Report

Bill Kramer reports: On board the MS Veendam off the coasts of Curacao and Aruba. The perfect place to be given the time of year! The temperature was in the 20's and 30's (F) in Ohio, but in the southern Caribbean, it was in the 80's (F)!
 
We had wonderful weather for the first days of the cruise and were excited to find mostly clear sky conditions as we arrived as the pre-determined eclipse viewing position. As the sun rose above the forward decks, clouds began to become threatening. That is when the ability of the cruise ship to move became very important and our captain immediately began plotting clearer weather alternatives.
 
As the eclipse time neared, the decks got more and more crowded with eclipse viewers. Most of the viewers did not bring cameras and instead opted for the lounge chairs that had been hidden away by the crew the previous evening. By far the best way to observe an eclipse is with a lounge chair and a good set of binoculars. From this vantage point, the horizon can be seen along with the darkened sky with planets and stars and the corona in all it's splendor. A small telescope reveals a mesmerizing image too that one can be lost in it alone, especially when there are many prominences.
 
During totality the ship moved slowly, matching the wind speed and direction so that there was no wind across the deck at all. Due to the cooling effect of the eclipse, this created a very comfortable atmosphere. There was some motion however the ship stabilizers minimized it. Even in the telescope, the image did not move too much and we were able to capture many excellent images.
 
Viewing totality through a telescope is truly an awesome sight. The details of the coronal streams and prominences are striking to say the least and photographs do not capture the true picture as seen by the human eye. The view through a telescope reveals detail the eye cannot see alone. The brightness of the corona diminishes quickly the further you look from the sun. Following the coronal streamers I was able to see detail out past 2 solar diameters.