Twenty years ago today - the Great Total Solar Ecl of 1991

Hi,

Today brings back memories of the great Total Solar Eclipse (TSE) of 11th July 1991. It was the first (of nine) TSE's that I have viewed.

A number of astronomers from Ireland travelled to see this eclipse. A number within the Society travelled to Hawaii, we were joined by a number from Cork, Limerick and elsewhere. Some others travelled to Baja California in Mexico.

The weather was dicey, from my site at Kona in the big island of Hawaii. The clouds that morning, cleared a few minutes before totality and despite being ill, I saw the eclipse. I managed to get some images, despite a broken and taped up flimsy tripod. See www.variablestarnight.net under the Total Solar Eclipse section. The prominence at the bottom was striking to the naked-eye.

Unfortunately quite a few in Hawaii were clouded out.

I would be glad to hear of any experiences of others on that eclipse.

John

I can still rememeber that week, a few from the club here went along, had a trip of a lifetime but were clouded out, talk about upset.
At the time I was left thinking that we'll have a chance in 1999 but it seemed so far away at the time, to think that was 12 years ago.!!
BTW, your link doesnt work.

Yes, John. For many the 1991 Total Solar Eclipse was their first. Valerie and I met an nice Englishman called Howard in French Polynesia. He saw the Hawaiian eclipse and he described his trip in great detail. What was extraordinary he was about to see another TSE on the same date in 2010!!
Needless to say, Valerie and I are celebrating today the anniversary of last year's July 11 total solar eclipse on Ana'a Atoll.

Aubrey Glazier.

Dave, I mispelled the url. The correct one is:

www.variablestarnights.net/

Aubrey,

Yes, its a nice double anniversary. I was thinking of the coincidence of 11th July lasy year in Fr Polynesia. Howard is an keen eclipse chaser from the WOLAS in London (and we have met on a numer of trips) and has been to a few WSPs.


John