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A total solar
eclipse took place
on March 29, 2006,
passing diagonally across central
Turkey from the Mediterranean
coast in the southwest to the Black
Sea coast in the northeast.
The towns of Side and Manavgat (between Antalya and Alanya on
Turkey's Mediterranean
coast), Sultanhani (between Konya and Aksaray), Hacibektas (in Cappadocia)
and Ordu (on the Black
Sea coast) were directly at
the path's center.
The duration of eclipse
totality was about 3 minutes, 45
seconds at Manavgat on
Turkey's Mediterranean
coast (at 10:57 am GMT/UTC, or
1:57 pm local time), and 3 minutes,
30 seconds at Ordu (at
11:10 am GMT/UTC, or 2:10 pm local
time) on the Black
Sea coast.
Click here for important information
on safe eclipse viewing!
Some lucky visitors witnessed
the eclipse from a hot air balloon aloft
at 4420 meters (14,500 feet) in
the skies over Cappadocia.
Here's a NASA
map that shows the path of the eclipse.
Here are the coordinates
of the umbral path.
The towns and cities of Olimpos, Konya, Aksaray,
Gülsehir and Tokat were
close to the center of the path,
and good for viewing.
The weather was excellent in most
of Turkey, with no rain and only a
few clouds.
I witnessed the eclipse on a hilltop
in the town of Haci Bektas in Cappadocia,
an excellent spot chosen by my friends
at Argeus
Tourism & Travel in Ürgüp.
Thanks to Dennis Andersen of
Berkeley, California for the tip, and Paul
Thurner for explaining the
intricacies of eclipse timing to me.
Important!
Information on Safe Eclipse Viewing
Good
Base Cities for the Eclipse
Recommended
Tour Operators
Special
Interest Trips
Recommended
Itineraries
Turkey
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