Total Solar Eclipse, July 22, 2009

[iceman]

If you're after an adventure, don't forget about the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse in China, on 22nd July 2009 (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/63-525-0-0-1-0.html). It's being reported as the best this century, as totality lasts over 6 minutes in some places. I know there are a number of eclipse-chasers on IceInSpace, who already travel the world chasing the shadow of the Moon as it falls upon the Earth. From all reports, these are spectacular events - something you'll never forget and definitely worth making an effort to see.

Eclipse tours can be the best way to experience this event, as you get to combine the eclipse with a holiday and share it with others after that same experience. SkyWings Travel (http://www.skywingstravel.com.au) is offering two tours to China that take in the Total Solar Eclipse on July 22 - they may be worth checking out if you're keen to let a tour company handle all the details for you.

To read more about the Total Solar Eclipse, I've written an article which will give you all the information you need to prepare for this rare event, including:

What is a Solar Eclipse?
When and Where can I see it?
Eclipse Tours
Viewing / Observing Guide
Photography / Imaging Guide
Upcoming Solar Eclipses

You can read the article by clicking on the link below:

Total Solar Eclipse, 22nd July 2009 - Observing / Imaging Guide (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/63-525-0-0-1-0.html)

Who's planning on going?

[glenc]

Thanks Mike. If you want to plan your own trip to China here are some web sites.
http://www.bestflights.com.au/cgi-bin/209/flights?mainlist
http://www.asiarooms.com/china/shanghai.html?cpg=2&sort=rates&extraSortRate=40-80%20AUD&type=asc&extraSortRate=40-80%20AUD
My main worry in China is haze.

[andrew]

I'm very keen to see this one, would be an amazing experience :)

Thanks for the imaging guide Mike :)

[glenc]

This website helps you find cheap fares: http://adioso.com/
http://adioso.com/search/sydney-to-international-july.html
http://adioso.com/search/gold-coast-to-international-july.html

[glenc]

Singapore Airlines has a special To Shanghai which is available until 17/4. You can fly between April and Nov.
e.g Brisbane - Shanghai return for $940 including taxes with a stopover in Singapore. ($344 + $596 taxes)
http://www.bestflights.com.au/cgi-bin/209/flights?maindetails=4191

[ej]

take Southern China Airline at july, to most main cities in China for only $440+Tax, or special rate for 3 people travelling together is only $600+ 3 people's Tax. visit: http://flights.chinatravel.com.au/
see you in China.

[Astro78]

Hey Mike,

This would make a great prize on Iceinspace :P

[Shano592]

Awesome! I'm already here, and only 90 minutes from Hangzhou. Better set up a pinhole box, I think!

[Screwdriverone]

I am going to be leaving on Saturday 18th to travel via Hong Kong and will be in Hangzhou (my company has an office there) on the 20th, returning on the 24th.

Travelling with the boss, so it BUSINESS class all the way there and back, Yeeeeehah!

I am glad I conned, oops, I mean asked, for me to be able to go there to see it, just hope the weather is good and no smog etc.

Might have to do work while I am there, but hey, them's the breaks...

Cheers

Chris

[glenc]

Here is a forecast http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/1354

[Shano592]

The weather has been pretty good for the last couple of days. Last week, the smog was right on top of you, but lately, there have been blue skies, and no thunderstorms. You can sill see the hills that are about 20km away, so that's something. I even saw the moon the other night!

Last year at this time though, was totally different. Rain every day, 39 degrees plus. Talk about an oven ...!

[Screwdriverone]

SHHHHHH!

Dont jinx us Shane! There will be freaking smog and clouds if you keep this up.....

Chris

[Shano592]

Smog in China??? Naaaaahhh!!

[glenc]

Looks like heavy rain for tomorrow around Shanghai.
http://www.meteoblue.com/en/specials/solar-eclipse-22-july-2009/

[cookie8]

Same forecast for Hangzhou: heavy rain.....looking ugly, real ugly

[neilallison]

Hi All

I'm new to this forum and have a question about about the eclipse.
Once I heard about the eclipse, I went and had a look in Stellarium and according to that, I can see the eclipse from Melbourne too - that can't be right !!!!

Will there be any chance of seeing a partial eclipse though (even if it's only a small chunk)?

Cheers.

[iceman]

Hi Neil.

Sorry, there's no chance of seeing anything from Melbourne.

Cheers

[erick]

Check your location setting in Stellarium, Neil. I remember playing with this by setting to the time of the eclipse, then changing the viewing location. It worked well and the screen only showed total eclipse in the right locations.

[Shano592]

I'm getting the same forecast that I had for yesterday, and if it holds true, then it's just going to be very hot. Yesterday in YiWu (about 90 minutes out of Hangzhou) it was about 39 degrees.

Light cloud today, and a very (un)comfortable 37 degrees (at the moment). Last night, at midnight, it was a significantly cooler 36 ...:mad2:. Thank the deities for hotel airconditioning!

