View source for Solar eclipse of August 11, 1999

{{Short description|Total eclipse over Europe and Asia}}
{{Infobox solar eclipse|1999Aug11
|location = [[Ocnele Mari]], Vâlcea County, Romania
| previous         = Solar eclipse of February 16, 1999
| next             = Solar eclipse of February 5, 2000
}}
A total [[solar eclipse]] occurred at the Moon’s [[Lunar node|ascending node]] of orbit on Wednesday, August 11, 1999,<ref>{{cite web|title=August 11, 1999 Total Solar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/1999-august-11|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref> with a [[Magnitude of eclipse|magnitude]] of 1.0286. A [[solar eclipse]] occurs when the [[Moon]] passes between the [[Earth]] and the [[Sun]], thereby totally or partly obscuring the light of the sun for a viewer on earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon’s [[apparent diameter]] is larger than the Sun’s, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into night. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth’s surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide. Occurring about 3.5 days after [[Apsis|perigee]] (on August 8, 1999, at 0:30 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.<ref>{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=1999&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref>

It was the first total eclipse visible from Europe since [[Solar eclipse of July 22, 1990|July 22, 1990]], and the first visible in the [[United Kingdom]] since [[Solar eclipse of June 29, 1927|June 29, 1927]].

The path of the [[Moon]]'s shadow began in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and was later traversing the southern [[United Kingdom]] and part of the British [[crown dependency]] [[Guernsey]], northern [[France]], [[Belgium]], [[Luxembourg]], southern [[Germany]], [[Austria]], extreme northeastern tip of [[Slovenia]], [[Croatia]], [[Hungary]], and northern [[FR Yugoslavia]] ([[Vojvodina]]). The eclipse's maximum was at 11:03 UTC at {{coord|45.1|N|24.3|E|}} in [[Romania]]<ref>Stavinschi, M., National Seminar" The total solar Eclipse of August 11, 1999. Interdisciplinary approach, Bucharest, October 15, 1998 in: Romanian Astron. J., vol.8, N.2, p.146 (1998)</ref><ref>Scientific session " Eclipsa 99", Romanian Astronomical Journal, vol.9, N.1, p.103 (1999)</ref><ref>Stavinschi, M., The maximum of the last eclipse of the Millenium was in Romania, Romanian Astronomical Journal, vol.9, N.2, p.109- 114, 1999</ref> and it continued across [[Bulgaria]], the [[Black Sea]], [[Turkey]], the northeastern tip of [[Syria]], northern [[Iraq]], [[Iran]], southern [[Pakistan]] and [[Srikakulam]] in [[India]] and ended in the [[Bay of Bengal]]. A partial eclipse was visible for parts of eastern [[Canada]], [[Greenland]], [[Europe]], [[North Africa]], the [[Middle East]], [[Central Asia]], [[South Asia]], and [[China]].

==Observations==
[[File:Film eclipse soleil 1999.jpg|left|thumb|The eclipse as seen from France]]
<mapframe width=300 height=250 text="Interactive map of the path of the Umbral Shadow">
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Because of the high population densities in areas of the path, this was one of the most-viewed total solar eclipses in [[human history]];<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/08/10/solar-show-in-sky-or-on-the-internet-eclipse-at-dawn-tomorrow-marylanders-can-catch-a-glimpse-of-what-will-be-a-spectacular-total-masking-of-the-sun-elsewhere-in-the-world/|title=Solar show in sky or on the Internet|date=10 August 1999 }}</ref> although some areas in the path of totality (mainly in Western Europe) offered impaired visibility due to adverse weather conditions.

Some of the organized eclipse-watching parties along the path of totality set up video projectors on which people could watch the moon's shadow as it raced towards them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioinf.mpi-sb.mpg.de/conferences/ismb99/WWW/Welcome.html |title=ISMB 99 |publisher=Bioinf.mpi-sb.mpg.de |access-date=2013-10-01}}</ref> There was substantial coverage on international TV stations of the progress of the eclipse shadow. The moon's shadow was also observed from the Russian [[Mir]] space station; during the eclipse, video from Mir was broadcast live on television.

