Show Notes: Basselian Elements — Eclipse Chasers & Citizen Scientists

Host Leticia Ferrer talks with Luca Quaglia and Alessandro Pezzi of BasilianElements.com, a team of eclipse chasers known for their detailed mountain-shadow and lunar-limb mapping ahead of major solar eclipses.

Topics covered:

• 1:04 — How the international team came together (university friends from Italy, joined by collaborators in England, Greece, and Romania after their first eclipse in 1999)
• 7:44 — Measuring the solar radius using total solar eclipses, and why the century-old reference value needed revisiting
• 13:07 — Why they camp out at the edge of the path of totality for maximum measurement sensitivity
• 19:04 — The 2024 Texas eclipse story — a fellow observer expecting a minute of totality got 12.8 seconds instead
• 51:49 — Annular eclipses and Baily's Beads — how they extract solar-radius data even without full totality
• 46:53 — Avoiding classic eclipse-chasing mistakes (like forgetting to remove the solar filter) through rigorous preparation
• 46:24 — Their free Eclipse Countdown app for precise contact times
• 58:46 — Plans for the 2027 Spain eclipse, chasing the edge near Zaragoza/Teruel

Besselian Elements:

https://www.besselianelements.com/

Leticia's video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR6wVyBLhdE

Leticia Ferrer's site:

https://texassolareclipses.com/

Host Chris Chotas Alexander's Site
https://www.chotachrome.com/
IG: @chotachrome

Totality Talks is created by Leticia Ferrer and Chris Chotas Alexander.

Totality Talks is produced by Chris Chotas Alexander.

Guest: Sævar Helgi Bragason (Icelandic eclipse expert, organizer of Iceland's 2026 total solar eclipse preparations)

Episode Summary

Chris and Leticia interview Sævar, Iceland's leading eclipse expert, ahead of the August 2026 total solar eclipse crossing Iceland. Sævar shares his personal eclipse history, the massive undertaking of preparing an entire country for the event, and what to expect on eclipse day.

Topics Discussed

• Sævar's name and background; his passion for "the cosmic ocean" over the sea
• His eclipse history: 4 total eclipses seen (soon to be 5), including 12 minutes 21 seconds of cumulative totality
• Iceland's last total eclipse was 1954 — stories from elderly witnesses who still light up describing it
• The pressure and emotional toll of organizing a national eclipse event (75,000–80,000 expected visitors)
• Eclipse economics: cruise ships (~40 in Icelandic waters), sold-out accommodations, eclipse-branded glasses (290,000+ distributed), skyr, beer, and champagne
• Northern lights and aurora chances during totality; current solar maximum activity
• Famous eclipse-chasing stories: Indonesia island mishap, flying with John Beatty, private jet trips, shadow bands on video
• Advice for future eclipse organizers: turning off automatic streetlights, encouraging people to stay put if weather is good
• Eclipse day logistics: totality begins ~5:48 PM in Reykjavik; traffic and travel tips
• The emotional experience of witnessing totality — Sævar's own tears, and reactions from first-timers
• Future eclipses: 2027 (Spain), 2028 (Australia), Saros series details, and long-term outlook
• Merchandise: branded eclipse glasses, T-shirts featuring Völuspá (Norse mythology poem about world's end)
• Shoutout to Jamie Carter for recommending the interview, and to American Paper Optics/Paolo for eclipse glasses production

Notable Quotes

• "It's just been the 12th of the most beautiful minutes of my lifetime, for sure."
• "If I can use the billion dollars to buy clear skies, then definitely the billion dollars."
• "You'll experience the shortest, most unique, probably most memorable nighttime of your life."

Key Dates Mentioned

• August 2026 – Iceland total solar eclipse
• 2027 – Spain eclipse
• 2028 – Australia eclipse
• 2044/2045 – Future US eclipses discussed

Leticia Ferrer's site:

https://texassolareclipses.com/

Host Chris Chotas Alexander's Site
https://www.chotachrome.com/
IG: @chotachrome

Totality Talks is created by Leticia Ferrer and Chris Chotas Alexander.

Totality Talks is produced by Chris Chotas Alexander.

Ep#26 - Nick James - AstroTrails UK

Guest: Nick James, veteran eclipse chaser and longtime AstroTrails guide/traveler

0:58 – Welcome & intro: Nick's history traveling with AstroTrails
1:58 – The 2020 Argentina eclipse: pulling off a COVID-era trip via a special educational license, quarantine bubble, and the horse-paddock viewing site
8:36 – History of AstroTrails: from the 1973 Monte Umbi ship expedition to Brian McGee and Julie's growth of the company
16:14 – How AstroTrails plans itineraries, splits groups across sites, and navigates local logistics/contracts
21:59 – Nick's upcoming family trip to Spain for the eclipse, combined with his sister's 60th birthday
24:57 – Video vs. still photography for eclipses: camera gear, high dynamic range, and a new polarization camera setup
31:10 – Plans for the Perseid meteor shower the night after totality
38:34 – Scouting eclipse sites: using tools to check horizon/mountain obstructions
50:16 – Scouting the 2028 Australia eclipse: Sydney vs. the Kimberleys
53:27 – Nick's eclipse success rate: 18 umbra experiences and only a few clouded out
56:44 – Recapping the 2024 Mexico/Texas eclipse and last-minute cloud clearing in Torreón
59:22 – Closing thoughts and looking ahead to Egypt

https://www.astro-trails.com/

Nick's incredible eclipse videos!!:

2020:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAlzqdfHTT8

2023:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUniI-DCQKI

And many more:

https://www.youtube.com/@nickdjames

Leticia Ferrer's site:

https://texassolareclipses.com/

Host Chris Chotas Alexander's Site
https://www.chotachrome.com/
IG: @chotachrome

Totality Talks is created by Leticia Ferrer and Chris Chotas Alexander.

Totality Talks is produced by Chris Chotas Alexander.