UK Solar Eclipse - BBC - 11 August 1999

[@jamesargent2668]

10 years old when this happened. Remember how bizarre the experience was. The stories of birds falling silent as it became darker and then waking up again are definitely true.

[@heighleybaily8037]

It was the most amazing thing ever in my life time 69 years

[@JamieSMB]

I live in Cornwall, I remember this. me and my mum walked into town and all the birds were chirping. so an eclipse definitely messes with nature. Birds think its dark or time to sleep then when the eclipse ends they enter their morning cycle so the chirping

[@madridista1902]

i was 7 years old but still remember that day

[@kimberleyjayne3110]

I was also 7 years old and kinda of remember it

[@ShayProd005]

Kimberley Jayne a

[@harryraiswell2158]

2 months old

[@ecologygarden]

I remember seeing the huge shadow of the moon come across the entire ocean we were watching from a hill behind Fowey . The feeling was almost supernatural and it made me realise how small we are and how enormous the Universe must be .

[@daisylish1558]

I was born on this day :)

[@ans66ff]

so was i

[@daisylish1558]

:)

[@carlwright2794]

Daisy Lish i was 9 never forget that day

[@daisylish1558]

Haha, awesome :)

[@daisylish1558]

Hahaha

[@martinm3533]

I remember it very well. I was in France at the time and it was cloudy and I really thought that we were going to miss it and was getting very disappointed. However by an amazing stroke of luck a small gap opened in the clouds and revealed the eclipse and everyone cheered and fireworks went off. It was not the full eclipse like the one that was seen in Cornwall but it was still an amazing experience. It was just 2 months shy of my 18th. 1999 was a year I will have fond memories of.

[@sallylouise9826]

I remember this like it was yesterday can't believe it was 15 years ago . Privileged to watch it in UK .

[@TheBlaze4000]

Why? It was cloudy and shit. Spain better!

[@sallylouise9826]

We managed to see it in a gap in the clouds in Hereford just at the right moment.

[@teviottilehurst]

2023: it'll be a quarter of a century next year this event happened.

[@spikelen]

I was only 3 days old when this happened, I have friends who were born in the middle of this eclipse though!

[@aviationfreak21]

I was in Portsmouth watching this, didn't see totality but saw it partially i was really stunned, can remember being 9 years old! what a way to end such an amazing decade, long live the 90s

[@scottconnor8867]

Man I really miss the 90s, Life was so much easier, I hate this new world.

[@harold5337]

I was 1 when this happened. I was in the garden with my dad when the sky went dark. We filmed it and I remember him telling me about it. Was miles better that rubbish one in 2015, where it was so cloudy you couldn’t see anything.

[@danielsphotography6066]

I Remember this I love it so much this got me excited for Eclipses to this year of 2023

[@sun71717]

I was too young to watch this great event in 1999! I missed it! Because total solar eclipse can occur every 400 years on average..!! Really a life time event!

[@supertubemind]

Total Solar eclipses happen practically every other year. There are on average between 2 - 5 solar eclipses each year. Unless you are referring to total eclipses in one location when they happen every 360 years on average.

[@sophie.musicxo451]

I was being born as the eclipse was happening :) hehe. X

[@blue-w2z2j]

What a lengandary birth day

[@brianhastings5160]

Same here :) 21 today

[@NotARealWizard]

Yo me too!!! I was being born during the full eclipse on this day and also I'm a musician too!!!

[@yarabosh1732]

Same!! I came to the comments to see if anyone was born on that day too :)

[@bhartipandey8764]

Me too

[@greenkitty82]

I was in London at the time and even though I didn't witness a total eclipse you could see a partial and the world had a kind of cold eerie presence - spectacular event.

[@AlisonBryen]

greenkitty82 I was 14, living in the Midlands so we didn't experience totality either (I think we had about 70% if I remember correctly). The light did change slightly but there was more of a weird glow to the sky than any significant darkness. I do remember however the eerie quiet and cold that descended too. The birds went completely quiet. I have some photographs somewhere.

[@lucylocket4740]

I was over four months old when this happened, how times have changed since then over those twenty three years! ✔

[@jordzz174]

i was being born when this happened

[@aaronjoshua4016]

I was 4 years old, and recall this very well. My mother was in hospital recovering from surgery when we all went to the balcony and watched. We are in Leeds so it wasn't as impressive here but certainly a sight to behold nonetheless, and one of my earliest, clearest memories. Glad I was alive to see it as the next total eclipse in the UK isn't due until 2090, lol.

[@goatedlogic]

Nope the last solar eclipse we had was on June 10/11 2021

[@scottconnor8867]

@@goatedlogic Not in the uk it wasn’t, Last total eclipse was this one on 11th of August 1999.

