On Thursday, June 21, 2001, a total solar eclipse sped across the Southern Hemisphere [ see map ] . The shadow of the moon first darkened the South Atlantic about 250 miles east of the Uruguay coast. It crossed the Atlantic Ocean, traversed southern Africa and the island of Madagascar, and then vanished into the darkness as night fell over the Indian Ocean [ see animation ] .

As part of a growing tradition, a team from the Exploratorium was in Africa for this amazing astronomical event. We reported live from Sausage Tree Camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park outside of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.

A Scientist Speaks >> Dr. Charles McGruder, President of the National Society of Black Physicists, talks about his astronomy research in Africa. see video >>

Check out the daily dispatches from our expeditionary team. They reported on the culture , geography , and wildlife of Zambia. You can also learn about current solar research being conducted by NASA scientists, such as the STEREO Mission and radiation experiments aboard the International Space Station .