"Thousands in S. Pacific pause to watch solar eclipse; Tourists flock to Easter Island for phenomenon" by Associated Press | July 12, 2010
LOS ANGELES — A total solar eclipse swept across the South Pacific yesterday, and was viewed by thousands of scientists and tourists on Easter Island.
Unlike recent solar eclipses, this year’s complete blotting out of the sun was visible only in a narrow slice of the Southern Hemisphere, but it followed a 6,900-mile path.
The spectacle began at sunrise about 440 miles southeast of Tonga and followed an easterly arc until it passed over Easter Island for about 4 minutes and 40 seconds. The longest duration of the eclipse — 5 minutes and 20 seconds — occurred over the sea.
The population of Easter Island, which is a special territory of Chile, doubled to about 8,000 for the event. Officials on the island increased security at archeological sites, including the 3,000-year-old monolithic stone statues that average 15 feet in height.
Just wondering how that earthquake rebuilding is coming along there.
The moon’s shadow also darkened skies over the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and parts of southern Chile and Argentina. In Tahiti, Polynesians turned away from the World Cup final on TV to watch the sun.
The sun was bigger than the soccer game?
Jay Pasachoff, an astronomer from Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., traveled to Easter Island with a small group of students to observe what would be his 51st eclipse. They planned to set up telescopes to image the sun’s glowing corona — the usually invisible outer atmosphere of the sun — which appears as a pearly white crown during an eclipse.
“I am sad that so few people will be able to view this year’s eclipse, since it doesn’t pass over major cities,’’ Pasachoff said in an e-mail.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth. The moon blocks the light from the sun and casts a shadow on Earth.
That would be the USraeli empire.
Last year’s total solar eclipse — the longest one of the 21st century — fell over a wide swath of Asia, but clouds and drizzle in some places prevented some from getting the full experience....
The next total solar eclipse will occur in November 2012 and will be visible from northern Australia and the South Pacific.Wow, one month before the world comes to an end -- if we manage to make it that that long.
Scientists recommend that people wear special viewing glasses during a total solar eclipse and avoid looking directly with the naked eye.
I'm needing those for my newspaper in more ways than one.
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