On Feb 7th 2008 a local group joined by some tourists met to observe the partial solar eclipse. We started with the big 15" scope and caught the first contact. We simultaneously watched the view in H-Alpha and tried out a variety of pinhole cameras to project the changing image. Mid-eclipse we connected the occo camera for a close-up video recording of the sun while watching on the big screen TV in the observatory. The weather was ideal. We had light clouds, but they only served to accentuate the experience - we watched as light viels passed across the Sun - they never for a moment interrupted our view. Meanwhile the temperature did drop a little, but probably only noticeable by those watching for it! For the last twenty minutes we moved the white light filter to the computerised scope outside the dome, as the sun dipped beyond the reach of the 15" scope. One participant dashed home just after mid-eclipse to experiment himself with other methods of projection - eg in a pond or bowl of water. Meanwhile e-mails came in from around New Zealand of even more inventive ways to watch the eclipse - a tin man with eclipse shape suns for eyes, through a sieve producing hundreds of eclipse suns or even by appreciating the sunlight cutting through the leaves of a tree! The H-Alpha photos from Andy Dodson were so far superior to those printed by the National paper, and we received great coverage with photo credits and quotes in the Nortern Advocate. Everyone who attended received a copy of the H-Alpha photos the next day.

In October 2005, there was a partial eclipse of the Moon, which was visible from New Zealand. Only a small part of the moon was covered by the shadow of the Earth. Click here for a map. Pictures are now available here (low res) or here (high-res).

On 9th April 2005 there was hybrid (total/annular) eclipse of the Sun visible from parts of the Pacific Ocean. Only the partial phase was visible from New Zealand, just after sunrise. Read about our trip to the east coast to see this event (on pages 2-3).

In 2012 there will be another transit of Venus across the face of the Sun. Read about our observations of the last transit of Venus in 2004 - the first one for 122 years.

For a full list of upcoming eclipses, as well as photgraphs from eclipses past, why not visit the website of Mr Eclipse himself, NASA eclipse-chaser Fred Espenak.