Photo: Albert Dros
August 12 — Total Solar Eclipse
EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF TOTALITY
Voor België en Nederland: lees hier over de grootste zonsverduistering sinds 1999!If you “ever” want to see a total eclipse, make sure you are in northern Spain on August 12 —
in the narrow path where the Moon completely eclipses the Sun (map below).
You can hear all about it in this focus talk:
(as presented on the Nerdland Science Festival)
To prepare you for the eclipse… we will be sharing the following here in the coming days:
*** Your checklist to use during the eclipse ***
Especially at the time of totality, everything moves so incredibly fast that a checklist can help you see as many remarkable phenomena and effects as possible.
With the checklist, we provide you with a chronological overview , including a number of points of attention, events, and (visual) phenomena for each phase of the eclipse that you can specifically pay attention to, both in the sky and on Earth.
If you missed something in an earlier phase, you can (sometimes) "catch up" afterwards and tick it off.Phenomena visible only around or during totality:
Bailey's beads, diamond ring, corona, chromosphere, solar flares… but also lesser-known “specialties” such as…
the werewolf effect, flying shadows, 360° twilight, stars and planets, local weather, effects on animals and plants…
*** 42 tips & tricks to see and experience as much as possible ***
There is a lot to tell! A few points that will be covered:
What methods can you use to observe the eclipse?
What should you take into account for your observation site?
What are the best sources for climate data and weather forecasts?
How can you prepare for the day of the eclipse itself?
This map shows the path of the total eclipse in Spain.
The eclipse lasts longest along the central line (in purple).
A total solar eclipse only occurs between the blue lines!
Be aware that the eclipse is not total in Barcelona or the center of Madrid.
March 29, 2025
Partial solar eclipse
It was a beautiful show, this 35% eclipse!
It was a pleasure to share this rare natural phenomenon with many beautiful people in Ghent — at the visitor centre of the Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen nature reserve.
Video: Stijn Dessel — www.stijndessel.com
Looking back at previous eclipses
August 11, 1999
Total solar eclipse
A total solar eclipse in a small country is extremely rare. The previous total solar eclipse in the region we call Belgium today was in the year 1460. The next ones won't come until 2142 and 2151. Go ahead and reserve the best freezer and star astro guide here ;-)
For many Belgians, 1999 was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Those who experienced it still remember exactly where they were on August 11. An unforgettable experience!
