The total solar eclipse of March 20 2015 will be visible in the north Atlantic and Arctic Ocean, including the Faroes and Svalbard. Despite its inaccessibility, this will be a significant total eclipse, lasting over 2½ minutes at maximum.
The total eclipse begins in the Atlantic south of Greenland at 09:09:32 UT, and ends close to the North Pole at 10:21:20 UT. The maximum eclipse is at 09:45:38 UT, when the total phase will last over 2½ minutes. The partial eclipse will be visible over most of Europe and Russia between 07:40:51 UT and 11:50:11 UT.
More information on this eclipse may be found at Fred Espenak's site. You can plot the eclipse for yourself using the table of mapping co-ordinates.
The following maps show the path of the total eclipse. Please note that these maps are approximate. Check with reliable sources before making travel plans.
This map shows the overall path of the total eclipse:
The lucky inhabitants of the Faroes will see the eclipse at about 09:40 UT. On the centreline, the total eclipse will last 2 minutes and 46 seconds; unfortunately, the islands are somewhat south-east of the centre. Still, with the path of totality being 472 km wide, they should still see a spectacular eclipse -- if the sky is clear. The eclipse reaches its maximum just after it passes the Faroes, at 09:45:38 UT.
Svalbard will see the total eclipse between about 10:10 and 10:14 UT. The centreline passes over Spitsbergen, but the path of totality covers most of the island group, so the inhabitants (3,500 of them, according to my information) would be advised to head for a location that gives them their best chance of a clear sky. At 10:12 UT the eclipse will last for 2 minutes and 28 seconds, and the path will be 416 km wide.
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Copyright (C) 1995-2005 Ian Cameron Smith.
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