Vacation planning/solar eclipses

Subject: Vacation planning/solar eclipses
From: Bettynh
Date: 21 Mar 12 - 01:01 PM

Today's beautiful weather had me thinking about travel and making plans for getting away. One of my best year's travels included both an annular and total solar eclipse, so I checked out how far I'd have to go to repeat that combo. Too far, it seems, but some catters could maybe profit from my research. ;-)

On May 20, 2012 there will be an annular eclipse in an arc from the California/Oregon border to central Texas (it looks like the sun will set eclipsed in Lubbock, TX). In an annular eclipse, the moon's shadow doesn't quite touch down on earth, so the end result looks like someone shot a dark hole in the sun. During the annular eclipse we chased, we ended up sitting under a birch tree (lots of little leaves), and each spot of sunlight became a pinhole camera, showing the big events in the sky. It was magic.

Even more dramatic, on Nov. 13, 2012 there will be a total solar eclipse over northern Australia, beginning east of Darwin and going over Cairns. If I were anywhere near, I'd try to get there.

It looks like it'll be 5 years before there's an eclipse I'll be able to travel to.

Subject: RE: Vacation planning/solar eclipses
From: Bettynh
Date: 21 Mar 12 - 02:24 PM

Acck, this should be below the line, unless someone can come along and plan a concert tour to co-incide.