Total Solar Eclipse in the Libyan Sahara Desert

2006.03.28 - Tuesday - Benghazi - Eclipse Day - We departed from Benghazi this morning at 8am on our bus headed to the Eclipse Camp, south of Jalu. After picking up some water and box lunches, we finally got underway at 9:30am. We made several pit stops along the way, including a lunch stop on the roadside. We saw some sheep and camels being herded beside the road. The closer we approach our Eclipse Camp south of Jalu, the more frequent the security check points.

Along the way down, we went through multiple check points. Security has been high for this trip - we have a Tourist Police aboard our bus at all time, as well as our Numidia Tours guide and our driver. The Libyans are taking no chances of any "tourist incidents" happening for this Solar Eclipse event!

We have arrived! My GPS says we are at N28° 13' 48" E21° 30' 44". The eclipse camp is amazing:

This evening the organizers in the dining hall lost control of the crowd of 500-1,000 who showed up for dinner around 8pm. Libyans were crashing the line, pushing the tourists back - a bad scene. Most of my group ate dinner around 9pm. Needless to say, we were exceedingly hungry by then! I found a small stuffed camel in one of the shops, which will make a nice gift for someone special.

There were perhaps 500-1,000 people at our camp, and I could see at least two other camps nearby. Everyone was pretty excited to finally be at our destination - the reason for our long journey.  After some supper, most of us adjourned to a coffee shop setup in the desert, and shot the breeze for awhile, then retired to bed. We were all tired after being in the bus and on the road for 8 hours.

2006.03.29 - Wednesday - Solar Eclipse, then travel from the Eclipse Camp to Benghazi - The following morning, everyone was well-rested and ready to go. Breakfast was a bun and some cheese from Mahmood (Bestway Tours). Then a few of us went over to the coffee shop for our morning coffee before setting up for the eclipse.

First thing was equipment checks and setup. We had lots of curious Libyans and fellow campers (from around the world) asking us questions about ourselves, our equipment, and (in the case of the Libyans) what we thought of their country. The atmosphere was very energized! We had two weathermen with us, as well as a half dozen experienced eclipse chasers who I found personally very helpful.

Patrick, Marvin and I all wore our Ghutras, which caused all sorts of fellow eclipse chasers and Libyans to either take our pictures, or want pictures taken with themselves standing beside one (or all) of us. We ditched the Ghutras after the eclipse was over.  Lunch was served around 3pm, which was very well organized today.

As we counted down to First Contact, people were really getting excited. Finally, "first contact" was shouted out, and we all looked up to see the first chunk of the Sun being eclipsed by the Moon. What a strange site! Over the next few minutes more and more of the Sun was eclipsed, until we could feel the temperature of the Saharan heat start to drop. Next came a strange change in the colour of the surrounding light. As things started to darken more, the temperature also dropped more - a total of 7 or 8°C by the end.

At Second Contact, the Moon totally eclipses the Sun, and the Diamond Ring (see image below) appears for a brief few seconds, closely followed by Bailey's Beads and solar prominences. What a site, and it happens so quickly! Then for 4 minutes we have the total eclipse to enjoy and photograph. The Sun's corona was magnificent, streamers of plasma flowing outward from the Sun (see image to right). I was taking photographs all through the sequence. The full eclipse phase is so strange, since no solar filters are needed to observe the Sun while fully-eclipsed by the Moon.  I can appreciate why some people become so emotional during an eclipse.

Too soon we came to Third Contact, where we have to again use solar filters, since the energy of the Sun is now at full strength. Some of our group observed until Fourth Contact, making observations along the way. Being less dedicated, I stopped photographing during this phase, and just enjoyed the occasional glance at the eclipsed sun through my filtered binoculars.

A solar eclipse can be enjoyed in many ways - direct observation, photography, and observing changes in the light, ambient temperature and wildlife in the area, or just sharing the experience with others. We have a great group, with everyone helping each other to enjoy the experience. We did a fair bit of ambassadorship for Canada, the RASC, and astronomy in general - Sidewalk Astronomy in the Sahara!

So I observed my first total solar eclipse from the middle of the Libyan Sahara Desert - very exciting! Bailey's Beads, the Diamond Ring, solar flares and the corona were all superb as viewed though my binoculars and through my Canon EF 400mm L series telephoto lens on my Canon Digital Rebel dSLR. The photos I took of the event turned out very well.

We departed Eclipse Camp around 4pm bound for Benghazi. We arrived back in the Garifuna Resort at about 10pm. After a quick dinner, I showered off that desert sand and then went to bed. It had been a long, but very rewarding day!  The eclipse was a tremendous success, with the weather being absolutely perfect.

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