At the outset, may I thank Gabriele Umbriaco and Daniele Bellio, of the Osservatorio Astronomico "Don P. Chiavacci" ( http://www.calion2.com/eclisse ), as well as Beatrice Biagini and Roberto Casati (http://www.shadowmill.com), who shared with me the emotion and stress of this solstice eclipse in Zambia. For the record, it should be noted that, by travelling from June 19 (22:00pm) to 22 (6:00am) we left Europe in Spring, landed in Zambia in Fall, left Zambia in Winter, and returned to Paris in Summer. Quite an experience for a 48 hours trip! A special thought goes to Cecilia Barbieri, for her careful support in Zambia.

May I also warmly thank:

Roland Christen, founder and CEO of Astro-Physics ( http://www.astro-physics.com ), the conceiver and builder of unique astronomical instruments.

Thomas Baader ( http://www.baader-planetarium.de ) for his passion, accuracy, kindness, and for the high quality materials he provides (e.g., Herschel wedges, AstroSolar™, 4xFFC). Not to mention all the efforts he put in the fluorite glass for the EDL development.

René Petitdemange ( http://www.optique-unterlinden.com ), who has been so attentive in providing the Takahashi equipment directly from Japan.

For the many invaluable exchanges and discussions, may I thank Jean Audouze ( http://www.palais-decouverte.fr ), Martin Cohen ( http://www.company7.com ), Maurizio Di Sciullo ( http://www.excelsioroptics.com ), Fred Espenak ( http://www.mreclipse.com ), Jay Reynolds Freeman, Todd Gross ( http://www.weatherman.com), Geraldine Hogan & David Lunt ( http://www.coronadofilters.com ), David Hogg, Stuart Holdstock, Robert W. Lawler ( http://www.edci.purdue.edu/lawler ), Thierry Legault ( http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/eclipse.html ), Eric Marquis, David A. Novoselsky, Patrick Pelletier, ( http://www.medas.fr), Patrick Poitevin ( http://www.MrEclipse.com/SENL/SENLinde.htm ), Richard Provin ( http://voltaire.csun.edu ) and, last but not least, Bob Yen ( http://www.comet-track.com/eclipse/secl01/secl01.html ), who had kindly offered to host these materials in his web site.

A special mention also to the French magazine "Ciel et Espace", monthly revue of the Association française d'astronomie ( http://www.cieletespace.fr/front/default.asp?name=article&idArticle=116&typeArticle=17 ) and to Nello Soldà ( http://www.eclipse2001.it ).

Very special thanks to those friends (among whom I cannot overlook Min-Jeong Kim, Diego Meozzi, Luca Porfiri and Fabio Stella) who shared an outrageous amount of sleepless nights for many many years.

In the end, may I also mention that all this astronomical undertaking would not have been possible without the early understanding of my father, whose death sadly occurred 10 years ago, on July 13, 1991 (exactly at the time I am writing these lines). Indeed he was so open-minded as to listen to the weird request of a four years old kid, thus accepting to buy a book on astronomy; and, two years later, a telescope (a most regretted 60mm f/15 achromatic refractor). Many would have considered naughty the four years old kid, and such a request nothing more than a whim. But he believed it.

Being now so close to the stars, I trust he is very pleased about all this. Thank you Dad!