THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE
SUN
OF JUNE 21 2001 FROM ANGOLA
The astronomers, the experiments and the preparations...
(photographers : P. Plailly & T. Legault)
The observation of the eclipse by the teams of IAP (Paris
Astrophysics Institute), IAS (Spatial Astrophysics Institute),
CNES (Spatial Studies National Center) and OBSPM (Paris-Meudon Observatory) took place from the vast compound of the Petroleum National
Institute set not far from Sumbe. There also were amateurs from different origin: France, Portugal,
Austria...
For more information about the experiments and the scientific
results, see http://www.iap.fr/LaUne/Eclipse01/Eclipse2001.html
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June 18: general view of the 'Workshop' gathering scientists
and officials |
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Some participants |
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The official platform ; from left to right: prof. Domingos (Agostinho
Neto university science faculty head), general
Higino Carneiro (Kwanza-Sul province governor), Mr Burity da
Silva (minister for education and president of the interdepartmental
executive commission for the June 21 2001 eclipse), Mr
Pedro Teta (vice-minister of science and technology and coordinator of the
interdepartmental executive commission for the June 21 2001 eclipse), Serge Koutchmy
(responsible for the IAP mission) |
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At left Philippe Plailly, photographer of the Eurelios
agency |
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Serge Koutchmy during his talk. Irrefutable proof that we
actually are in the southern hemisphere: everything is upside down... |
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The questions session |
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June 20: the IAP (et al) observation site |
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My instruments : a refractor used for the images taken with
the digital camera and in parallel a small telescope with a binocular
viewer for visual observation, on a small equatorial mount (a total
luggage weight of 65 kg: hot sweat for the luggage transport and cold
sweat for their check-in in the airports...) |
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Ditto |
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Jean Mouette (IAP), Serge Koutchmy and the experiment with
the siderostat and the radial neutral filter |
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Ditto |
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Serge Koutchmy and the corona deep spectrum experiment |
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Ditto |
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Ditto |
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Daniel Crussaire (OBSPM/SAF) and the helium D3 line
experiment |
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Ditto |
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Christian Viladrich and the coronal green line experiment |
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Jean-Pierre Delaboudinière (IAS) and Philippe Marty (IAS),
white corona and electronic densities experiments |
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Ditto |
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Philippe Marty and Christian Viladrich |
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Philippe Marty prepares the eclipse live broadcast |
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The observatory from another angle |
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Jean Mouette and an Angolan photographer |
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Hubert Diez (CNES) and the Inmarsat system for the broadcast
at Le Bourget show |
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Jean Mouette and Serge Koutchmy |
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Jean Mouette and Christian Viladrich |
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The spectroscopy experiment assistant, Serge Koutchmy and Jean Mouette |
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An instrument on another site (Czech?) |
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Ditto |
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One again... |
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...and another one ! |
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Philippe Marty explains how to observe the eclipse... |
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...and distributes the solar goggles |
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The Angolan television prepares... |
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...the interview of Pedro Teta, vice-minister of
science and technology |
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The stress increases as the eclipse approaches |
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After the eclipse...the heroes are tired (at left Robert Roblet,
sturdy eclipse hunter aged 86) |
