovered that his relatives had had him declared dead in his absence and had enthusiastically plundered his estate.”

Rich G | 21.08.17 - 11:48 a.m. | #

I was in Cornwall, and the clouds did clear just beforehand! Definitely an experience to remember. I suspect your presence in the US will not be missed.

Sir Biton | 21.08.17 - 12:27 p.m. | #

Like you I had August 11th 1999 in mind ... for about 30 years in my case, and was so disappointed when on the day itself in Cornwall it was cloudy. I tried again in 2009 in Shanghai ... it was cloudy. Thought about today somewhere in USA but did not organise. Time seems to be running out, so maybe Chile in 2019 and if all is still well, Spain in 2026.

Tony | 21.08.17 - 12:38 p.m. | #

Saw the 1999 eclipse in Salzburg, on a family holiday by train around Europe -- deliberately planned to be there, and fortunately the weather held out (though it was pouring with rain later in the day).

An added magical touch from the Salzburg Festival, which was presenting Don Giovanni in the open air about 500m away -- and timed it so the descent into hell scene coincided with totality.

But there was also a dork even nearer with a pneumatic drill who didn't stop except for a few seconds.

Alan BG | 21.08.17 - 1:44 p.m. | #

Good for London. Hong Kong will need to wait for 8 centuries for God's sake!

Patrickov | 21.08.17 - 1:58 p.m. | #

Any links to where this may be found on the web please?

NLW | 21.08.17 - 2:01 p.m. | #

When I was little I remember two eclipses. I think at least one was total or near total. On that day, we got kept in school later than we should have been, with the windows blocked out because it was 'dangerous'. The other I was home for, but again I was shut inside because of the danger :(

Antipodean | 21.08.17 - 2:13 p.m. | #

On the basis that it is the same moon and same sun that this phenomenon applies to, see it happen here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBoa81xEvNA
(obviously not today's instance and I also suggest hitting the mute button as I'm sure you'll tire quickly of the "Og my-god" commentary.

b | 21.08.17 - 2:16 p.m. | #

Saw my first eclipse in 1954 I was 6 years old I can remember that it made a very big impression on me.
I was surprised how quite everything went during the darkest period.

Michael | 21.08.17 - 4:36 p.m. | #

I experienced a solar eclipse in Washington DC in the early 1930's and remember it as awesome. Will and PC- Lot's of us in the US agree with you..please remember that 11 million more people voted for someone other than DT for Prez..but due to our screwy Electoral Collage thingy he crept in.

Colesville Garth | 21.08.17 - 4:55 p.m. | #

I remember 1971 at school. It went earily dark and cool, and the birds shut up. I might have to go to Spain for 2026, my last real chance (ageism), but I have not been to US since the Royal Navy took me there in 1970;s.
Pre Trump refuse to give them all my banking details, so when I flew to Peru in 2008 I went via Toronto at greater expense on principle. Downside was a 9hr layover, but asked at information what was scenic nearby and directed to The Mill House, Wonderful old mill on salmon river, and on return did the Toronto tower.
Going back next year via anywhere but USA. They have to understand that they actively supported terrorism in 1970/80s, and every attack in their country since has been by their own citizens. Their support of terrorism is why there are so few litter bins in London.

scrumpy | 21.08.17 - 11:13 p.m. | #

Greetings from Chattanooga (spent the day in Athens, Tennessee). Perfect.

We met a couple of English guys who had driven 5,000 miles since picking up a car in New Jersey last week. They'd driven from Oregon once they saw the weather forecast wasn't looking too good.

Lorenzo & Dominic | 22.08.17 - 1:19 a.m. | #

The "Great American Eclipse" as it has been touted here for the last few weeks, was utter rubbish in Northeast US. We got an 80%er. I hear down in North Carolina they got the full eclipse. :/

Jackal | 22.08.17 - 5:01 a.m. | #

I remember the total eclipse in 1999 for a very sad reason.

My sister passed away that morning and the news, although expected, delayed our departure to Eastbourne where our son was at Uni and where we planned to watch the eclipse from Beachy Head.

It was also a slow journey and we only got as far as the small service area (that used to have a Little Chef) at the junction of the A267 and the A22 where we watched it in the company of a small crowd - very impressive and quite weird when all the birds started their dawn chorus for the second time that day!

We heard afterwards that all the car parks at Beachy Head were full from early in the morning so we probably wouldn't have got up there anyway!

John Simmons | 22.08.17 - 10:04 a.m. | #

Just back, after a good number of years, and pleased to see you still at it and still writing so well. Concur with your interest in eclipses and current view of the USA. Hope you are well.

Darren | 22.08.17 - 12:00 p.m. | #











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