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2015 March 20th Solar Eclipse


toggerob

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Posted
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL

I was on duty at Camborne and we couldn't get rid of the blasted medium cloud. Some parts of Cornwall got lucky.

Yeah, same problem for us in Dorset, although it varied, depending upon where you were. Looking at the satellite image it's clear (well it wasn't) that there's a fair bit of cloud that day in the area.

Right now I'm hedging my bets if it's going be clear or overcast & raining. Given we are hearing "In like a lamb...." who knows, but it's a fingers crossed job, as it'll be last one of this magnitude cross the UK, I'll ever see, so I'm really hoping it'll come through.

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Posted
  • Location: Bempton, Bridlington, East Riding. 78m ASL
  • Location: Bempton, Bridlington, East Riding. 78m ASL

I travelled to Amiens to view the 1999 eclipse, from Yorkshire this seemed as easy as travelling to Cornwall. Went by train to Lille, from there I had intended to get train/bus via Haute Picardy, however there were far too many people for the one train so I shared an 8 seater minibus with 7 other random brits, and we watched totality from the McDonalds car park on the outskirts of Amiens with clear skys. I have to say it is one most strange things to see, should be on everyones 'bucket list'. On return to the UK that evening I was glad I went to France, as there were a lot of disappointed peoplewho travelled to Cornwall/

 

Travel to the Faroes is out of the question, and as others have commented chances of a clear sky are not good.

 

If I had the chance I would 'eclipse chase' again, but would pick my location, to avoid the disapointment of cloudy skys. I wonder if we will notice a darkening on the Yorkshire Coast

 

And one question, why do they say that you shouldnt use a welding mask to view the sun, I would of thought it would be ideal

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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

I'm no expert but apparently you don't notice any significant darkening with a partial as your eyes adjust. At least that's what I read somewhere recently.

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Posted
  • Location: Rotherhithe, 5.8M ASL
  • Location: Rotherhithe, 5.8M ASL

Not long to go it amazes how many are unaware of what is going to happen, I bet there will be some dillusioned people thinking it is the end of the world. I expect the eclipse to get a load of media coverage. These do not happen often and in our lifetimes you only see a handful at best. I hope weather plays ball. :)

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Posted
  • Location: Bratislava, Slovakia
  • Location: Bratislava, Slovakia

And this is the blasted cloud we were stuck under.

I was always led to believe the entire British part of the path got shafted but some places did get a glimpse of totality:

 

St Agnes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPMtErFzWNc  (14:20)

Torquay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLE1W1K12M8 (3:45)

 

The ironic thing about that image is how broken the cloud is away from the totality track. It was visible here at greatest eclipse but only at about 90% - the crescent shadow effect on the leaves was cool though.

 

Cornwall wasn't alone. Munich and Saarbrücken got screwed by thunderstorms but unluckiest of all had to be Bucharest, where cloud covered the sun just before totality (and where the chances of seeing it were considered relatively high).

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Posted
  • Location: Maltby, Rotherham - 150m ASL
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and Cold! Winter :)
  • Location: Maltby, Rotherham - 150m ASL

Yes im very excited by this, cannot wait :D    90% coverage for Sheffield so should certainly notice that, it did go dull in 1999 so im hoping for similar! PLEASE be clear sky!!

 

The USA eclipse is tempting me very strongly in 3 years time...... i really have to see a total eclipse, as a space buff its a must. Ill just be in awe and amazement at our wonderfull universe :)

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Posted
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.

A total eclipse is so magical - even an 85% doesn't compare. I was lucky enough to see the June 1973 one - the diamond ring effect is something I'll never forget.

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Posted
  • Location: Shrewsbury
  • Location: Shrewsbury

I was always led to believe the entire British part of the path got shafted but some places did get a glimpse of totality:

 

St Agnes

  (14:20)

Torquay

(3:45)

 

The ironic thing about that image is how broken the cloud is away from the totality track. It was visible here at greatest eclipse but only at about 90% - the crescent shadow effect on the leaves was cool though.

 

Cornwall wasn't alone. Munich and Saarbrücken got screwed by thunderstorms but unluckiest of all had to be Bucharest, where cloud covered the sun just before totality (and where the chances of seeing it were considered relatively high).

You can see that cloud just beating the shadow to Bucharest in the satellite animation. FWIW I was in South Devon and the weather was rubbish- not wet but just wall to wall featureless grey muck. Didn't see a single second of the eclipse, but even that goddamn lousy cloud couldn't hide the sudden darkness. That was the one thing everyone saw.

Didn't think it was total as far east as Torquay, how I wish we had had smartphones that called up Sat24 and Netweather in those days......

