Why see an Eclipse? A total solar eclipse is one of the most amazing astronomical sights one can see. In the field of terrestrial based astronomy there is little that compares to the wonderful interplay of orbital mechanics, cosmic coincidence, and spectacular dynamic views. For a few scant minutes the bright solar disk is completely covered by the moon; the sky is dark; brilliant sunset colors light up the horizon; the sun's corona shines around the inky lunar disk looking like a giant eye floating in the heavens; bright stars and planets are visible; then the diamond ring appears; some cheer; some cry; it is beautiful to behold.

Why chase an Eclipse? A total eclipse of the sun is only visible along a thin 100 kilometer wide line slicing across the surface of the Earth. That means you don't have a great chance of seeing one by just staying in one place. You need to travel to the path of the shadow. Those of us that travel with our telescopes and cameras to that thin line in order to see eclipses are commonly known as Eclipse Chasers. These web pages are about adventures around the world to see the greatest show in astronomy. If you are an eclipse chaser please consider sending me your pictures and stories to share on this web site.

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We all make mistakes - if you spot one on these pages, please email the web master for correction.Your help is greatly appreciated in this matter!

Author's note: This effort is dedicated to the memories of my father, Frank A. Kramer.  When we first went to see a total solar eclipse in 1972, we really didn't have any idea what we were getting into.  We enjoyed several together and have always enjoyed sharing our experiences with others who were interested. Since starting this web site in September of 1999 many thousands of visitors have stopped by and we currently average hundreds of unique visitors per day with tens of thousands per day surrounding eclipse events.  Your comments are most welcomed!

Original Created September 1999 by BillKramer

 (c)1999-2008 Bill Kramer