Jump to content
Snow?
Local
Radar
Cold?
IGNORED

2015 March 20th Solar Eclipse


toggerob

Recommended Posts

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

A little way off yet (320ish days to go) but a pre-thread on the early 2015 Eclipse that partially will be viewed across the entire UK and Europe, I'm still in two minds myself as to wether i'll dedicate myself to this one as the locality of it makes the ideal vacation away, however it will happen in the early morning hours of March which in itself is a month that's predmoninantly wet and miserable especially the further north you go.

 

Looking at prices for short-days away it's going to eat at least £600 into the pocket, might it be worth finding out wether any ferry/commercial companies are doing a day trip to the Faeroes from Scotland solely for the Eclipse? something a little more wallet friendly.

 

In any case, if the weather turns out rubbish, for Manchester the max eclipse will be at 89% (09.32am) with places such as Aberdeen reaching a peak eclipse of 94%. Obviously the further north you go the more Eclipse you'll see but also the weather begins to deteroiorate in your favor odds-wise.

 

http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclipse/0112015/

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire

Thanks for sharing that info. A very interesting website.

 

With it being a Friday morning in the school term it looks set to be a potentially good teaching exercise for schools, especially as (I think) it will be the greatest amount of eclipse since the total one in August 1999 which of course was in the school holidays.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Light conditions set to fade considerably even down this far South going off the Stellarium simulation, not quite as dusk but definitely noticeable between 9.10am and 9.40am when the majority of the sun is covered. Even if it's cloudy outside (fingers crossed for clear skies however) even the daytime light will dim in a similar way to what it did in '99. Having seen a solar eclipse before with better odds back in 2006 i'm resisting the urge to splash out on 2.5k for this one, although in 2018 a more 'touristy' Solar Eclipse will occur across the entire span of the US from Los Angeles to the Carolinas.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Reading
  • Location: Reading

As a semi-regular eclipse spotter with mixed success (I've seen three total eclipses and one annular - the last I saw was in Turkey in 2006, but my last effort to see a total eclipse in China in 2009 was clouded out) I'm probably going to pass on this one.  Realistically the chance of seeing totality in the Faeroe Islands at one particular location is around 20-25%, perhaps rising a little if you're ready to travel on the day and choose a good starting point.  This rises to around 50% in Svalbard & Spitzbergen if you choose a good location (bearing in mind that travel will probably be difficult there), but these islands are much further away (and colder!)  Take a look at http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~jander/tot2015/tot15intro.htm for a detailed discussion of weather prospects.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...
Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam

I find that solar eclipses which are at least over 50%, that there is a change in the quality of the light.

I viewed the 1999 eclipse from my location and there was a perceptible drop in the light level. The sky had a deep blue almost purple look to it and it was darker looking in the direction of the totality path. So I suspect the NW sky and horizon will look darker than the SE sky and horizon at maximum eclipse for this coming eclipse.

During the annular 2003 eclipse, maximum eclipse occurred just before dawn here and I notice that the light level had dipped at maximum eclipse.

During the 2005 annular eclipse which tracked across Iberia, although it was cloudy, it was definitely duller around maximum eclipse which was about 65%

Other interesting factors, temperature drops, if convection is under going see if it weakens after maximum eclipse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Reading
  • Location: Reading

I saw the annular eclipse in Madrid, near the centre of the eclipse track.  In 1999 I was in Plymouth, which had about 1 minute 50 seconds of totality but was overcast, and remember the stunning drop in light levels as totality arrived.  In fact the drop was so fast that my eyes couldn't keep up - as blood was pumped to my eyes with each heartbeat the environment actually perceptibly brightened as my eyes rapidly corrected for the lower light.  A very strange effect, which I have never experienced before or since.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Boar's Hill, Oxon
  • Weather Preferences: Interesting weather
  • Location: Boar's Hill, Oxon

1999. We got the last 4 ferry tickets to Dieppe and saw the build up, through to totality and the warm sunny aftermath on a cliff top looking over the Channel, incredible. Temperature dropped 11 degrees, porch lights came on, dogs barking, horses running around and neighing, best of all from our high cliff position we could see the shadow actually racing across the water towards us, very spooky and exciting. During totality the whole horizon had sunset pinky red colours in all directions, it actually felt like we were under a lid. Saw Baileys beads, diamond ring, hilarious to see the sun as an intensely black spot. We spent so much time laughing and squealing, but also just saying wow! I have to say the experience in America, 2018 could be more like that than a cloudy Friday in the Faeroes in March, but you never know! Good luck hunting eclipses, it is worth it if you get a good one.

Edited by Woollymummy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

If anyone's going to go eclipse-chasing make sure you don't go with me. I'm a curse.