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Posted
  • Location: East Lothian
  • Weather Preferences: Not too hot, excitement of snow, a hoolie
  • Location: East Lothian

Does anyone have experience of weather changes during an eclipse. Temperature/ wind anything else

 

I've heard that the darkness is eerie and that birds quieten down, anything else?

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Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam

Does anyone have experience of weather changes during an eclipse. Temperature/ wind anything else

 

I've heard that the darkness is eerie and that birds quieten down, anything else?

I have. During the 1999 eclipse, the temperature dropped 5C and there was a strange chill and slight breeze.

I suspect any convection may weaken just after the height of the eclipse.

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Posted
  • Location: Whaley Bridge - Peak District
  • Location: Whaley Bridge - Peak District

The Turkey 2006 temperature variation was noticeable for me, Went from being a typical med warm sultry morning, to slapping on every layer I had by the time the sun was 90% eclipsed, even the local wildlife at this time was looking around wondering what was going on. 

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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

Does anyone have experience of weather changes during an eclipse. Temperature/ wind anything else

 

I've heard that the darkness is eerie and that birds quieten down, anything else?

 

We had some scientists down at Camborne taking measurements. (the birds have a power nap around the time of the eclipse in Cornwall)

 

http://www.eumetcal.org/resources/eumetsat_special_images_1/3/Solar_Eclipse_11-Aug-1999/Reports/Paper_Aplin.pdf

 

And this year

 

http://www.met.reading.ac.uk/outreach/newex_2015/index.html

Edited by knocker
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Posted
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.

In a total eclipse, it gets noticeably cooler and the darkness is very eerie, with a bluish tinge to it, if that makes any sense. I don't know about the effects on birds as I was at sea for the one I saw (June 30 1973) and don't remember whether there was a change in wind speed. Not much help, sorry.

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Posted
  • Location: North York Moors
  • Location: North York Moors

In 1999 we only had a partial but it felt curiously chilly and you could see your breath - around the middle of the day in August.
If your held your hands out the sunlight had almost no warmth - it was almost like an impossibly bright moonlight 

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Posted
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.

Any good viewing points for this ?

The Faroe Islands? Otherwise, just make sure you've got a good south-easterly view in the hours after sunrise and get eclipse glasses. Where you are, I guess the Sun will be about 85-90% covered.

Edited by Crepuscular Ray
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Posted
  • Location: East Devon
  • Location: East Devon

I have. During the 1999 eclipse, the temperature dropped 5C and there was a strange chill and slight breeze.

I suspect any convection may weaken just after the height of the eclipse.

 

During an eclipse effecting North Europe (possibly 2008 though doesn't seem so long ago in my memory) I remember clearly seeing convective cumliform cloud weaken/decay over broad areas during/just after the passage of the shadow on Sat24.

 

 

During the 1999 eclipse I was 5 years old and was by the Avon Dam on south Dartmoor. I have a memory of it being cloudy and suddenly going dark.

 

Also I recently brought a solar radiation sensor for my weather station.. It will be interesting to see what it shows on the 20th.

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Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam

Does anyone have experience of weather changes during an eclipse. Temperature/ wind anything else

 

I've heard that the darkness is eerie and that birds quieten down, anything else?

I remembered that I have the actual newspaper report on the annular eclipse of 1921. About the same % of the sun was covered in 1921 as will be with this eclipse. The track of annularity was over NW Scotland

annulara.jpg

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Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam

On the 17th of April 1912, just a couple of days after the Titanic sank, there was an annular/total eclipse that tracked across Europe. The track of annularity crossed the city of Paris, where the annular phase was a maximum of 99.54% leaving just 0.46% of the Sun left.

In UK, a large partial eclipse was observed. From London, 89.8% of the Sun was obscured and temperature observations were made as conditions were ideal.

Here are some reports from Britain

Lewisham: The most interesting part of the solar eclipse was the unnatural yellowish tint and shadows cast by the crescent sun.

Camden Square: A depression of 4.8F in the shade temperature, 23.8F exposed on the grass and 39F by the solar-radiation thermometer was observed. The sunshine record was interrupted from noon to 12.20pm.

The sky assumed a dull leaden appearance such as frequently heralds the approach of thunderstorms and in the subdued light deronicum flowers in the garden showed a tendency to close their petals.

Bennington House: Clear sky, The Campbell-Stokes sunshine record was broken from 11.55am to 12.2pm during the eclipse.

Lamport Hall: Temp. dropped 5F during eclipse.

Great Torrington: Temp. dropped from 53F to 47.5F during eclipse.

From the Times of April 1912

annular1912c.jpg

annular1912d.jpg

annular1912b.jpg

annular1912.jpg

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