Solar eclipse in Spitsbergen: total darkness – total success

The weather Gods were on our side today here in Spitsbergen during the solar eclipse: some thin clouds cleared up during the morning to give an undisturbed view of a brilliantly clear sky. Thousands of visitors and locals went to Adventdalen near Longyearbyen to observe the spectacle, and the tension was rising when the totality approached at 11.12 a.m. local time.

Solar eclipses have been described many times and are, at the same time, indescribable, so I won’t try. I thought that those who said a total solar eclipse was still something completely different than a partial one were exaggerating, but it is completely true, and we are very glad to have seen it. Total darkness and total cold in the fingertips, but it was absolutely worth it. The moment the corona was blossoming … but I didn’t want to describe it. So: photos! Of course I took some photos, something that wasn’t that easy … can we please do it again? 😉