* The [[BBC]] concentrated its coverage efforts on the first landfall of the shadow across the western end of [[Cornwall]] (from [[St Ives, Cornwall|St Ives]] to [[Lizard (village)|Lizard]]), which was packed with an extraordinary number of visitors, although Cornwall did not have nearly as many spectators as expected leading many organised events to host smaller audiences than anticipated. The veteran amateur astronomer, broadcaster and eclipse-watcher [[Patrick Moore]] was brought in to head a live programme, but the eclipse was clouded out. [[BBC One]] also produced a special version of their [[BBC One 'Balloon' idents|Balloon Idents]] for the event. The BBC did not have a presence at [[Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station|Goonhilly]] on the [[The Lizard|Lizard Peninsula]], one of the few places in Cornwall where the clouds parted just in time for the total eclipse to be visible. There was extensive cloud in [[Perranporth]] which parted just in time, allowing the very large crowd that had filled the beach and hillsides to witness the event.
* Some of the best viewing conditions were to be had mid-[[English Channel|Channel]], where ferries were halted in calm conditions to obtain an excellent view. Hundreds of people who gathered on the island of [[Alderney]] also experienced the event.
* Also at sea, many of the [[Fastnet Race|Fastnet]] fleet contestants encountered totality crossing the [[Celtic Sea]] on their way to the [[Fastnet Rock]].<ref>{{cite news
 |url          = https://www.theguardian.com/science/1999/jun/07/eclipse.uknews
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20151017090419/https://www.theguardian.com/science/1999/jun/07/eclipse.uknews
 |archive-date = 17 October 2015
 |date         = 7 June 1999
 |publisher    = Guardian
 |title        = Boats warned of freak winds during eclipse
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref>
* A gathering of several thousand people at the airport in [[Soissons]], [[France]], which was on the path of totality, were denied all but a few fleeting glimpses of the eclipse through the overcast sky. The clouds cleared completely just a few minutes after the eclipse.
* In contrast, the overcast sky in [[Amiens]], France, where thousands had gathered, cleared only minutes before the eclipse began.
* Further inland, viewing conditions were also perfect at [[Vouziers]], a French country town gridlocked by Belgian cars from day-visitors. The patchy cloud covering cleared a short time before the shadow arrived. Some photos from Vouziers were used on the subsequent BBC [[The Sky at Night|Sky at Night]] programme.
* The San Francisco [[Exploratorium]] featured a live webcast from a crowded town square in [[Amasya]], [[Turkey]].
* [[Doordarshan]], the national TV channel in India, broadcast live coverage from [[Srikakulam]], hosted by TV personality [[Mona Bhattacharya]].
* A [[Bulgarian Air Force]] [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21|MiG-21]] two-seater was used by the [[Bulgarian Academy of Sciences]] to study the [[solar corona]]. The MiG-21, flying at 1600–1700&nbsp;km/h (1000 to 1100&nbsp;mph) (Mach 1.4-1.5) at an altitude of 13,000 metres (43,000 feet), was able to stay in the moon's [[umbra]] for 6 minutes. The photographer, an air force pilot, used two film cameras, both fitted with 200&nbsp;mm lenses and [[infrared]] filters, and one [[Digital8]] video camera.
* Hungary's most popular tourist destination, [[Lake Balaton]] and its surrounding area, fell into the path of the eclipse entirely, which made the area even more popular for the day. The motorway leading to the city was so crowded that many people had to watch the eclipse while caught in a traffic jam.
* One French and two British [[Concorde]]s briefly followed the eclipse with tourists on board.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hatherill|first1=Chris|title=When Astronomers Chased a Total Eclipse in a Concorde|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-concorde-and-the-longest-solar-eclipse/?trk_source=homepage-lede/|access-date=10 March 2016|work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|date=9 March 2016}}</ref>
* The [[BBC]] was filming one of its episodes for the TV series ''[[Airport (TV series)|Airport]]'' that day and, during the show, resident press officers Russell Clisby and Steve Meller took photographs of the eclipse at [[Heathrow Airport]], as well as [[Aeroflot]] supervisor [[Jeremy Spake]] witnessing the eclipse on a special charter flight.
* [[Radio Television of Serbia|RTS]], the national public broadcaster of [[Serbia]], urged people to remain inside, citing dangers to public health. This caused the streets of all Serbian cities, towns and villages to be entirely deserted during the eclipse (97% of Serbs stayed inside), with many opting to watch it on TV instead.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/3638412 |title=Atmosfear: Slobodan Milošević versus 1999 Solar Eclipse |publisher=Centre for the History of Science, Technology of Medicine |date=July 2010|last1=Janković |first1=Vladimir }}</ref>
* [[The BMJ]], a month after the eclipse, reported only 14 cases of eye damage from improper viewing of the eclipse - a number lower than initially feared. In one of the most serious cases the patient had looked at the sun without eye protection for twenty minutes, but overall the public health campaign had succeeded.<ref name="UK Public Health Assessment">{{Cite journal |title=UK hospitals assess eye damage after solar eclipse |last=Dobson |first=Roger |date=1999-08-21 |journal=The BMJ |pmc=1116382 |pmid=10454393 |volume=319 |issue=7208 |page=469 |doi=10.1136/bmj.319.7208.469}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Eclissi solare, Salisburgo (Austria).jpg|[[Salzburg, Austria]]
File:Sonnenfinsternis 1999-08-11 1.jpg|Partial from [[Paderborn, Germany]]
File:Solar Eclipse on Aug. 11, 1999 (46613465304).jpg|Partial from [[Oria, Italy]]
File:1999 Solar Eclipse (4707605549).jpg|Partial from [[Haarlem]], [[the Netherlands]]
File:The solar eclipse of Aug 11, 1999, projected through leaves onto the sidewalk (11304066).jpg|Projection in [[Oslo, Norway]]
File:Korona.png|[[Lake Balaton]], [[Hungary]]
File:Laon1999 47.jpg|[[Laon]], [[France]]
</gallery>

