The total solar eclipse the 20.th of March 2015 on Mykines (the Faroe Islands and Svalbard)

The 20.th of March 2015 a total solar eclipse will be visible on the northern hemisphere. The eclipse will be total on the Faroe Islands. Kristianshús will extraordinarily be open for a fortnight around the date and one can book a place already now.
Pay attention to the fact, that at that time of the year, one can only come to Mykines by helicopter. So if one have the intention to go to Mykines, one must be in time to book a place in the helicopter. The helicopter can usually be leased but it is quite expensive to do so.

If You are interested in a stay on Mykines at that time, contact us either by telephone, mail or e-mail :  mykines@post.olivant.fo

Mail: Katrina Johannesen, FO 388 Mykines, Føroyar

Kristianshús	Telephone	++ 298 31 29 85	Fax	++ 298 32 19 85
Katrina Johannesen	Telephone	++ 298 32 19 85	Mobile phone	++ 298 21 29 85

About the solar eclipse

The totality of the eclipse can be seen in a up to 462 kilometers broad band, beginning in the ocean south of Greenland, going up over the Faroes, further on over the North Atlantic, where the centerline (the line of the middle of totality) passes over Svalbard and ends close to the North Pole. The Faroes and Svalbard is in this way the only pieces of land, from where the totality can be seen. The maximum of the totality is at a place in the ocean north of the Faroes, where it will have a duration of 2 minutes and 46 seconds. The greater part of the totality will be over the ocean, but Mykines and The Faroes are placed well into the total shadow of the Moon and the centerline is lies about 120 kilometers West North West of Mykines in the ocean between Iceland and the Faroes. As Mykines is the most western part of the Faroes and in this way is closer to the centerline than Tórshavn, it also is the place on the Faroes, having the longest duration to the totality. The totality has a duration of 2 minutes and 24 seconds on Mykines, 24 seconds longer than in Tórshavn.
The eclipse can be seen as a partial eclipse in the whole of Europe, most of the Northern part of Africa and far East into Siberia.

Facts for the totality as it will be seen on Mykines:

1. contact, where the shadow of the Moon will hit the face of the Sun seen from the Earth	8.38:33 UT
2. contact, where the totality begins	9.40:10 UT
The middle of the totality, where it is most dark	9.41:23 UT
3. contact, where the face of the sun again will be seen behind the Moon	9.42:35 UT
4. contact, where the shadow of the Moon no more will hide the face of the Sun, the end of the eclipse	10.46:58 UT

The times for Tórshavn are almost identical with variations within one minute, but the totality is 24 seconds shorter, because Tórshavn lies about 45 kilometers farther away from the centerline than Mykines.

The Faroes are well known for its unstable weather, which, by the way, is much better than its reputation and all the year round one can experience the most beautiful days with a clear blue sky. Even if it is overcast or cloudy on the day of the eclipse, one will experience the coming darkness and probably the strange behavior of the wild birds, the domestic ducks and the hens at the time of the eclipse.
It should be noted, that according to tradition, the kittiwakes take land the 11.th of March. At time of the eclipse, the places, where the kittiwakes have their nests, is bustling with activity. The kittiwakes are trying to find suitable places for their later nest building, which although usually first is beginning in May. But the pairing is in full swing, with loud courting when one bird flies up to one another at the places in the mountains, where the couple is planning to build their nest. So there's just as much sound from the kittiwakes as by mid-summer. The gannets are also all in their places on the shelves and fulmars are also in numbers as in the middle of the summer, courting each other. And that is not a quietly affair. Puffins can be seen at the coast from the 14.th of April, according to tradition, and they take land the 27th of April. So one should not expect to see them.

By searching the Internet one will be able to find many more facts about solar eclipses in general and especially about the total solar eclipse on the 20.th of March 2015.