Virful Doamnei ( Lady's Peak ) near Lacul Doamnei ( Lady's Lake)

We put on blue the probable location of the point of the Greatest Duration. According to Fred Espenak it is easy to calculate the position of Greatest Eclipse (defined when Moon's shadow axis passes closest to Earth's center). Unfortunately, it is not so easy to calculate the position of greatest duration. This depends on the exact shape and topography of the mountains along the Moon's edge during the eclipse. This is not known to a precision better than 1 kilometer or so, and it is also a very complicated calculation. The best he can say is that the point of greatest duration is probably about 2 kilometers south of the point of greatest eclipse (plus or minus 1 kilometer). In any case, we are talking about a very small difference in duration (1 second?) between these two points and this is quite unimportant. What so ever we point out also this nuance thank to kind help of Fred Espenak.

This file has information about the place of the Greatest Point of the last total solar eclipse of the millennium. It will also keep you informed with the efforts and the preparatives made by the local authorities and people to host the visitors.

The "point" is situated on the rolling hills between the town Ocnele Mari and the village Copaceni, just a couple of meeters from Virful Doamnei, the highest peak in the area , near Lacul Doamnei. To reach it , any direction you will choose, you have to cross over several hills covered by forests, mainly by young forest, shoot and sprout. Plenty of paths and country roads get up and down, left and right so that you have to be a advised native to find the way. First time we get there ( last August ), as nobody paid attention of the eclipse we needed half of a day to find the place wandering through green meadows and "arches" of young trees.

The town Ocnele Mari ( equivalent of "the big" = great sell mines) ancient sell exploitation, using the condemned outlaws was extending and includes nowadays several quarters ( old villages) as Baile Ocnita ( "little Ocnele spa"), Slatioarele, Facai etc. and Ocnele Mari. Info about the old town you will find in History file.

An important attraction is Buridava archeological site. On the hills were found three fortifications, one as a citadel (see History file) and down to the river a site that can be considered as the town. Downstairs the land was given back to the former owner without taken care of the archeological site, so this automn you can see people gathering the corn. But the Daches well is still well conserved. Just linked to this area is the slope Cosota.

The local council is now working on a plan and on finding founds to fix the archeological site. Also, their first attention is to make the necessary to have a easy traffic in the area ( repairing the roads, organizing parking places, camp area with facilities, select the best observation's points and prepare local guides to lead the tourists, organizing the local commerce as soft drinks and souvenirs etc. ). A unusual surprise might wait for you: a real strange "coincidence".

Father Veteleanu had organized a exquisite museum that has marvelous pieces of art.

New information coming soon.

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