==Notable times and coordinates==
[[File:SE1999Aug11T.gif|thumb|Animated path]]
[[File:ROL 2000 1999 reverse.jpg|thumb|190px|Special [[Two thousand lei|2,000 lei]] [[banknote|note]] made for the 1999 total eclipse of the Sun, showing the eclipse path over the map of Romania]]

{| border="0" style="border:1px solid #999; background:#fff;"
|- style="text-align:center; background:#ccc;"
! Event || Time ([[UTC]]) || Coordinates<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEpath/SEpath1951/SE1999Aug11Tpath.html|title=Eclipse2017 - Total Solar Eclipse 2017|website=eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov}}</ref>
|-
| 1st penumbral contact with Earth's surface (P1) || 08:26:17
|- style="background:#efefef;"
| 1st external umbral contact (U1)|| 09:29:55 || {{coord|41|2.0|N|65|5.4|W||display=inline}}
|-
| 2nd internal umbral contact (U2)|| 09:30:53 || {{coord|43|0.1|N|57|55.8|W||display=inline}}
|- style="background:#efefef;"
| Greatest eclipse || 11:03:07 || {{coord|45|4.8|N|24|17.3|E||display=inline}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEplot/SEplot1951/SE1999Aug11T.GIF|title=Eclipse2017 - Total Solar Eclipse 2017|website=eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov}}</ref>
|-
| 3rd internal umbral contact (U3)|| 12:35:33 || {{coord|19|39.7|N|80|20.4|E||display=inline}}
|- style="background:#efefef;"
| 4th external umbral contact (U4)|| 12:36:26 || {{coord|17|33.5|N|87|17.1|E||display=inline}}
|-
| 4th penumbral contact with Earth's surface (P4)|| 13:40:08
|}
{{clear}}

