Totality!

Five more wide-field views of totality, taken with the Panasonic DMC-TZ2 in automatic "intelligent ISO" mode but with varying exposure offsets. The sequence goes almost up to third contact; note the bright penumbral light creeping up on us from the North (right)! This was the most colorful eclipse sky in years.

The shadow races away towards the South, evident for minutes as a dark wall - and also by the darking of the clouds there while "ours" are white again.

Instant checking of pictures, here from a hi-res sequence by Bernd Brinkmann.

New: early - poor - scans of negatives, yes real film, I took!

Most of 2nd partiality (who cares anyway?) was lost, including 4th contact: The Sun emerged only 4 minutes or so after it was Moon-free again.

Showing the results to our hosts and fellow observers at a 'diner' in Yiwu during dinner.

We are back in Yiwu's little market hall, continuing to celebrate the huge success with some kebap and the excellent local Wusu beer - while Jupiter watches on from above. That was E day 2008 as it unfolded in a remote spot of a remote province of a remote (from a European viewpoint) country - that will be "hit" again less than 12 months later. See you there!

But first we had to get back to Urumqi, again 800 km on desert roads ...