The total phase of the 2005 hybrid solar eclipse was probably seen by fewer than 1500 people world wide. This was a consequence of the extremely narrow path which crossed the South Pacific with no landfall. NASA's 2005 hybrid eclipse website has detailed predictions and maps of this remarkable event.
I was an expedition leader with Astronomical Tours aboard the M/V Galapagos Legend. Our April 8th rendezvous with the Moon's shadow took place about 2100 kilometers (1300 miles) west of the Galapagos just one degree south of the Equator. The ship carried approximately 81 passengers and 62 crew.
Bad weather plagued the expedition during the 24 hour period preceeeding the eclipse, but a great captain, good satellite data and a healthy dose luck brought us into clear skies just ten minutes before totality. The 10 to 15 degree rocking of the ship made photography a great challenge. In fact, it was difficult to keep the Sun within the field of view of a Canon 500mm f/4 image stablized lens. I didn't dare take my eye from the camera's viewfinder during the 30 short seconds of totality for fear of loosing the Sun's image. Thus, I had no chance to see totality with my naked eyes. This was a first for me in the nineteen total eclipse expeditions I have participated in. Nevertheless, I was rewarded with a set of photographs including the chromosphere, inner and outer corona.
Below is a small selection of photos obtained from the South Pacific. For more 2005 eclipse images, visit both photo galleries: Gallery A and Gallery B
Special thanks to Russell Brown (Adobe) for the loan of some superb Canon equipment to shoot this eclipse.
Click on each image to see a larger photo.
Espenak on Eclipse Day (Galap-1639w) "Mr. Eclipse" sets up his equipment on the deck of the M/V Galapagos Legend two hours before totality. Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Partial Eclipse - Magnitude = 0.63 (TSE2005-104w) Nearly 2/3 of the Sun's diameter is gone! (20:47 UT) Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Partial Eclipse - Magnitude = 0.93 (TSE2005-111w) Five minutes until totality! (21:10 UT) Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Chromosphere and Prominences (TSE2005-125w) Totality begins! (21:15 UT) Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Inner Corona (TSE2005-126w) A short exposure of the inner corona captures only the brightest parts. Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Middle Corona (TSE2005-128w) - Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Far Outer Corona (TSE2005-133w) Long streamers can be seen in a relatively long exposure of the corona. Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Diamond Ring at 3rd Contact (TSE2005-136w) Totality ends as the Sun's brilliant limb reappears along the Moon's western limb. Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Partial Eclipse - Magnitude = 0.97 (TSE2005-149w) Two minutes after the end of totality. (21:17 UT) Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Partial Eclipse - Magnitude = 0.63 (TSE2005-156w) The partial phase twenty-seven minutes after totality. (21:42 UT) Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
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Partial Eclipse - Magnitude = 0.14 (TSE2005-163w) The end of the partial phases nears. (22:23 UT) Total Solar Eclipse of 2005 April 08 (Pacific Ocean) |
All photographs, text and web pages are © Copyright 2005 by Fred Espenak, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. They may not be reproduced, published, copied or transmitted in any form, including electronically on the Internet or WWW, without written permission of the author. The photos have been digitally watermarked.
The photographs may be licensed for commercial, editorial, and educational use. Contact Espenak (at MrEclipse) for photo use in print, web, video, CD and all other media.
WebMaster: MrEclipse
Last revised: 2006 Oct 26