== Eclipse details ==
Shown below are two tables displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. The first table outlines times at which the moon's penumbra or umbra attains the specific parameter, and the second table describes various other parameters pertaining to this eclipse.<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Solar Eclipse of 1999 Aug 11|url=https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/1901-2000/SE1999Aug11Tprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" align="{{{align|left}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|left|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"
|+August 11, 1999 Solar Eclipse Times
! Event
! Time (UTC)
|-
| First Penumbral External Contact
| 1999 August 11 at 08:27:19.0 UTC
|-
| First Umbral External Contact
| 1999 August 11 at 09:30:56.5 UTC
|-
| First Central Line
| 1999 August 11 at 09:31:25.4 UTC
|-
| First Umbral Internal Contact
| 1999 August 11 at 09:31:54.4 UTC
|-
| Equatorial Conjunction
| 1999 August 11 at 10:52:16.8 UTC
|-
| Greatest Duration
| 1999 August 11 at 11:00:37.9 UTC
|-
| Greatest Eclipse
| 1999 August 11 at 11:04:09.1 UTC
|-
| Ecliptic Conjunction
| 1999 August 11 at 11:09:33.8 UTC
|-
| Last Umbral Internal Contact
| 1999 August 11 at 12:36:35.5 UTC
|-
| Last Central Line
| 1999 August 11 at 12:37:01.7 UTC
|-
| Last Umbral External Contact
| 1999 August 11 at 12:37:27.9 UTC
|-
| Last Penumbral External Contact
| 1999 August 11 at 13:41:10.3 UTC
|}

{|class="wikitable" align="{{{align|right}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|right|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"
|+August 11, 1999 Solar Eclipse Parameters
! Parameter
! Value
|-
| Eclipse Magnitude
| 1.02860
|-
| Eclipse Obscuration
| 1.05802
|-
| Gamma
| 0.50623
|-
| Sun Right Ascension
| 09h23m08.3s
|-
| Sun Declination
| +15°19'39.7"
|-
| Sun Semi-Diameter
| 15'46.8"
|-
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 08.7"
|-
| Moon Right Ascension
| 09h23m34.5s
|-
| Moon Declination
| +15°48'38.5"
|-
| Moon Semi-Diameter
| 16'00.3"
|-
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 0°58'44.3"
|-
| ΔT
| 63.7 s
|}
{{clear}}

== Eclipse season ==
{{See also|Eclipse cycle}}
This eclipse is part of an [[eclipse season]], a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a [[fortnight]].

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Eclipse season of July–August 1999
! [[July 1999 lunar eclipse|July 28]]<br/>Descending node (full moon)<br/> !! August 11<br/>Ascending node (new moon)<br/>
|-
| [[File:Lunar eclipse chart close-1999Jul28.png|200px]] || [[File:SE1999Aug11T.png|200px]]
|- align=center
| [[Lunar eclipse#Types of lunar eclipse|Partial lunar eclipse]]<br />Lunar Saros 119 || [[Total eclipse#Types|Total solar eclipse]]<br />Solar Saros 145
|}

== Related eclipses ==
=== Eclipses in 1999 ===
* [[January 1999 lunar eclipse|A penumbral lunar eclipse on January 31]].
* [[Solar eclipse of February 16, 1999|An annular solar eclipse on February 16]].
* [[July 1999 lunar eclipse|A partial lunar eclipse on July 28]].
* '''A total solar eclipse on August 11.'''

=== Metonic ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of October 24, 1995]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of May 31, 2003]]

=== Tzolkinex ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of June 30, 1992]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of September 22, 2006]]

=== Half-Saros ===
* Preceded by: [[August 1990 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of August 6, 1990]]
* Followed by: [[August 2008 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of August 16, 2008]]

=== Tritos ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of September 11, 1988]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of July 11, 2010]]

=== Solar Saros 145 ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of July 31, 1981]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017]]

=== Inex ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of August 31, 1970]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of July 22, 2028]]

=== Triad ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of October 10, 1912]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of June 11, 2086]]

=== Solar eclipses of 1997–2000 ===
{{Solar eclipse set 1997–2000}}

=== Saros 145 ===
{{Solar_Saros_series_145}}

=== Metonic series ===
{{Solar Metonic series 1935–2018}}

=== Tritos series ===
{{Solar Tritos series 2010 July 11}}

=== Inex series ===
{{Solar Inex series 2028 July 22}}

== Popular culture ==

* ''[[Sleeping Sun]]'' (1999), by the Finnish band [[Nightwish]]
* ''Les Terriens'' (2000), French documentary directed by Ariane Doublet
* ''Les Ensoleillés'' (2002), compilation of around twenty short stories based on the 1999 eclipse, written by [[Joël Egloff]]