 

Went to Shanghai in 2009 and after nine straight sunny days the day of the eclipse was a complete washout. The weather was better for Cairns in 2012 but the low angle of the sun meant cloud bubbling up over the nearby mountains ruined the view (most of the sky was clear and I could see Venus). Just to add insult to injury places slightly north and south of me saw the whole thing. Interesting experiences all the same, especially in 2009 when it suddenly went pitch black and stayed that way for five whole minutes. The sky only dimmed in 2012 and totality lasted two minutes.

 

Torshavn averages 840 hours of sunshine annually (ouch) and the sun won't be that high during totality (less than 20 degrees above the horizon) so on the face of it a good view is unlikely. But you never know. The 2010 eclipse was written off near the end of its path in Patagonia with the weather anticipated to be poor and the sun barely above the horizon at sunset, sitting just above the Andes. But luck shone favourably on those who took the risk:

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Kingdom of Fife: 56.2º N, 3.2º W
  • Location: Kingdom of Fife: 56.2º N, 3.2º W

Siide, Turkey, March 29th. 2006. Perfect weather!

 

e2.jpg

 

e3.jpg

 

Temp drop was considerable and post eclipse there was a 22.5 deg sun halo.

Edited by frogesque
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: Near King's Lynn 13.68m ASL
  • Weather Preferences: Hoar Frost, Snow, Misty Autumn mornings
  • Location: Near King's Lynn 13.68m ASL

Fingers crossed for something like this come the 20th:

 

gfsnh-0-300.png?0

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

At the moment best guess is a relatively settled period but does not guarantee clear skies.
For the northern half of the UK this will be comparable to the last total eclipse in the SW,  and some interesting effects could be observed.
Most trees won't be in leaf but the last one in August this sort of thing was fascinating.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Bedfordshire 33m above mean sea level
  • Weather Preferences: Snowy and thundery.
  • Location: Bedfordshire 33m above mean sea level

At the moment best guess is a relatively settled period but does not guarantee clear skies.

For the northern half of the UK this will be comparable to the last total eclipse in the SW,  and some interesting effects could be observed.

Most trees won't be in leaf but the last one in August this sort of thing was fascinating.

I saw this effect in eastbourne during the 1999 eclipse, but on the ground.  had the day off the work but couldn't go to Cornwall sadly . 

Edited by Dami
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

BBC Sky at Night magazine is giving away eclipse glasses.

 

Apparently, one way to produce a multiple-eclipse effect a bit like 4WD's one from leaves is a to use a colander with round holes.

 

What I found eerie both in the 1999 one (partial as seen from London, of course) and the 1973 one off Africa before totality is the way the colour of the light changes to a slightly bluey-grey, presumably as there's less direct light and a greater proportion of what there is has been scattered.

 

 

What a lot of alarmist tripe:

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/biggest-solar-eclipse-since-1999-could-plunge-britain-into-darkness-10067907.html

 

Anyone would think it didn't ever get dark in this country.

Edited by Crepuscular Ray
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

I saw this effect in eastbourne during the 1999 eclipse, but on the ground.  had the day off the work but couldn't go to Cornwall sadly . 

 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam

 

What a lot of alarmist tripe:

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/biggest-solar-eclipse-since-1999-could-plunge-britain-into-darkness-10067907.html

 

Anyone would think it didn't ever get dark in this country.

Garbage.

The quality of journalism today leaves a lot to be desired. Did the journalist not think how Europe copes during December and January when we have the least sunlight when electricity consumption will be higher?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: Whaley Bridge - Peak District
  • Location: Whaley Bridge - Peak District

Only 15 days to go now, I'll be out on the field weather permitting watching the penumbral shadow crossing over to the north via camera timelapse. I'll try not to forget to look out for the crescent shadow effects aswell as the local wildlife wondering what's going on, something I saw firsthand back in Turkey 2006 when a wading bird was within touching distance to me on the beach and looked quite puzzled as to what was happening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • UK Storm and Severe Convective Forecast

    UK Severe Convective & Storm Forecast - Issued 2024-03-29 07:13:16 Valid: 29/03/2024 0600 - 30/03/2024 0600 THUNDERSTORM WATCH - FRI 29 MARCH 2024 Click here for the full forecast

    Nick F
    Nick F
    Latest weather updates from Netweather

    Difficult travel conditions as the Easter break begins

    Low Nelson is throwing wind and rain at the UK before it impacts mainland Spain at Easter. Wild condtions in the English Channel, and more rain and lightning here on Thursday. Read the full update here

    Netweather forecasts
    Netweather forecasts
    Latest weather updates from Netweather

    UK Storm and Severe Convective Forecast

    UK Severe Convective & Storm Forecast - Issued 2024-03-28 09:16:06 Valid: 28/03/2024 0800 - 29/03/2024 0600 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH - THURS 28 MARCH 2024 Click here for the full forecast

    Nick F
    Nick F
    Latest weather updates from Netweather
×
×
  • Create New...