On August 11th 1999, a total eclipse of the sun
will be visible between Penzance and Plymouth, on the southern coast of Cornwall, UK. For
those who can't be there, or just can't wait, we proudly present our own simulation of the way this stunning spectacle will be seen from St Mawes Castle, opposite Pendennis Castle, Falmouth .
The
total eclipse occurs when the Moon's orbit round the Earth takes it directly between the
Earth and the Sun.
As the moon begins to pass across the surface of the Sun, daylight starts to fade.
When the moon is directly between the Earth and Sun, darkness falls. The air is filled with the deafening sound of 2 million camera shutters all going at once. The Sun's Corona, columns of fiery gasses hundreds of thousands of miles long, is visible.
After a couple of minutes the Moon moves away from the Sun, and daylight returns.
