We moved from Shanghai to Wuhan at the last minute after looking at the weather forecast. Managed to see most of it but not as clear as last year's eclipse in Xinjiang. Jiahao will write a report (maybe) and I will post some photos when we are back.
Now I'm still having sore legs from climbing Huangshan! Tomorrow we will visit Hongchun and be back to Singapore on Sunday.
Cheers!
22 July Total solar eclipse
-
starfinder
- Posts: 1038
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 11:15 pm
- Location: River Valley / Tanglin Road
- Contact:
Elton and I observed the eclipse from a beachside pier/breakwater at Jinshan, south of Shanghai. There was also a group of a dozen Japanese and some locals at the pier. We had unobscured views to the horizon in most directions.
The skies were very cloudy with both a high-level band and low-level passing clouds. We saw various stages of the partial phases intermittently down to the point where the Sun was a mere sliver of light.
However, about 3 mins before totality, a large low level cloud drifted in and obscured the Sun until totality was over. A real miss!
Though we did not view the Sun during totality, I think a main draw of a total solar eclipse is the environmental experience, in this case the change of lighting and the sudden plunge into darkness. About 15-20 mins before totality, the ambient light took on a strange steely blue cast which was really weird: it was bright but dim at the same time and almost sickly.
With clouds in the entire surrounding sky, we saw the darkness creeping in steadily from the West just before totality set-in, like a large black hand enveloping our area. It was very dramatic.
The effect was more pronounced than during the March 2006 total eclipse which I witnessed in Turkey, where the skies were very clear.
This time, as totality continued, the surroundings got darker and darker, until at mid-totality, it really was like night during the day. The temperature also dropped a bit.
We were quite impressed by the efficiency of the authorities in China, as street lights in Jinshan were switched on about half an hour before 1st contact, and police patrols were made to maintain order. After totality was over, we saw fireworks being set off. (BTW, we were so impressed with the town of Jinshan, which is about 70km south of Shanghai. It is very neat and spotlessly clean with beautiful tree-lined streets and well-tiled pavements. A real surprise.)
A few minutes after totality ended, it started raining very heavily. I think the rain was induced by the drop in temperature. We took shelter in a small building on the pier until a very kind Chinese man drove us back to our hotel for free.
In Jinshan and especially at our hotel, it really was like a United Nations of nationalities. We saw or spoke with eclipse observers from England, Italy, Spain, Japan, Ukraine, France, Germany, Poland, USA, etc. One couple from England told me they had seen 7 previous eclipses.
I think a total solar eclipse experience could be apportioned roughly as follows: 20% viewing the partial phases as the Sun gets progressively thinner which is intriguing, 50% environmental experiences, and 30% viewing the Sun during totality.
Now, let me see, French Polynesia is next in July 2010. Hmmm.....
The skies were very cloudy with both a high-level band and low-level passing clouds. We saw various stages of the partial phases intermittently down to the point where the Sun was a mere sliver of light.
However, about 3 mins before totality, a large low level cloud drifted in and obscured the Sun until totality was over. A real miss!
Though we did not view the Sun during totality, I think a main draw of a total solar eclipse is the environmental experience, in this case the change of lighting and the sudden plunge into darkness. About 15-20 mins before totality, the ambient light took on a strange steely blue cast which was really weird: it was bright but dim at the same time and almost sickly.
With clouds in the entire surrounding sky, we saw the darkness creeping in steadily from the West just before totality set-in, like a large black hand enveloping our area. It was very dramatic.
The effect was more pronounced than during the March 2006 total eclipse which I witnessed in Turkey, where the skies were very clear.
This time, as totality continued, the surroundings got darker and darker, until at mid-totality, it really was like night during the day. The temperature also dropped a bit.
We were quite impressed by the efficiency of the authorities in China, as street lights in Jinshan were switched on about half an hour before 1st contact, and police patrols were made to maintain order. After totality was over, we saw fireworks being set off. (BTW, we were so impressed with the town of Jinshan, which is about 70km south of Shanghai. It is very neat and spotlessly clean with beautiful tree-lined streets and well-tiled pavements. A real surprise.)
A few minutes after totality ended, it started raining very heavily. I think the rain was induced by the drop in temperature. We took shelter in a small building on the pier until a very kind Chinese man drove us back to our hotel for free.
In Jinshan and especially at our hotel, it really was like a United Nations of nationalities. We saw or spoke with eclipse observers from England, Italy, Spain, Japan, Ukraine, France, Germany, Poland, USA, etc. One couple from England told me they had seen 7 previous eclipses.
I think a total solar eclipse experience could be apportioned roughly as follows: 20% viewing the partial phases as the Sun gets progressively thinner which is intriguing, 50% environmental experiences, and 30% viewing the Sun during totality.
Now, let me see, French Polynesia is next in July 2010. Hmmm.....
Hello Clifford Sir!
Didn't i said ur shoots are good one...![[smilie=good-job.gif]](./images/smilies/good-job.gif "good-job")
here are some of mine... [don't know how to post pics in this thread...]
http://www.singastro.org/album_showpage.php?pic_id=1131
or check in "my gallery":-
http://www.singastro.org/album.php?user_id=989
Didn't i said ur shoots are good one...
here are some of mine... [don't know how to post pics in this thread...]
http://www.singastro.org/album_showpage.php?pic_id=1131
or check in "my gallery":-
http://www.singastro.org/album.php?user_id=989
-
Clifford60
- Posts: 1289
- Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:41 pm
- Location: Central
![[smilie=wow2.gif]](./images/smilies/wow2.gif "wow2")
, we are lucky to be at HZ. 
