THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OF 1954

The previous total solar eclipse in Norway occurred in 1954. The eclipse was total in a belt reaching in a south-eastern direction over the southernmost part of Norway.

The totality zone was south of for example Oslo.

The pictures and the text below are from Astro Rapport number 1, 1999, page 36.

The total solar eclipse of 1954 as seen from Syvertsvolden in Drammensfjorden. Kristian Reinsfelt (85 years of age in 1999) used an 8 mm Bell & Howell camera with a teleobjective. The focal length is not known. A red filter was used to decrease the intensity of the light. The filter was removed during the total phase. The camera was on a tripod. A few shots were taken every 5 minute. The hardest job was to direct the camera towards the Sun without causing damage to the eyes. Tinted glass was used to decrease the intensity of the Sun. The original film (Kodak) still exists (in 1999). It is a lot sharper and more correctly exposed than the video copy these images are made from. Photo: Kristian Reinsfelt