Totality Talks - The Solar Eclipse Podcast

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.

Leticia Ferrer and Chris welcome back returning guest Jay Anderson, a meteorologist known for producing cloud-cover forecasts for solar eclipse chasers, ahead of the upcoming eclipse in Spain, Iceland, and Greenland. Visit Jay’s website for all things eclipse weather:
http://www.eclipsophile.com
Topics covered:
1:16 — Introduction: Jay Anderson, "the Eclipsophile"
2:37 — Jay's eclipse-chasing history (25 total + 10 annular eclipses since 1979)
6:19 — Forest fire smoke risks in Spain for the upcoming eclipse
12:11 — Saharan dust storms and their effect on eclipse viewing
19:55 — Jay's forecasting toolkit: why he relies on Windy and multiple weather models
33:02 — The "chinook effect" and how it could clear clouds over Greenland's fjords
41:31 — Successfully chasing the 2021 Antarctica eclipse from a National Geographic ship
51:08 — Jay's other passion: teaching storm chasing at the University of Manitoba
55:29 — Plans for the 2028 Australia eclipse with a four-wheel drive camper
62:12 — Closing story: the "hand of God" moment during the 2009 China eclipse

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.

Show Notes — Ep24: Chasing Totality with Jared Koh
Jared Koh joins Totality Talks to discuss Chasing Totality: The Complete Handbook for the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse, co-written with his father Joe Koh, and their family's eclipse-chasing journey since 2008.
Topics covered:
0:33 — Introduction and Jared's eclipse count (4 total, 1 annular)
0:54 — First eclipse in 2012 aboard a cruise ship in the Pacific
3:56 — The Saros cycle and why "science deepens wonder"
4:22 — Common eclipse-chasing mistakes from the book's "Ghost in the Machine" chapter (solar filters, bumped focus, dead batteries, autofocus)
7:49 — Camera fails across four eclipses (2012 phone footage, 2017 360 camera, 2024 drone freeze)
17:45 — Family background: parents' astronomy/travel passions and the "Beyond Totality" mini-site
17:50 — The 2023 "triple diamond ring" eclipse proposal story
22:41 — Drone photography, GPS interference, and country-specific drone regulations
28:07 — Gear planning with Dad's PADCO framework (Path, Accessibility, Duration, Cloud cover, Outreach)
36:24 — Community and outreach at eclipse gatherings
41:34 — Jared's favorite part of the book: a photo with his parents at his first eclipse
43:38 — The "eclipse pitch deck" and convincing friends/family to join the trip
45:40 — Describing totality as a sudden sunset/sunrise
52:50 — How technology changes (and might diminish) the eclipse-chasing experience
54:47 — Gear rigs and camera automation setups (SetnC solar clip timer)
Mentioned resources:
Book: Chasing Totality: The Complete Handbook for the 2020 Total Solar Eclipse by Jared and Joe Koh
Mini-site: chasingtotality.org/beyond ("Beyond Totality")
Book: Total Addiction and Being in the Shadow by Kate Russo
2026 total solar eclipse cruise details (Southampton → Ibiza → La Coruña, Spain
Jared's Eclipse Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccNnrhExC58b

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.