The Total Solar Eclipse of 06/21/2001

photographed by Bernd Brinkmann, Herne (Germany) at Kafue National Park, Zambia

The observation of the total solar eclipse was a complete success for everybody in our group of 14 german amateur astronomers led by Daniel Fischer, Königswinter and the two scouts provided by ZAWA. The sky was perfect clear besides a small patch of smoke from bush fires at the northern horizon (visible in the fish eye image during totality). So even stars of mag 7.2 are visible in the longest exposured slide with the 500 mm lens.

We observed from the north western corner of the Kafue National Park in Zambia at 14°02'13.3" S and 25°38'24.0" E. This was about 8 km north of the center line, which yields the longest possible duration of the totality of 3 min 46 sec for the given longitude due to the actual moon rim profile.

The images of the eclipsed sun were made through a Maksutov telelens with 1100 mm focal length @ f/10.5, a Sigma APO 170 - 500 mm telelens @ 500 mm (f/8) on a modified old Polaris mount and an 8 mm Peleng Fisheye lens on Fujichrome Velvia (ISO 50). The exposure times varied between 1/250 sec. (contacts) and 30 sec. (corona at mid-eclipse).

All images © 2001 Bernd Brinkmann. They may not be used in any form elsewhere without the written permission of the author.

The last minutes before 2nd contact.

Only a few seconds til 2nd contact.

The glas filter is removed and a ...

sequence of 2 images per second ...

is started ...

to capture the ...

shrinking sickle ...

of the sun.

Some Bailey's Beads ...

with a Diamond Ring ...

become visible.

A few moments later ...

only the chromosphere ...

remains and ...

dominates the image.

In the closeup the filamentary network of the protuberances are visible.

Then the exposure time ...

was increased ...

by 2 steps ...

for each consecutive ...

image until ...

30 sec. were reached.

This time around midtotality was used for visual observing with 10x50 binoculars and a 4"-Astroscan telescope provided by Tom Pfleger (Thanks for these great sights, Tom).

After a programmable timer announced the last 10 seconds of totality ...

a new sequence ...

of 1/250 sec. ...

exposures were started ...

to document the 3rd contact ...

up to the films end.

Beginning with this image ...

the Sigma APO 170-500 mm lens ...

was used with a focal length ...

of 500 mm @ f/8.0.

In this high resolution scan star up to 7.2 mag are marked.

This happens, when a long duration exposure lasts after the 3rd contact.

A fine Diamond ring finished the series of images of the 2001 eclipse.

The view throug a Peleng 8mm fish eye lens during totality.

A fish eye image with 7 h exposure time. In the middle is Mars, Venus and the Moon are rising in the east (left) behind trees.
Because of dew the trails of the stars become dimmer to the right.
This image is from the camp ground of Lochinvar NP.

This image of my equipment was taken after the eclipse as you can see from the bottle of fine zambian MOSI beer.

After the eclipse: the compulsory group picture of 14 happy german amateur astronomers and the 2 zambian scouts form ZAWA.

 

Besides the eclipse we stayed 3 weeks in Zambia and visited four National Parks and the Victoria Falls:

The Main Falls, where an umbrella isn't enough.

Only from a helicopter the full extent of the Vic Falls can be seen.

The largest variety of animals ...

were seen in the Livingstone NP:

zebras, buffalos, 4 of the 5 rhinos living in Zambia, ...

giraffe and ...

elephants crossing the road.

Also impressive: a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi.

This huge baobab tree is in ...

Lochinvar NP, famous for its birds and antelopes.

Here we stayed for two nights.

A scene in Mumbwa, on our way to ...

the Kafue NP. First we stayed in a camp at the Kafue river ...

with many hippos lying in the river and fresh lion marks only 100 m from our tents.

This is a typical dirt track in Kafue NP. We drove more than 100 km due north from the tarmac road to reach our next camp site ...

in the middle of the Busanga Floodplains. Here we saw ...

many birds as eagles and marabus.

This grasshopper visited us in our eclipse camp.

After 2 days back in civilisatin in Lusaka we headed for the Lower Zambezi NP, ...

where we stayed for 4 days just outside the park at the Chongwe River Camp.

On the other bank of the small Chongwe river crocodiles, ...

elephants and hippos ...

showed up from their best side.

On the way back to Lusaka we made an excursion to the Kariba Dam near Siavonga. Here you can see me at the 128 m high crest of the dam.

Our last hours in Lusaka we spent relaxed at the Vineyard Lodge, which has always been a pleasant home when we stayed there (6 nights at all during 4 stays).

The last view back to a wonderful country which we all appreciated during these 3 weeks.


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first published: 01.07.2001 by Bernd Brinkmann
orientation of solar images changed; closeup of protuberances added; text and new images added: 08.07.2001 BB

links to large images deleted: 11.02.2002 BB