The eclipse path proceeds from North Siberia throughout the Arctic Region, Iceland, eastern Atlantic to Spain and the Mediterranean.
Solar eclipse and the aurora borealis In the North Russia area where totality will begin at sunrise, the
aurora borealis could also be visible up to the beginning of the nautical twilight, depending on the intensity of the auroral activity at that date. If an extremely high intensity geomagnetic storm takes place simultaneously, there might be chances of seeing the aurora simultaneously with the eclipsed Sun. In the east of
Taymyr Peninsula (north-east of
Krasnoyarsk Krai) the maximum of total phase will occur on August 13 at 0:00
local time during
midnight sun.
Solar eclipse below the horizon Due to the considerable eclipse gamma (more than 0.8), observers, where the totally eclipsed Sun is
just below the horizon will have the chance to observe the lunar shadow in the high atmosphere, as well as shortened civil twilight and extended nautical twilight. The darkening of the twilight sky could improve the chances of observing the inner
Zodiacal light.
Bright planets and stars visible during totality Far northern
Russia will be treated to a dawn eclipse.
Mercury and
Jupiter will be very low above the rising eclipsed Sun, but Mercury will be showing most of its sunlit side and Jupiter will have its usual brightness.
Mars and
Saturn will be more advantageously placed in the northeast and southeast respectively. Of the bright
asterisms, the
Big Dipper will be very high in the north-northwest and the
Summer Triangle will be high in the southwest.
Aldebaran,
Arcturus,
Capella and
Pollux are other first-magnitude stars which may be seen, although they will be low. In
Iceland the eclipse will be a mid-afternoon event occurring about 4 hours before sunset, it will start in
Reykjavik at around 2:04 PM, with the total eclipse occurring at 3:15 PM.
Mars may be a challenge to find, because it will be low in the west.
Mercury and
Jupiter will be well positioned west of the Sun and
Venus will be many degrees to its east. Of 1st-magnitude stars from west to east,
Capella and
Pollux will be at decent elevations west of the Sun;
Regulus,
Spica (due south),
Arcturus,
Vega and
Deneb are candidates for easy sighting to the Sun's east.
Procyon will be about to set, while
Altair will be low on the opposite side. In
Spain the eclipse will occur about 1 hour before sunset.
Mercury and
Jupiter, west of the eclipsed Sun, will therefore be very low below it.
Venus will be brilliant well up in the southwest, with
Spica to its east.
Arcturus will be high in the south, and the
Summer Triangle will be well up in the east. Lower in the south,
Antares will be minutes away from transit. == Images ==