Total solar eclipse is one of the most beautiful and the most interesting astronomical phenomena. Our life-giving star is covered by the Moon during this phenomenon and the place where it is possible to observe a total solar eclipse was in the almost total darkness for a moment.
The fact that a lot of astronomical expeditions are organised in the 21st century refers to the exceptionality of the astronomical phenomenon. The expeditions want to carry out many astronomical experiments (e.g.: take a photo of a soar eclipse, film the phenomenon, research of the fauna and flora and measurement of the Einstein's light inflexion). The measurement of some meteorological quantities can be an interesting activity during solar eclipses.
The idea for compilation of the measuring devices that would determinate the value of the air's temperature and the illumination intensity rose in Plzen in 1998. These devices were firstly used during total solar eclipse in 1999. Observatory and Planetarium Plzen has got the third generation of these weather stations at the present time. More information about this project called Solar Eclipse Meteorological Measurement (SEMM) is possible to acquire (and to see) on these web pages.