Total solar eclipse 2015: Faroe Islands

It finally happened. The day we planned for so long, our reason to embark on our travel, the reason to come to these beautiful islands. After we saw a total solar eclipse in Cairns, we knew we had to see another one.

Curious spectators of the solar eclipse.

We had checked the weather every day for the last days, but because of the unpredictability of the Faroese weather, everyday there was a different forecast for Friday. We decided we would wake up early and check the weather forecasts in the morning.

Overcast and showers, that was the forecast everywhere on the Faroe Islands. We were starting to lose hope, until we found a location where they predicted some opening in the clouds. We decided this would be our viewing spot, and left for a mountain south of the capital Tórshavn.

When we arrived there we were able to see our first blue skies that morning. We settled for a place midway up the mountain, and got some amazing views of the partial solar eclipse.

The partial eclipse as the moon is heading towards the sun, towards totality.

About ten minutes before full totality, a dark grey cloud started covering the sun. The blue skies had now moved the mountain on the north side of Tórshavn, where the sun was shining a bright light on the city. While we were waiting for an opening in the clouds, we suddenly noticed that our surroundings had gotten darker than what you would normally expect, and we realised we were getting close to full totality. In less than two minutes, all the daylight had disappeared, only showing some yellow colour at the horizon, like at dawn. We saw the stars coming back, and the light shining on the north mountain had disappeared, making place for hundreds of camera lights flashing. It was unnatural to see how fast this change had happened and we realise we were experiencing full totality.

The location from which we saw the eclipse. Nolsoy is across the water in the distance.

Before we could take in the full magic of the moment, we saw the stars disappearing and the colour in the sky coming back. Just as quickly as our surroundings had changed before, suddenly we were experiencing full daylight again. The opening in the clouds came, and we could see the sun again. We got some more views on the partial eclipse, and could feel an amazing warmth coming of the sun. On our entire stay on the Faroe Islands, we had never experienced this heat coming of the sun.

The partial eclipse after totality.

The partial eclipse after totality

The partial eclipse through the clouds.

The end of the partial eclipse.

We don’t have any footage about the full totality ourselves, because we were so stunned in the moment. We did find a video of a timelapse showing a very similar experience to ours.

Other places on the islands did get to see the totality but the fact that we missed it hasn’t dampened our enthusiasm or enjoyment. A Faroese band called ‘Hamferð’ found themselves in a beautiful location at Kvívík for what we suspect will be the music video of the year.

It was a very different experience then the one we saw in Cairns, because of the cloud covering the totality. Because of this we got to experience the darkness coming over you so quickly, an experience we didn’t notice that much when we were watching full totality in Cairns. It was a most magical moment, making us even more convinced we need to watch the next eclipse in Indonesia in 2016.