Astronomy --- Partial Solar Eclipse 2011

Published:

27.03.2025

In the early morning of January 4, 2011, a cold Tuesday, a partial solar eclipse took place worldwide. In Germany the sun was covered by a maximum of 80 percent, and it threatened to be 100 percent covered by a stubborn cloud cover.

Although I had the event in the back of my mind, I didn't have high hopes because of the clouds and had already written off the successful sighting in the meantime.

That day I had a day off and an empty fridge, so I made a detour to the supermarket at the time of the eclipse. I didn't have much more than a digital camera and a small tripod in my luggage, and suddenly the rather nibbled sun rose in front of me.

That's how it can happen. I set off without much expectation, but then arrived back home with a few nice photos and a backpack full of food.

The images were taken at 10:40 CET, plus or minus 10 minutes. From the Ehrenfeld Grüngürtel (Green Belt), less than 20 meters from the main entrance of the Colonius Telecommunications Tower, with a view to the east.

More information about the eclipse
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonnenfinsternis_vom_4._Januar_2011
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEplot/SEplot2001/SE2011Jan04P.GIF

Small Fun-Fact
Without the light cloud cover, I wouldn't have seen much of the eclipse. I didn't have any sun filters with me, not even something improvised, so I could hardly have looked into the sun and the camera would only have recorded a bright spot. Totally overexposed and no trace of an occultation. With the high-flying H₂O solar filter, it went much better than hoped on the way there.

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Astronomy --- Partial Solar Eclipse 2011

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