A total eclipse of the Sun [
http://www.mreclips…] is that special geocentric celestial event [
http://www.earthvie…] where the Moon passes exactly in front of the solar disk. During a fleeting [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] few minutes of totality, fortunate earthdwellers located within the path of the Moon's dark shadow can witness [
http://www.earthvie…] the wondrous shimmering solar corona [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] sharing the sky with stars and bright planets. The next total solar eclipse will occur tomorrow, June 21 [
http://sunearth.gsf…TSE2001.html ]. Since the Sun is still near the maximum [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] of its 11 year activity cycle, careful [
http://sunearth.gsf…] eclipse-watchers will also likely see the spectacle of bright solar prominences lofted above active regions around the Sun's edge. In fact, a telescopic view could be similar to this stunningly detailed image -- a picture of the solar eclipse of August 1999 taken at the beginning of totality from Kecel, Hungary. The upcoming 2001 June 21 event [
http://www.skypub.c…0009africapreview.ht ml ] will be visible as a partial eclipse from some of South America and much of Africa, but will only be total along a 125 mile wide path that tracks across land [
http://sunearth.gsf…T01animate.html ] through Southern Africa and Madagascar. Of course, if you can't travel to Africa tomorrow [
http://science.nasa…] (and you're not already there), web sites plan [
http://www.bit-net.…] to offer live views from the Moon's shadow [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…]!
Explanation
A total eclipse of the Sun [
http://www.mreclips…] is that special geocentric celestial event [
http://www.earthvie…] where the Moon passes exactly in front of the solar disk. During a fleeting [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] few minutes of totality, fortunate earthdwellers located within the path of the Moon's dark shadow can witness [
http://www.earthvie…] the wondrous shimmering solar corona [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] sharing the sky with stars and bright planets. The next total solar eclipse will occur tomorrow, June 21 [
http://sunearth.gsf…TSE2001.html ]. Since the Sun is still near the maximum [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] of its 11 year activity cycle, careful [
http://sunearth.gsf…] eclipse-watchers will also likely see the spectacle of bright solar prominences lofted above active regions around the Sun's edge. In fact, a telescopic view could be similar to this stunningly detailed image -- a picture of the solar eclipse of August 1999 taken at the beginning of totality from Kecel, Hungary. The upcoming 2001 June 21 event [
http://www.skypub.c…0009africapreview.ht ml ] will be visible as a partial eclipse from some of South America and much of Africa, but will only be total along a 125 mile wide path that tracks across land [
http://sunearth.gsf…T01animate.html ] through Southern Africa and Madagascar. Of course, if you can't travel to Africa tomorrow [
http://science.nasa…] (and you're not already there), web sites plan [
http://www.bit-net.…] to offer live views from the Moon's shadow [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…]!
Explanation