== See also ==
* [[List of solar eclipses visible from the United Kingdom]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{Solar eclipse NASA reference|1951/SE1999Aug11T|19990811}}
{{commons category|Solar eclipse of 1999 August 11}}
* [http://www.hermit.org/Eclipse1999/ Eclipse at hermit.org]
* "Club Krile Magazine", Vol. 11, 1999, "Air Group 2000" Publishing, Sofia, Bulgaria
* [http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/eclipse/990811/rp.html The Total Solar Eclipse of 1999 August 11]
* [http://www.eclipse-2008.ru/eclipse/1999.php Russia expedition]

;Photos
* [http://www.zam.fme.vutbr.cz/~druck/Eclipse/Ecl1999t/0-info.htm Turkey. Prof. Druckmüller's eclipse photography site]
* [http://www.zam.fme.vutbr.cz/~druck/Eclipse/Ecl1999n/0-info.htm Hungary. Prof. Druckmüller's eclipse photography site]
* [http://www.zam.fme.vutbr.cz/~druck/Eclipse/Ecl1999f/0-info.htm France. Prof. Druckmüller's eclipse photography site]
* [http://www.eclipse-2008.ru/eclipse/1999.php Bulgaria]
* [http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/Solar_Corona_Shape_pg03.html Solar Corona Shape]
* [http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/live99.html Exploratorium Webcast: Solar Eclipse August 11, 1999]
* [http://www.krysstal.com/ec1999.html KryssTal - Eclipse in Cornwall (UK)]—totality not seen but scene photographed
* [http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/ViewEntry.asp?EntryId=1270566 Solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 Romania, shown in Romanian Maximum Card] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821151844/http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/ViewEntry.asp?EntryId=1270566 |date=August 21, 2019 }}
* [http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/ViewEntry.asp?EntryId=1270571 Solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 Romania, shown in Romanian Maximum Card] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821151906/http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/ViewEntry.asp?EntryId=1270571 |date=August 21, 2019 }}
* [http://cmhas.wikispaces.com/ECLIPSE_Turkey Images from Turkey by Crayford Manor House Astronomical Society] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130209145519/http://cmhas.wikispaces.com/ECLIPSE_Turkey |date=2013-02-09 }}
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990817.html A Crescent Sunrise], [[APOD]] 8/17/1999, partial eclipse from [[Quebec]], [[Canada]]
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990818.html Sun Block], [[APOD]] 8/18/1999, totality from Hungary
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990819.html Light From The Dark Sun], [[APOD]] 8/19/1999, totality from Siofok, Hungary
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990820.html At The Sun's Edge], [[APOD]] 8/20/1999, totality near Bagdere, Turkey
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010408.html The Big Corona], [[APOD]] 4/8/2001, totality by [[Fred Espenak]]
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010620.html Total Eclipse of the Active Sun], [[APOD]] 6/20/2001, from Kecel, Hungary
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010621.html Diamond Ring in the Sun], [[APOD]] 6/21/2001, totality from eastern Turkey
* [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040926.html Looking Back at an Eclipsed Earth], [[APOD]] 9/26/2004, total eclipse shadow seen from Mir spacestation, chosen as APOD again on [http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070610.html 6/10/2007]
* [http://www.izmiran.ru/info/personalia/molodensky/Eclips99.html Russian scientist observed eclipse]

{{Solar eclipses}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Solar Eclipse Of August 11, 1999}}
[[Category:Total solar eclipses|1999 08 11]]
[[Category:20th-century solar eclipses|1999 08 11]]
[[Category:1999 in science]]
[[Category:August 1999 in Asia]]
[[Category:1999 in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1999 in France]]
[[Category:1999 in Belgium]]
[[Category:1999 in Luxembourg]]
[[Category:1999 in Germany]]
[[Category:1999 in Austria]]
[[Category:1999 in Slovakia]]
[[Category:1999 in Slovenia]]
[[Category:1999 in Hungary]]
[[Category:1999 in Romania]]
[[Category:1999 in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]]
[[Category:1999 in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:1999 in Turkey]]
[[Category:1999 in Iran]]
[[Category:1999 in Iraq]]
[[Category:1999 in Syria]]
[[Category:1999 in Pakistan]]
[[Category:1999 in India]]
[[Category:August 1999 in Europe]]