Mind you, I am also further inland, so the coastal effects don't hit as hard here (I hope), normally.

[glenc]

Neil, the only place in Australia that will see anything is Cape York and then it is only a 3.5% eclipse.

[seanliddelow]

Did you have the moon on 4x size? That made me think i could have seen the eclipse.

[Shano592]

UPDATE: Less than an hour to go, and the weather is technically fine here. I say technically, because, although it is a blue sky day, with light clouds... the smog has really made it's way to YiWu today.

For those of us playing at home, YiWu is basically surrounded by hills, so the wrong winds can have a terrible effect on visibility. It all settles into the "bowl" that is YiWu.

However, I can just see the sun from where I am, so that is something. Pity this is a business trip ... the only camera I have is attached to my phone.

I will keep you all updated, and try to get some footage to someone ... YouTube, twitter and facebook seem to unavailable at this time from this location ....

[Shano592]

I think the folks to the north of here are going to have something special to talk about!

Here in YiWu, the eclipse was about 98% totality, and it was fairly significant darkness.

Unfortunately, my phone's camera could not sharpen properly against the sun's brightness, even at 2% sun. I also tried filtering with the hotel's heavily tinted glass ... I think I needed to use a piece of welding glass in front of the lens, to be honest.

My eye could resolve it well, but the lens had no chance.

All of the lights on the streets and hotel rooves were lit ... it was actually quite eerie.

I'll try to grab some stills from the footage if I can.

[h0ughy]

that would be good shane

[Shano592]

Yeah, I can't get it to resolve.

Best I could get was a lens reflection for the fingernail.

See the attached.

I have avi footage of before and during the event ... don't know if I can upload them. Total size is just under 4MB

EDIT: And now it looks like rain!

[castor]

Owing to a lousy weather forecast, managed to get a soft-sleeper ticket at short notice from Hangzhou to Wuhan.
Observed at a park with a lake, packed with locals. Weather was hot with some clouds, but as if nature was playing a cruel joke, there was no cloud cover on the opposite half of the sky. Hah!
Managed to get some decent photos of the partial phases, ironically because there was some cloud cover. Saw the first two minutes of totality (no diamond ring visible), but was unable to get any shots of it.
Nice view of the corona through binoculars though at 15x.
And then I left amidst heat exhaustion and mild disappointment.
On TV saw a cheesy bit about a guy proposing to his prospective wife during the second diamond ring and 3rd contact!!!!! Soooo corny.
Incidentally, after so many trips to China, I've got to say that Wuhan is one of the most ugliest towns I've ever been to and I never ever want to come here again.

[glenc]

[/URL]Hangzhou Bay Bridge [url]http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/51389547.html (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/51389547.html)
"Just a minute or two before Second Contact, the Sun started to poke through again, and we could see a deep partial eclipse. The sky started darkening rapidly, and I could feel a surge of optimism and energy in our group. Then boom, we could see Baily’s Beads and a Diamond Ring through a thin haze, and suddenly the sky was pitch black. Against all expectations from just a few minutes earlier, we were seeing a total solar eclipse!"

[C.A.L.]

The Sutherland Astronomical Society group of about 84 people (+extras) observed the eclipse from approx 70km north of Hangzhou through a small hole in very thick storm clouds. The hole lasted just a little longer than totality, but certainly long enough for a number of people to take some spectacular images before the rain and thunder came in again. I still think we picked the wrong spot and were just exceptionally lucky, but as it appears that seeing the eclipse at all was simply a hit-or-miss matter of luck, we really did alright...

It was all rather spectacular - especially as we didn't think we would get to see anything at all.

Interesting that Wuhan had patchy viewing, given that the weather forecast was better there than Hangzhou. I'm still waiting to hear from a friend who was watching the eclipse from near Wuhan to see how they got on.

Cheers,
Cathi

[Screwdriverone]

Hi All,

I was in the same boat, 7am, CLOUDS in Hangzhou, couldnt see the sun at all!

However, when the totality approached, from about 15 mins before, the clouds were high cirrus and quite transparent, so there was a fabulous view from the West Lake in front of my hotel!! :) :) :)

I had Baader solar film over the binos as well as my boss' HD video camera so we got some good approaching pics. He got almost ALL of the totality without the solar film on and also the diamond ring once totality was over. THEN the battery went dead! :(

Because he didnt bring a charger for the batteries (but did bring two that were pretty much flat anyway, then I will have to wait until next Monday when we are back in Sydney so I can get the video file off the camera and see if I can post some frames or some short clips here.

It is pretty amazing to hear "ooooooooh, aaaaaaaaahhhhH! at totality from 2000 Chinese people on the banks of the West Lake.

What a buzz!

Cheers

Chris

[Jen]

:eyepop: Chris you lucky bugger i wondered where you had gotten to :doh:
Cant wait to see ya pics when ya get back home cheers :thumbsup: