First Report & Images

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Excerpts from an e-mail from expedition leader J. Kelly Beatty, executive editor of Sky & Telescope magazine, on Monday morning, November 24th:

"Totality lasted 2 minutes 20 seconds.... Mideclipse was 23:06 UT on paper, though it seemed a little early in the excitement.... Our coordinates at mideclipse were 51° 52' E, 78° 41' S....

"No prominences to speak of, but there was a dramatic long coronal streamer at the 8 o'clock position. Corona easily visible before 2nd contact. Eclipse veterans on board said it was the best ever. Shadow approach (from behind the plane, left as we looked out) and recession was dramatic. Corona dazzling and high contrast at high altitude....

"After totality we made two low-altitude sweeps over the South Pole at about 2,500 feet. Saw a Hercules taking off during our approach — very dramatic. We know people were out looking at us because we resolve them in our pictures.

"We also made an incredibly dramatic circle around Vinson Massif, Antarctica's highest peak. The photo shows the contrail of our jet as we corkscrewed down to a lower altitude for a closer look.

"We have a lot of very happy people this morning!"

Kelly Beatty will be back in the office at Sky & Telescope on Wednesday, November 26th. His phone number is +1 617-864-7360 x148, and his e-mail address is kbeatty@ SkyandTelescope.com.