[@aditisk99]

Damn, I was 2 months old that time.

[@chopchung]

NO ONE ever mentions the hundreds of thousands of TINY little "cresents" that appear on the pavements in the lead up to the total eclipse.It is amazing.And when all the birds start singing because they think night fall has come...truely spoooky!.

[@pjmserendipity1452]

Can't wait as there is a Solar eclipse on Friday.

[@CamiloSanchez1979]

This guys narrated it in such a wonderful way. I love the BBC

[@halyorke1539]

I remember watching this at 14

[@palm0607]

2017 !!! Nashville !!!!! I can't wait !!!!!

[@craigfowler7098]

I was 28 years old at the time. I was on a cross channel ferry a the time, so got the best view. Felt sorry for those on the mainland. I deliberately booked the tickets as I knew it would stop on the line of totality. Having a beer or two early morning, watching this at sea was a memory I shall never forget. Perfect day, made my hairs stand on end!! If you ever get the chance to see this in person, I highly recommend it, better than anything XBOX could give you, a true natural high!!

[@berndpfe]

It is still amazing what enormous intense glare & glance of light the sun is delivering into space, coming from its photosphere. Even a very small slice of the sun's disk is enough to give almost enough light to earth and you cannot look into just when it is reappearing from behind the moon.

[@dayullinka]

I was celebrating my 4th birthday when this happened, I remember it like it was yesterday:)

[@DewyPeters96]

This was one of my first memories..

[@marielowe2285]

I remember experiencing the eclipse in 1999 in London all my work colleagues went out onto the street by the Strand.....and all the street lights came on...very dark. Remember guys only watch with special glasses and don't take photos....we had no mobiles back then...enjoy!

[@illuminatedgalaxies7777.]

I remember this day with my young children and my dear old dad it was a wonderful mystical day the first eclipse I had ever seen ..🌙💛🌙💛

[@mellie9881]

Wow. I was 19 at the time and remember everything going eerily quiet. Couldn't see much as the cloud cover was too dense but you saw the outline 85% eclipsed. Wishing I was down in corneal not Wiltshire. The nearest I will get to a total eclipse in my lifetime so have to be grateful for that.

[@Magnusgal]

***** It doesn't have to be the closest you get to a total eclipse. There's a total eclipse somewhere in the world every year or at least every other year. In 2017 Aug 21 there will be a nice one in the states (map can be seen at nasa solar eclipse site). I was at the 1999 one in the UK (cornwall), was really cloudy, went to the 2001 eclipse in Madagascar which was great. If one stays at the same spot waiting for a total solar eclipse, statistically one would have to wait for 400 years or so :-)

[@mellie9881]

Ok ok smart arse, good point well made. Lol

[@mellie9881]

I've looked into this, your awesome thank you!!!!

[@STICKYSNAKE]

Got the day off school for this. Anyone remember the paper eclipse shades the shops were selling?

[@UrbanBackflip]

I was 1 year and 6 months old when this happened. I always talk about how I remember it going dark in the middle of the day then light again minutes later. This must be what it was. Crazy how I remember this.

[@arden6665]

😂

[@TheSuarve]

Who's seeing an Eclipse in the morning hopefully me & you :) Well partial from where I live. Please no clouds!

[@kian965]

Yeah, The eclipse sounds fun to watch! 11 hours to go! ;)

[@TheSuarve]

It has taken me a while to get over missing today's eclipse @s owen Burton said pretty cloudy & sadly it stayed that way here :( I hope you (most ppl) got to see it??

[@missmimington9606]

We had a clear sky, but I didnt have any glasses :( so I poked a whole in a piece of paper an projected it onto another piece, I saw a crescent shadow so it worked! :) I had fun!

[@missmimington9606]

*hole

[@kian965]

I didn't though; I had a live stream :P

[@andrewgerstner8893]

who's gonna watch the USA one on Monday?!!!! Can't wait to watch TOTALITY!

[@terencemeaden88]

I recall this well. I was on a ferry boat from Cherbourg to Porstmouth. We were 25 km out from Cherbourg when the captain stopped the boat on the line of longest totality. Looking east we saw the moon's shadow on the sea racing towards us. Then it was totality for two minutes. As it ended we could watch the lunar shadow racing away eastwards.

[@EcoCurious]

Reading this gave me goosebumps.

[@TheRaveMusicArchive]

ChirrupForScience Farts.

[@craigfowler7098]

Likewise, but I was on a boat going in the other direction!! Good to make contact with someone whom experienced it the same way I did!! I had a couple of bevies as well!!

