Solar eclipse images from China

[Starman]

I've just got back from Shanghai Pudong International Airport after a manic 75 hour round trip to China to see the total solar eclipse that took place on the 22nd July. My observing site was on the perimeter road of the Tianhuangping Reservoir approximately 800m above sea level and close to the town of Anji. Despite an estimate 6,000 observers on site, the Chinese showed how well they can organise large scale events such as this and the whole thing ran like clockwork. The forecast was pretty dire for the day (I hadn't slept the night before, watching a Japanese IR weather satellite feed) but the eclipse Gods smiled on us at the reservoir and despite some high cloud, we got to see the entire event from 1st through to 4th contact.

Fantastic to see such a vast and varied international gathering all watching the event awe-struck. Totality was manic and I'm sure was only around 30s rather than being closer to 6m as published What a sight with Venus shining brilliantly close to the zenith. This is my third eclipse and completely different in character than the other two.

Here are some early pics...

[Beyond_Vision]

That must have been a fantastic experience I love the final shot

Regards

Kevin

[FranckiM06]

Hello Starman,

It's very nice shot and I like the last one with the cloudy. You were lucky to get enough time without the cloudy.

Franck

[Jamie]

Hi Pete

Number 2 and 4 really do it for me.......Nice work.........

As usual......

[Paxo]

Love the images Pete, especially the corona detail in number 4, thanks for sharing.

Steve..

[Jaffa007]

Great pics Pete!

One day I'll get to see something like this in person, for now I'll make do with these. Thanks for posting.

[Jarndyce]

Wow, fantastic images.

Thanks for sharing them.

[afm038]

Pete,

Lovely images. So glad it stayed clear for you and the guys out there.

I've been lucky and seen 2 eclipses so kind of thought it would be 3rd time unlucky so sadly didn't travel to this one

Andy

[Taff]

Hi Pete' They are very nice pictures' with you.Mark

[barkis]

What a glorious sight that must have been.

An experience of a lifetime for any first timer witnessing a spectacle like this. Your pictures are staggering Pete.

Ron.

[Aza]

Very nice!

72 hour round trip to China??

Wow I bet that was crazy

[Doc]

You are a lucky man Pete. Fantastic shots and I bet a fantastic experience.

[Starman]

Thanks for the comments

Here's another shot of the elusive corona. The cloud made this quite a tricky thing to capture...

[David Galvin]

Ah so that is where you have been. Excellent results Pete and, as Nick H, the gods were smiling on you too. Now how about some images of that Jupiter impact?

[Imahumanbeing]

FANTASTIC pictures Pete!!

All the best

Jamie

[Starman]

Thanks chaps

Here are a couple more - an eclipse summary and a comparative image showing the Sun and Moon at the same image scale, taken on the day of the eclipse.

[DAVPPK]

Very nice, and I see you were in luck regarding the weather

Dave

[Starman]

Thanks Dave.

Here are a few additional shots...

[Tim]

Fantastic pics, they really capture the atmosphere for those of us who couldn't make it there ourselves.

Thanks Pete, great stuff.

Tim

[Pilchy120]

Nice pics mate

Pilchy120

[philj]

Superb images Pete that must have been an experience of a lifetime

Phillj