The Sky During Totality ( adapted after Fred Espenak site on nasa ) During totality, a number of bright planets and stars will be visible. Venus (m=?3.5) will be the most conspicuous planet located 15? east of the Sun. Mercury (m=+0.7) should also be visible 18? west of the Sun. The southwestern sky will be dominated by the bright stars of winter, including Capella (m=+0.08), Albebaran (m=+0.85v), Procyon (+0.38), Betelgeuse(+0.5v), and Sirius (m=-1.46). Other bright stars which may also be visible include Spica (m=+1.0v), Arcturus (m=-0.04), and Regulus (m=+1.35). ?Appearance of the During Totality at 11:00 UT (in Romania): See from http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/TSE1999/TSE1999.html http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/TSE1999/TSE1999Map?TSESky1100.jpg

Venus will be most prominent to the east of the Sun, Mercury might be visible to the west. bright stars in the sky will be Sirius, Arcturus, Capella, Procyon. Betelgueze and Rigel, too, but low over the horizon, may be lost in haze. horizon not as dark as zenith which of these will you see? it depends on how dark the sky will get. Keep in mind that sky darkness during totality depends on width of moon's shadow. In 1994 in Brazil it was very dark, saw a good dozen of stars and planets, shadow was 180km wide. In 1995 Thailand shadow was only 70km wide, saw only VEnus, no star. In 1998 Aruba shadow was about 140km wide, saw 3 planets, no star (didn't take time to look long, though, corona more important to view). In 1999 totality will have shadow of maximum 111km , so this eclipse should get darker than 1995 but not as dark as 1998. My guess: Venus, Procyon, Sirius, Capella, Arcturus will be visible. And hopefully a few Perseid fireballs (adapted from Olivier Staiger)