The solar eclipse of August 11, 1999, presented good conditions for the study of associated geophysical effects. Ionospheric measurements clearly show a decrease of electron density due to the reduced solar irradiation during the eclipse. However, contrary to claims elsewhere, the decreased conductivity did not cause an obvious effect in the geomagnetic recordings at the Earth's surface. Recordings of several European geomagnetic observatories and of a temporary variometer network, set up specially to observe an eclipse effect in detail, have been studied directly and in terms of equivalent currents in the ionosphere. We present the results of these studies and discuss possible current configurations that might explain the lack of an eclipse effect in geomagnetic recordings. ¿ 2001 American Geophysical Union