Roughly 160 eclipse chasers went on the Astronomy Ireland trip to Antalya in South West turkey for the Total Solar Eclipse on Wednesday March 29.  I went on the trip myself, having never experienced totality, not knowing what to expect.  The group were divided up into three hotels in the Lara area of Antalya.  The day turned out largely clear with perfect conditions for the main event.  Some people opted to take trips to some spectacular viewing points in mountains surrounding the city.  I like many others opted to spend the day at our hotel.  Thousands of people had come from all over the World for the event.  In fact nearly all of the tourists in Antalya were there for the eclipse, some traveling from as far away as Japan and Australia.

First Contact: Credit David Moore	Minutes into Eclipse: Cr D. Moore

At 12:37 local time first contact occured and gradually the moon appeared to eat into the Sun eventually devouring all three of the visible sunspots.  At this stage the light had waned considerably.  Excitement grew considerably. Where before the temperature had been in the mid 30s it now dropped back to 12 - 15 degrees.  People were putting on more clothes. Gradually the crescent of Sun disc got smaller and smaller finally disappearing entirely with only the outer corona visible around the edges.  Shouts and cheers went up. I spotted the line of darkness run down a snow covered mountain in the distance.  Cats ran in fear under tables.  Dogs barked loudly.  Flowers closed in thinking it was night again.  Street lights came on all over the city.  At totality people were able to look directly at the Sun, or the hidden Sun.  Through telescopes and binoculars viewers were able to see several prominences erupting from the corona of the Sun.  After approximately 3 minutes we were treated to a most spectacular "Diamond Ring".  Everyone gasped in amazement.  Some people got very emotional.  It was really a fantastic sight.  Gradually the moon moved away to reveal more and more of the sun before eventual fourth conact.

Totality Cr: Alan Shattock	The Diamond Ring Cr: Mike Foylan

What an event!  What an experience!  There isn't anyone that could not be moved by such an amazing sight.  For me it was one of the most extraordinary events, if not the most extraordinary event I have ever witnessed!!!

Following are a few pages of some of your best photographs of the event.  If you were on the eclipse then please send your pictures and anecdotes to eclipse@astronomy.ie as soon as possible please.

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