Solar eclipse on Friday Aug. 1st, visible from both Estonia and Sweden

On this Friday, the 1st of August 2008 (NASA page here, DN article here) there will be another total solar eclipse. This time the maximum will travel roughly over the north polar cap from Canada through Russia and down in China (narrow blue path in the illustration). The partial eclipse (start and end position marked in pink in the illustration) will sweep over large parts of Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

In Sweden the partial eclipse will start at 10:39, be at maximum 11:42 and end at 12:45 CEST (local time). Estonia is some six to ten minutes later and will be reached at 11:45, maximum at 12:50 and end two hours after the first contact at 13:45 EEST (local time).

Remember, never look straight into the sun without protection, but do enjoy this marvel of the universe!

Pink Floyd - Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun:

Little by little the night turns around
Counting the leaves which tremble at dawn
Lotuses lean on each other in yearning
Under the eaves the swallow is resting
Set the controls for the heart of the sun

Over the mountain watching the watcher
Breaking the darkness
Waking the grapevine
knowledge of love is knowledge of shadow
Love is the shadow that ripens the wine
Set the controls for the heart of the sun

Witness the man who raves at the wall
Making the shape of his question to Heaven
Whether the sun will fall in the evening
Will he remember the lesson of giving
Set the controls for the heart of the sun

(Update: We've decided to host an eclipse-watching brunch at Liisa's parents' place outside of Tartu - all friends in the area who don't have to go to work are very welcome. We're not yet sure of how to view the eclipse or if to be ambitious about the brunch, but get in touch and we're open to ideas! Also the regular road is closed, we can give you directions)

(Update 2: Sorry, I got the DST wrong, it should actually be CEST and EEST, not CET and EET, so now that's fixed)

(Update 3: Did you see the eclipse? We did at least, even if we missed the opportunity to project it or take good pictures of it. My brother took this picture through a blank compact disk:


See, we were not kidding, there really was an eclipse!)