Cruise Report

2020/6/30

A total solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon in which the sun, the moon, and the earth are aligned, and the sun is completely hidden by the moon. It is a rare phenomenon that happens a few times a year on the whole earth. The sky that had been bright until then suddenly darkens, and the sun that illuminated the world disappears.– A mysterious natural phenomenon, a total solar eclipse is a miraculous moment caused by the cycle of the earth, the moon, and the sun. This mystical sight that we encountered on a journey around the globe became a memory we will never forget. We experienced this moment during a Peace Boat Cruise in 2019. This report shares the situation at the time, trying to convey the charm of the miraculous celestial show: the total solar eclipse.

When the sun hides behind the moon

The moon completely obscures the dazzling sunlight, and darkness comes during the daytime. Since ancient times, total solar eclipses have given people many various feelings. Sometimes they were feared as signs of natural catastrophes, while at other times they have represented the restauration of order, with the sun shining again after the eclipse. The total solar eclipse can be seen by the mere coincidence that the visible size of the moon and the sun from the earth happen to be quite similar. Depending on the specific area where you are, it is a very rare phenomenon that can only be seen once in several hundreds of years.

A total eclipse of the sun that occurs when the sun, moon and earth line up in perfect alignment. This is a mysterious phenomenon that may occur only a few times each year anywhere on the entire earth.

A total solar eclipse is a phenomenon that can be observed only in a small area on the earth that meets certain conditions. The most important feature of observing from a ship is that you can select a good weather spot suitable for observation. It is also a big point that there is nothing blocking the sky on the ocean.

Observe this rare natural phenomena from the ship

We observed a total solar eclipse from a Peace Boat cruise near Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in 2019. At this time, the total solar eclipse could be observed in some regions of Chile and Argentina, and most observation points were in the South Pacific. As part of our around-the-world voyage, Peace Boat arrived into this total solar eclipse observation zone just hours after leaving Easter Island, heading towards the best observation point. We were very lucky to meet the observation conditions for this total eclipse in the Southern Hemisphere. On the day of the solar eclipse, the sun shone on the deck, and many participants who had been looking forward to this day gathered to gaze up at the sky. Finally, when the eclipse started, the colour of the sky gradually shifted from blue to lead.

On July 2, 2019, we observed a total solar eclipse for the first time in the history of Peace Boat off the coast of Easter Island.

Participants gathered on the deck with their solar eclipse observing glasses in hand.

The deck also had a booth where participants could use a telescope to see the fading, sun and a spot to take commemorative photos.

The start of the eclipse is announced through the PA system. As the sky gets darker, you can feel the temperature decrease.