TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OF 2008 AUGUST 1st

2008 AUGUST 1st
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

SIBERIA, ALTAJ TERRITORY, BARNAUL

ECLIPSE OBSERVATION BY ALBERTO AIOSA

The total solar aclipse path of 2008, August the 1st, with a totality duration just over 2 minutes, is starting at Canadian arctic Archipelago, crosses Arctic ocean at northern Greenland, goes through Novaya Zemlya island up to Russian mainland and Siberia and goes south with center line close to Novosibirsk and Barnaul. Leaving Siberia, the eclipse path crosses along the border between Mongolia and China and finish in China near Xian's.
The siberian city of Barnaul has been chosen as observation site, north of Kazakhstan border and Altaj Mountains, because close to the eclipse center line and a main airport.
The expedition has been promoted and organized by Roman Amateur Astronomers Group Hipparcos of Via Nomentana n. 175 and his chief Dott. Maurizio Chirri. The travel program includes an extension to visit the Bajkal lake area, about 1500 km east, for his natural and geological interest.

Geographic coordinates and eclipse Local Times at observation site are as follow:

   Latitude:   53° 25' N
   Longitude:  083° 45' E
   
   Beginning of the partial eclipse (B.P.E.): 16:44:59
   Beginning of the total eclipse (B.T.E.):   17:47:32
   End of the total eclipse (E.T.E.):         17:49:48
   End of the partial eclipse (E.P.E.):       18:48:18
   Totality Duration: 2' 15,5".

PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT

Digital Camera CANON EOS 300D

Tele EF 300 mm f/4 LIS

CANON Extender EF 2X

Remote Switch RS60-E3

Tripod and micrometric head

Solar filters during partial phases:
aluminized mylar(white),
metallic-coated glass(red).

Sensitivity: 100 ISO.

BEFORE THE ECLIPSE

No solar spots detected on the Sun.

FIRST PARTIAL PHASE


	***CLOUDS***

Few minutes before the starting of totality, moving clouds put at risk the critical part of observation. During such stand-by condition, the solar filter has been removed and camera was setted at 1/10 second exposure time. It was difficult to track the Sun through the clouds and about 30 seconds of totality were lost, but suddenly the corona appeared out of center and afterwards the sky was clear till the end of totality.

TOTALITY PHASE

The last 3 photos, taken at about 3 seconds intervals when totality was at the end, show 2 beautiful diamond rings.
Time values marked on the photos have been given by the internal clock of the digital camera, but a correction has been applied comparing with another clock synchronized by Frankfurt time station, Germany.

SECOND PARTIAL PHASE

BARNAUL - OBSERVATION SITE ALONG THE OB RIVER BANK. Other observers with their equipments.

More eclipse information, including path maps, may be found at following web sites.
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/TSE2008/TSE2008.html http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2008Aug01Tgoogle.html

Alberto Aiosa is member of amateur astronomers group Hipparcos in Rome, Italy.

2008 AUGUST 1stTOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE SIBERIA, ALTAJ TERRITORY, BARNAUL

ECLIPSE OBSERVATION BY ALBERTO AIOSA

PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT

BEFORE THE ECLIPSE

FIRST PARTIAL PHASE

*****CLOUDS*****

TOTALITY PHASE

SECOND PARTIAL PHASE

BARNAUL - OBSERVATION SITE ALONG THE OB RIVER BANK.

2008 AUGUST 1st
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

SIBERIA, ALTAJ TERRITORY, BARNAUL

CLOUDS