[@terencemeaden88]

Craig Fowler I have been in a total solar eclipse twice. The other time I was living in Halifax in Canada, 1970 I think.

[@craigfowler7098]

Awesome/ I will make an effort to see another one before I see mt maker!!

[@robertmcross1]

I remember being in Amsterdam on this day in August 1999, it was awesome !

[@williamharris3446]

this was the day i was born

[@sergibonell5400]

Me too :)

[@katarinajeremic9355]

Me too! :)

[@iialleysparksii5297]

Me too

[@iialleysparksii5297]

What times??

[@HerhangiB1r1]

It was one of the best days of my life..... Saw it right in the middle of the 100% zone. (6 days later the worst day... Major earthquake happened in Adapazar, Turkey; very near where I was...)

[@craigfowler7098]

I was on a boat in The English Channel (along path of totality) having a beer or two!! Agreed, most awesome sight I have ever witnessed with the naked eye!!

[@arizonatea7575]

I was born on that day :D

[@Harvester236]

Amazing really that I remember this being only 4 years old. I can remember all the street lights in the distance flickering on and birds flying everywhere in a blind panic.

[@wonderwall1994]

I was only 5 years old at the time and don't really remember it too well. Wish I'd have been a bit older, got to wait until 2090 now!

[@jaywest3734]

I was 15 years old, but I still remember this day.

[@bosovka]

I was exactly 7 years old. I always wanted to meet somebody who was born 11.8. So this is like the secon birthday for me! :)

[@Lizz85257]

Remember watching from Liverpool, I was 11. I remember looking outside at the sun coming through a tree in my back garden, and seeing little crescent shaped lights scattered on the floor. Surreal

[@xoxosparklesxoxo7725]

CANT WAIT FOR THE ECLIPSE

[@ConalRF]

I remember this. Fantastic total eclipse.

[@shippy1991]

I remember going to a gathering on a hill (can't remember where it was) to see this. I was 7 years old

[@zombieguy619]

thats absolutely amazing!

[@kylebarratt240]

I remember this I was 6 years old it was amazing

[@SarahKaysTarot]

I was working at an Army Barracks and we were allowed to go out side and watch it! What an amazing Birthday gift! Everything went dark and The light started to come back. The light shown on a £1 coin. I was so skint! And I really fancied chocolate! That £1 coin bought me the best two choco bars of my life! I probs should have kept that pound lol

[@BigBenUK94]

I can remember going up onto the local Moor to witness this, I would have been 5 years old.

[@TDKiller415]

I was in Huddersfield but we didn't get it

[@97channel]

Who can remember the frightening high pitched whistle? What caused it? And why does nobody ever speak publicly about it?

[@chrisearle-o3u]

Im Glad i saw this back in 1999 it was amaxing

[@thechiz5]

I was born on this day. Cheers!

[@malalevi1]

I wish I was alive to see that

[@heidismum12]

It was my birthday! Rather spooky feeling, world gets colder, birds and animals go quiet. Rather surreal but amazing.

[@ShafHussain]

Dug out some old tapes..one of them was a recording of this this in my then backyard.

[@wetukman]

I was at a festival when this was going on in Cornwall the birds stopped singing and it got cooler and the light was different. very interesting time.

[@holetoanotheruniverse4690]

i was -1 years old but still remember that day

[@meganjones5608]

My mum was pregnant with me, this is amazing!

[@richer48]

I was standing with my parents and my granddad Barton-On-Sea, Hants on the cliff top when this happened and it was like the world was going to end. The birds and animal stopped what they were doing. Everything went quite. Amazing. It was only part of a eclipse where we were , not total. Just wish I were in Cornwall back then but all of the people were still excited in the South Of England.

[@pinkfakecheez]

i was 4 years old and still in nursery at the time. i got really scared so the staff tried to explain what was happening and took me away from where the tv was to make a sun and a moon (gold and silver discs on lolly sticks). didnt really stop me being scared but hey

[@harryraiswell2158]

I was only 2 months old at the time. I've seen a picture of me from when the eclipse was happening, I'm basically crying in the living room in one of those baby car seats sitting right in front of the TV and you can see the eclipse on there!!!!!

