Sky-gazers looked up in awe on March 20, 2015, as the Moon blocked the Sun in a total solar eclipse. For a short time, a slice of northern Europe was in darkness.
The most spectacular viewing was on Norway's Svalbard Islands, near the North Pole. There, a bright clear day and blindingly white snow highlighted the cosmic wonder that is a total solar eclipse. For 2 minutes and 45 seconds, visitors to the Arctic islands were treated to a full view of the Sun's corona—the faintly glowing plasma that surrounds the Sun—something that's possible only during a total eclipse.
"All of the various things that you're supposed to see—the shadow bands, the corona, both diamond rings, prominences—it had everything. It had absolutely everything," said Richard Patching, a 63-year-old visitor from Calgary, Canada.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon lines up perfectly between the Sun and Earth. The Moon obscures the Sun and the lunar shadow lands right on Earth's surface. During a partial solar eclipse, only part of the Sun is blotted out.
Most of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa experienced a partial solar eclipse that March. British officials said that 95 percent of the Sun was covered in the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland Islands of northern Scotland.
This particular eclipse was notable because of its timing. It coincided with the spring equinox, one of two occasions each year when the day is nearly equal in length to the night. It also occurred as the Moon passed at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, adding a bit more gravitational pull on the oceans to create stronger tides. The effect was most noticeable outside Saint Malo in northwestern France and in the Bay of Fundy in eastern Canada, said Michael Quaade, a Copenhagen University astronomer. The Bay of Fundy is known for having one of the highest tidal ranges in the world.
Across Europe, officials warned people against looking directly at the Sun during the eclipse. Those who wanted to see it were advised to wear solar filter glasses that block the Sun's harmful rays. But this turned out to be unnecessary for everyone. Clouds covered large parts of the continent, making the eclipse hard to see.
In Germany, some people viewed the eclipse warily. There, a sizable portion of the population uses solar power, and officials feared that the flood of sunshine after the eclipse would overload the electrical system. But those fears turned out to be unfounded.
"We are very relieved," said Dirk Biermann, head of 50Hertz, one of Germany's four transmission system operators for electricity. "Everything worked out wonderfully."
For those who got to see the total eclipse in a clear sky, the experience was wondrous. In the Svalbard Islands, a few hundred people who had gathered on a flat frozen valley overlooking the mountains watched the Moon cross the surface of the Sun, producing a dramatic interplay of light and dark over the snowy landscape. They shouted and whooped. Some had come a long way to see this.
"It was just fabulous, just beautiful, and at the same time, a bit odd and…too short," said Mary Rannestad, who is from the U.S.
Total solar eclipses only last for a few minutes and are quite rare. They occur somewhere on Earth every 18 months or so. However, it typically takes 375 years for a total solar eclipse to happen over the same place again.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
What is this article mainly about?
On March 20, 2015, a rare solar eclipse occurred over many locations around the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The Sun's corona, the glowing plasma surrounding the Sun, is only possible to see during a total solar eclipse.
A spring equinox is one of two occasions each year when the length of a day is nearly equal to the length of the night.
Norway's Svalbard Islands are near the North Pole and were covered in blindingly white snow during the solar eclipse.
19 answers
On March 20, 2015, a rare solar eclipse occurred over many locations around the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The Sun's corona, the glowing plasma surrounding the Sun, is only possible to see during a total solar eclipse.
A spring equinox is one of two occasions each year when the length of a day is nearly equal to the length of the night.
Norway's Svalbard Islands are near the North Pole and were covered in blindingly white snow during the solar eclipse.
It would be wise for people not to risk harming their eyes trying to see a solar eclipse, even if they plan to wear protective glasses.
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon lines up between the Sun and Earth and casts a lunar shadow on Earth's surface.
In March 2015, about 95 percent of the Sun was covered over the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland Islands of northern Scotland.
On March 20, 2015, the Moon blocked the Sun in a total solar eclipse, and part of northern Europe was in darkness.
Offensive
Misjudged
Provisional
Justified
German officials will likely scale back the country's solar power operations now that they realize the problems that can result from a solar eclipse.
Richard Patching felt that traveling from Calgary, Canada, to some Arctic islands to view the solar eclipse was well worth the effort.
People on the Svalbard Islands were disappointed with how little they could see of the solar eclipse because of the snow on the ground.
People in Europe who were unable to see the solar eclipse in March 2015 due to cloudy weather will soon have another opportunity to do so.
In the Arctic regions on a detailed map of the world
Under the term "Calgary" in a reference book about Canada
Under the heading "Cosmic Events" on a space science website
In a book about different types of protective eyewear
The most spectacular viewing was on Norway's Svalbard Islands, near the North Pole. There, a bright clear day and blindingly white snow highlighted the cosmic wonder that is a total solar eclipse.
Which would be the closest synonym for the word spectacular?
Magnificent
Efficient
Regrettable
Unexpected
How was the solar eclipse that occurred in March 2015 different from some other solar eclipses?
Why were German officials' concerns about one particular solar eclipse unfounded?
Where was the most spectacular viewing on Earth of the solar eclipse that occurred in March 2015?
How did people find solar filter glasses to protect their eyes so they could safely view the total solar eclipse?
The Bay of Fundy in eastern Canada is known for having one of the highest tidal ranges in the world.
On March 20, 2015, a solar eclipse was visible over many places around the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
When the Moon passes at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, its slightly stronger gravitational pull on the ocean creates stronger tides.
German officials feared that the flood of sunshine after the solar eclipse in 2015 would overload the country's solar-powered electrical system.
1 answer