Solar Eclipse - 21 June 2001

Solar Eclipse - 21 June 2001

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I would like to thank everyone that supported and responded to my "live" image updates (webcast) of the solar eclipse on June 21st, 2001.

During this event, I gathered a total of 1156 images. On this page, I am including some of the images I captured as well as a graph of information I derived from the images. I also included an image of the setup I used to host the "live" image updates.

Some of the images gathered.

	Before the eclipse started. 13h38m06s Local Time.
	Just after the eclipse started (first contact). 13h41m57s Local Time.
	About half way between the start and maximum. 14h30m00s Local Time.
	Just after maximum. 15h05m03s Local Time.
	About half way between maximum and end. 15h40m05s Local Time.
	Just before the end (last contact). 16h15m58s Local Time.
	After the end of the eclipse. 16h19m58s Local Time

Analyzing the images.

Recording the images gave me the opportunity to analyse them. Removing the time label from the images, I derived the white pixel count from all then images. This basically represents the area of the sun covered by the moon.

The following chart represents the information derived from the images.

Image recording setup.

Using my telescope to track the sun, I mounted a tube over the eyepiece so that the image from the eyepiece is projected into a screen inside the tube. The image on the screen is then captured by am AlphaCam camera also mounted inside the tube. The AlphaCam software captured am image every 10 seconds and using a software program I wrote, an image was uploaded to my web page every minute.

Some of the comments I received from the webcast:

"Hi Mauritz!
Dankie vir die interessante gegewens. Ons is nie so gelukkig soos bv. Ariana wat Zambia toe vlieg vir die dag nie. Ek het geskimp om te help toerusting dra maar dit het op dowe ore geval!
Ek sal beslis more jou website besoek. Ek stuur hierdie ook na my sterrekunde distribusielys.
Goed gaan en sien jou binnekort."

"Thanks for the eclipse site."

"Thanks, I didn't have the time to run outside to watch the progress, this way I could "pop in" and check where things were at. Thank you."

"I enjoyed watching the eclipse on your site very much. Thank you for providing the image."

"Hello Mauritz, Thanks for sharing me the solar eclips! well done! Best wishes"

"It is just so amasing the manner in which the solar system functions. By looking at the solar eclips one cannot comprehend the awsome power of nature. I don't think that man will ever be able to stand up against, the power of nature without the los of life. Man can only respect its power and beauty. Thanks for the image clips they are great. This must have taken allot of effort on your part. Thanks once again. Do you have any still pictures?"

"Very nice...enjoyed the sky diving pics..."

The photos were all taken by Mauritz Geyser

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