[@SonicGeneration]

It makes me want to cry knowing I'll never see this again in real life, unless I move to the tropics or something :(

[@ConnorL1108]

I was born 2 exactly 2 years after a solar eclipse and my birthday was on the same date as the olympic football final, pretty cool shiz

[@imreallydead.23]

I remember going to the shop just before around 5 mins and being told not to look at it as you’ll go blind lol, 1999 was a good year for me even though I was only 8

[@sharonhopton5685]

An eclipse is the beautiful thing I’ve ever seen after my cats! X

[@Deborahboenke2]

I remember this day walking down the street with my baby in the pram and all the birds stopped singing and the world seemed completely still.very strange day indeed felt like the world stopped

[@ToMichaelJackson]

I would have been five too, in the UK. Quite a comical memory actually. I remember this kid went inside and then came back out afterwards, purposely stretching as if he'd just woken up on a new day. I've only looked this up now. I'm surprised it was as far back as the nineties, I always assumed that it was around 2001 or 2002. One fulfilling twist is the fact that I remembered it was someone's birthday without remembering who. My sister's birthday is August 11th.

[@sammy2k6]

This happend on my 16th birthday.I was waiting for my heroes moment.

[@Staminist-MMF-80]

Here, in Serbia there was no such thing/sound. I remember every second of it though! It was awesome! ...heh... good old days, I was 19 years old at the time :)

[@EcoCurious]

My mum took me to see this when I was 5 years old. I can just barely remember it :P

[@m.brtstsg]

Tomorrow here's going to an eclipse in the mongolia. Iam so excited to see it.

[@MrAGr]

I was born that day

[@YoonhoMaeng]

me too

[@RevanorSzeged]

I remember this one. :)

[@WeMuckAround]

When this happened I was 1 month and 2 days old!

[@786TAPOUT]

I remember this

[@Boilingfrogg]

I was 32 I remember it like yesterday. How time flies.

[@videonautics]

Why this footage looks so old. It was like yesterday.

[@kamikaze_kev]

Looking back, this was the beginning of the end

[@hypercub]

@zombieguy619 It was, I am form Zagreb, Croatia, so it wasn't quite total eclipse from my position, but it was amazing anyway.

[@scottconnor8867]

Unreal to think this was nearly a quarter of a century ago! Wish time would slow down a bit, At this rate I’ll be dead in what seems like a few months away! 😃

[@janceret353]

What time was it? The middle of the day?

[@randomuploadsism]

i remember this. the birds flew back to their nests ands my cat was weirded out lol

[@ShizuokaDolphin]

Looking forward to watching an annular eclipse tomorrow, even though it's going to be cloudy. D'oh!

[@jc.9]

the next one in the uk is in 2090 ! can u believe that!

[@jamesgrainger3233]

lmao the next one is in a month

[@Messi12345]

***** Nope, it's total in Iceland/Faroe Islands/North Atlantic. It's not total in the UK

[@Neal3]

BOLT THE HORSE It's only going to be a partial eclipse in the UK next month, not a total eclipse like this one. The next total eclipse in the UK will be on September 23rd 2090.

[@muserluke]

***** The UK will only see between 85-90% of the eclipse, depending on how far North/West you are in the UK - it won't be anywhere near as amazing as the totality but it will still be quite extraordinary.

[@jamesgrainger3233]

Luke Storey neato

[@Romans8-9]

Im guessing there was so much cloud cover, it wasnt visible with the naked eye? What a shame.

[@xaviaespinosa333]

I was born on this eclipse. Im an artist now 💖

[@89stylomilo]

Can someone tell me what happen during 2:50? when the ring suddently flash. Is it real or it just camera changing its setting?..

[@crugga]

I think he called it baileys beads, worth a google.

[@danharris6862]

It's the camera changing from filter to no filter, I believe

[@camkenyon2055]

i was 2years and 3/4 old when this happend (this was 5 days before my 3rd birthday)

[@annelaurerenaudet5638]

L'éclipse de soleil reste restera toujours magique la force de la nature :)

[@EastAngliaUK]

I had not heard of Brian Cox then wonder what he was doing back in 1999?

[@jameelashukat2495]

Iclipse is tomorrow I can't wait

[@Turkiye958]

I remember this well I was 11

[@thezeeman212]

neva forget that dayy

[@sophieshudell4048]

I was 2 when this happened, can't remember it but got pictures mum took

[@DarkEmoSophia]

I was born in this day

[@katarinajeremic9355]

Me too.. :)

[@VersusArdua]

The day I was born. Trippy.

[@kristopherdavidson2097]

Was at Heathrow airport on this day. An engineer handed me a welding mask to look at the sun with!! Was a warm day and it's a strange experience when it gets dark and cool. Can see why ancient civilisations thought the end of the world was coming.

[@evakirby6619]

yeah im so exited as well just one hour to glo hope for no clouds in the 2015

[@rmtgirlyterry4527]

@TedTeddleson so was I...well born on 8-11-99

[@Tjherwick]

Actually it is a total eclipse because an annular has a red orange ring around it