A solar eclipse was observed in the United States, Mexico and Canada in the past few days. The question is whether cloud cover over the past few days has thrown a spanner in the works and obscured views of the eclipse. The time came on Monday evening at nine o'clock (Dutch time). “We've just completed a total solar eclipse,” says Urijn Boehring of the Halley Observatory in Heisch.
“The weather has been looking very gloomy in recent days. Fortunately, we had a good view of the eclipse except for a few small clouds.”
Along with thirteen frantic members of the lab they traveled to America to get a better look at the natural phenomenon. “We're staying eighty kilometers from Austin, Texas. A very quiet place near a Methodist church. That's where we saw the maximum eclipse. It was nice and quiet. It was on the TV and the radio. We warned about the crowd. We didn't experience any craziness.”
“Watching the eclipse is a joyous moment.”
Urijana and his twelve fellow travelers are still enjoying the garden near the church. “It was still very exciting to see if we would see the eclipse. It was very cloudy. It was exciting to see if there would be a hole in the clouds until the last minute. We finally won. That was the moment of excitement. .The roof blew off.”
Members of the lab, in various combinations, have already experienced an eclipse twelve times. “All over the world. It's the first time for some. It's exciting every time. The weather is always different. Now thunderstorms and other disasters were predicted, but nothing came. The moment was interesting. It lasted four minutes. , which is relatively long for a solar eclipse. We got a good shot.”
“The next solar eclipse in the Netherlands is in 2135 and I won't wait for that.”
What is Urijana's most beautiful solar eclipse so far? “My first film was in Mexico in 1991. Not one. Traveling after a solar eclipse is not addictive. Every year there's one or two somewhere. Every few years I go out with a group of enthusiasts. I don't. I don't want to make it too colorful.” The solar eclipse is celebrated in the church with the church people together with champagne and a slice of eclipse cake. “We'll keep it a modest party.”
The next solar eclipse in Europe will occur in August 2026 in Spain and a year later in Spain and North Africa. “I don't have any plans yet, but who knows. The next total eclipse in the Netherlands will be in 2135. I won't wait for that.”
