HartRAO Home > news > Partial Solar Eclipse - Soweto 2001/06/21
Pulane explains how eclipses work using a home-made orrery comprising a
torch bulb for the Sun, a table tennis ball for the Earth and a ball bearing
for the Moon, all mounted on cotton reels on a cake tin.
Investigating the orrery.
Just how does an eclipse occur?
General view of the orrery (on the left), display boards about the eclipse,
and the spotting scope.
The Sun was about 70% covered at maximum.
Another staff member went overland to Zimbabwe for the eclipse. See: Zimbabwe report and photo's.