Total Solar Eclipse 2009 July 22
Observed from Jinshanwei, China
The weather conditions were rather unstable at the beach site at Jinshanwei, approximately 65 kms south of Shanghai, where the shadow would leave China and hence being in the middle of the zone in the country, which should leave us 6 minutes and 57 seconds of totality.
However, rain showers were lurking, and we did see the sun in between clouds for some desperate seconds from 1st contact and up till approximately one and a half minute before totality 2nd contact, when the sun disappeared totally behind clouds!
It got dark though, and many people were gathered at the beach site, many with telescopes and photogaphic equipment. People cheered during this spectacular event, though the sun was not only obscured by the moon, but also by the clouds.
Streetlights came on, it got really dark, but we were rejected the most beautiful sight though. The partially eclipsed sun appeared again after approx. one minute after the 3rd contact and we felt the heavenly bodies were laughing at us!
After about 10 minutes it started to rain heavily and everybody had to quickly escape the site. The rain persisted for about three hours and we returned to Shanghai quite wet! Well... we were there at least, my wife and I.
Source: Kjell Inge Malde - NORWAY
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