Darkness falls in Asia during total eclipse, luring masses

[BlueJessamine]

Source: CNN News

(CNN) -- The longest solar eclipse of the century cast a wide shadow for several minutes over Asia and the Pacific Ocean Wednesday, luring throngs of people outside to watch the celestial spectacle.

Day turned into night. Temperatures turned cooler in cities and villages teeming with amateur stargazers.

The total eclipse could be seen starting in India on Wednesday morning and moving eastward across Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, China and parts of the Pacific. Millions cast their eyes towards the heavens to catch a rare view of the sun's corona.

Cloud cover in some areas prevented people from fully savoring the phenomenon. Still, many were awed.


Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/22/solar.eclipse/

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Total eclipses occur about twice a year as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun on the same plane as Earth's orbit. Wednesday's event lasted up to more than six minutes in some places.

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In Chinese tradition, there is a story about a heavenly dog eating the sun. As the story goes, people would make noise to scare off the dog and rescue the sun, said Bill Yeung, president of the Hong Kong Astronomical Society.

[jus_the_facts]

1. Pictures from Spaceweather.com.....

[TheModernTerrorist]

2. AWESOME!!!!

It was overcast here in Tokyo, so I was a little upset.

[jus_the_facts]

3. Here's a direct link to the gallery of photos on that site....

http://spaceweather.com/eclipses/gallery_22jul09.htm?PHPSESSID=1lte3df4ndn3gmqhepfdmi1ut7

:hi:

[myrna minx]

5. Wonderful photos.

Thanks for posting.

[jus_the_facts]

8. I thought so too....

....had to share. :hi:

[inna]

6. astounding!! thanks for posting these images!

:applause:

[jus_the_facts]

7. You're welcome....

:hi:

[sarcasmo]

4. Kick, what an Awesome site.