28 March 2006

The Solar Eclipse: 29th March, 2006

The Solar eclipse is a magnificent natural event that one can see maybe only once in a lifetime. Total solar eclipse occurs on Wednesday, 29 March 2006, in Brazil, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. This will be a spectacular eclipse, lasting over 4 minutes at maximum and visible by millions of people over a path up to 190 km wide. After Africa, the eclipse path crosses the Mediterranean Sea and enters the Asian continent through Turkey, where it hits land about 13:54 L.T. The path width is 171 km, and the duration on the centreline is 3 minutes 48 seconds. After this it will leave Turkey from the north east coast at 14:13 L.T., then it crosses the Black Sea, cuts a corner of Georgia, and then enters Russia, running across the north end of the Caspian Sea.


On March 29, 2006, Istanbul also will experience the solar eclipse (covered fraction is 86.7%) and our Terrace will be open to our guests. (First contact at 12:41 hrs., maximum eclipse 13:57 hrs. and last contact at 15:12). But we would like to urge that you should be careful when watching the solar eclipse! Please never look directly at the sun, either with the naked eye or through any optical device, including cameras, binoculars, or telescopes! You could ask for the safe solar glasses to the Reception (first come first serve!).

Happy observing!

PS: For a live photo-cast of the total eclipse from Konya click on the following link: http://www.tourkeyf.com/solar_eclipse.htm
GLOBAL WEB SITE: http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/

Shots from the Armada Terrace during the observation today: