On Friday August 1st people in Longyearbyen can witness an historic event. For the first time in over 50 years we will see the largest solar eclipse in Norway. UNIS will have a special pre-eclipse lecture and special sunglasses for the public.

Text and photos: Eva Therese Jenssen

On August 1st 2008 we will witness an almost complete solar eclipse, the first in over 50 years in Norway. The solar eclipse happens because the moon passes between the Earth and the sun and thus blocks out the sunlight.

Will hide behind the moon
The diameter of the sun is about 400 times bigger than the moon’s diameter, and the sun is also about 400 times further away from the earth than the moon. Thus, the sun can just “hide” behind the moon for a short moment so that it will become dark on the earth.

A total solar eclipse will happen in the Polar Ocean northeast of Svalbard. There the solar eclipse will take about 2 hours and 18 minutes from start to finish. However, we can also watch an almost complete “black-out” in Longyearbyen.

Associate professor Kjellmar Oksavik is excited about the upcoming solar eclipse. (Photo: Eva Therese Jenssen).

First total eclipse in 50 years
- Such an almost complete eclipse has not happened in Norway since 1954, and people at the mainland have actually got to wait until year 2097 before they have the possibility to experience such an eclipse, says UNIS associate professor Kjellmar Oksavik.

In Longyearbyen the eclipse will start at 10:39 and end around 12:43. Maximum eclipse is at 11:41 and at that time 93 % of the sun’s surface will be covered. The sun will then appear as a thin arch on the southeastern sky.

Can damage the eyes
UNIS wants to celebrate this unique event together with the people of Longyearbyen. We have ordered some 300 special “eclipse” sunglasses which are sold at 30 NOK a piece in the reception. These glasses are necessary to have in order to be able to look at the eclipse.

- Do NOT try to look at the eclipse with ordinary sunglasses, or through binoculars, telescopes or camera lenses! You can damage your eyes severely, and if you try to take pictures with a camera, the camera and lens can be irretrievably damaged, warns Oksavik.

Watch eclipse live on the web
Before the maximum eclipse, there will be a short lecture at UNIS at 11 AM about solar eclipses. After the lecture, people will gather outside with their special sunglasses to witness the maximum of the eclipse.

The Kjell Henriksen Observatory (KHO) at UNIS has put up a special camera that will take pictures during the eclipse. The eclipse camera is updated once a minute. You can watch the solar eclipse live here: KHO Eclipse Camera

New scientific discoveries?
- In case of cloudy skies, we have a back-up plan; we will show a live broadcast from China of the eclipse on the big screen in the reception area, says Oksavik.

This solar eclipse is monitored all over the world. Here at Svalbard the EISCAT radar at the Mine 7 Mountain will measure what takes place in the atmosphere during the eclipse.

This is actually the first time in the history of the world that such an eclipse happens so close to a radar that we have the opportunity to measure what actually goes on up there under such an event. - Maybe new scientific discoveries will be the result! If so, you should be able to say that “I was there”! Oksavik concludes.

This diagram shows the solar eclipse path in the Northern hemisphere on August 1 2008.