Total Solar Eclipse of 2016 March 8-9
Cruise Ships in Indonesia or Micronesia
The point of greatest eclipse (totality phase during 4 min 9 sec) was located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean east of Indonesia where about 10 million people lived inside the totality path. To observe the 2016 March 8-9 total solar eclipse, I proposed tours only in eastern Indonesia, in the Northern Maluku, where the ground weather prospects were the best and the duration the longest. However the local infrastructure was fairly limited. The Woleai atoll, belonging to Micronesia, was offering the longest land-based duration very close to its maximum but its airstrip was out of order so the logistics would have been far too complex even though going there on a boat was a possibility. There were numerous viewing locations along the path, however paying close attention to the weather patterns and local terrain topography was mandatory unless you were on a cruise ship in the Pacific Ocean where the sky was usually clearer. Moreover the 2015-2016 El Niño episode did somewhat improve the weather prospects in Indonesia.
A couple of cruise ships plus a few dive boats were operating for this total solar eclipse. One advantage of being mobile is to be able to find a location from where the eclipse is visible.
Silversea MV Silver Discoverer
Cruise near the point of greatest eclipse. However why choose to sail against the umbral shadow displacement hence loosing six seconds of totality or else four compared to a stationary observer…
Post-eclipse simulation of the MV Silver Discoverer track during totality (created with my Solar Eclipse Maestro software) - Watch it in HD
Eclipse from the Silversea MV Silver Discoverer (photographies by Roger Arnott)
Complete route of the Silversea MV Silver Discoverer cruise (GPS track data from Ray Spears)
Ponant M/V Le Soléal
Cruise with an eclipse viewing in the Molucca Sea with a clear sky and flat sea on a stable ship.
Navigation display taken by Richard Fienberg from the helm station of the M/V Le Soléal at about 20 minutes from totality
Post-eclipse simulation of the M/V Le Soléal track during totality (created with my Solar Eclipse Maestro software) - Watch it in HD
Now if we look at the Baily’s beads simulations made with my Solar Eclipse Maestro software we can compute and check the contact times by matching the taken pictures. This leads to a totality duration of about three minutes ±0.4 second, that is perfectly inline with the predictions.
Second and third contacts by Rob Hawley on the M/V Le Soléal
Holland America Line MS Volendam
Cruise with an eclipse viewing in the Makassar Strait with a clear sky and flat sea.
Post-eclipse simulation of the MS Volendam track during totality (created with my Solar Eclipse Maestro software) - Watch it in HD
Composite panorama taken during totality by Polly White on the MS Volendam
Again we can have a look at the Baily’s beads simulations made with my Solar Eclipse Maestro software and see the excellent match between the pictures and predictions. Totality lasted two minutes and thirty-eight seconds on the MS Volendam.
Second and third contacts by Dirk Ewers on the MS Volendam
Complete route of the Holland America Line MS Volendam cruise