Space Cover #363: Sun Eclipse Jun 30, 1973Although Astrophilately is mainly devoted to astronautic covers, astronomy covers cannot be forgotten. In fact, many of satellites around the Earth and unmanned spacecrafts towards other celestial bodies are developed for astronomy reasons.
This week our SCOTW is devoted not only to astronomy but too to the business linked to astronomy and/or space.
On Jun 30, 1973 a very common and repetitive event took place over our heads: a Sun Eclipse.
However, this eclipse was special in some way as this was a long eclipse (for +7min of total darkness) and it was the last and longest solar eclipse until next century, exactly until the year 2150.
In order to study it, astronomers around the world prepared their telescopes to watch a show that in the past was controversial and a bad signal.
But not only astronomers were attentive. Also space fans and astronomy amateurs wish to see this eclipse. Consequently, some companies managed special trips towards best places on Earth to see so magnificent event.
P&O Cruise ship, sponsored by Eclipse Cruises Inc, P&O Lines and Cunard Line Ltd organized a "Voyage Into Darkness" from New York to Dakar (Senegal) to see the path of totality opened to all kind of interested people. Nearly 1800 scientists and passengers were on board.
Canberra ship left the port of New York on Friday Jun 22, 1973 and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to arrive to the port of Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain) on Jun 28 for a day of sight-seeing. Later continued its route until Dakar, where arrived on Jun 30, just the day to see the solar eclipse. The ship was stopped approximately 30 miles of the coast of Mauretania.
Meanwhile, the same Jun 30, a Concorde airplane took off from Gando airport (Las Palmas, Canary Islands) with many astronomers to see and study this solar eclipse.
Unfortunately no covers exist from Las Palmas but this one made by French Lollini dealer cancelled in Kourou, French Guiana.
posted 04-09-2016 12:20 PM
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