Solar Eclipse Coronal Detail - Jeff Buell
Solar Eclipse Coronal Detail - Jeff Buell
Ni hao (Hello)!
I know you will have many questions about the tour, so I have put together a list of some of the most commonly-asked questions about traveling to China along with some specific information about the eclipse provided by my friend and expert "eclipse-chasing" consultant, Bill Sorrells. The questions are listed below; each one is a link, so you can jump directly to the information you need. If you have a question that isn't covered here, please don't hesitate to contact me to ask me directly. And if it's a question that might be of interest to everyone, I'll post the answer here, too.
(To navigate directly to the information you want, please click on the question you're interested in.)
Booking and Payment
Group Size and Tour Activities
Travel Formalities: Passports and Visas
Arranging Travel To and From China
Arriving in China
Medical and Dietary Issues
Climate and Weather
Packing and Clothing
Dealing With Money on the Tour
Keeping in Touch With Home
Accommodations and Meals
Eclipse-Viewing --Provided by Bill Sorrells of the Peninsula Astronomical Society
Booking and Payment
How do I book the tour?
When you are ready to reserve a place on the tour, please go to the eclipse
tour description page on my Web site and click the link for “terms and
conditions”. Please review the terms carefully, because they contain important
information regarding payment due dates, cancellation policies, what the price
does and does not include, and other important things. If you have any questions
about the terms, please feel free to e-mail or call me. After you have read
the terms, please click the link for the “reservation form”, then
print and fill out the form and return it to me with a check for your deposit
in the amount of $300 USD per person. Once I receive the form and deposit, your
space on the tour is reserved! [top]
Why do you ask for personal information such as my passport number and date of birth?
Chinese government security regulations require this information for domestic flight bookings. Please be assured that I do not use this information for any other purpose. [top]
When are the tour payments due?
You can send a deposit of $300 USD per person any time to reserve your place(s) on the tour. After that, half of the remaining balance is due no later than August 1, 2007, and the remaining balance is due no later than February 1, 2008. We will send you a reminder by e-mail or postal mail approximately one month before each partial payment is due. [top]
I'm sorry, but I am not able to accept payment by credit card. Please make your payments by personal check. [top]
May I pay for my tour with non-U.S. currencies?
I'm sorry, but I am only able to accept payment in U.S. dollars. If you are going to be making payment from outside the U.S., please arrange to do so by means of a check in dollars drawn on a U.S. bank, or by wire transfer. Please contact me for details. [top]
What if I need to cancel the tour?
If you need to cancel, please let me know as soon as possible by e-mail or telephone. Cancellations and refunds are governed by the terms and conditions for the tour. [top]
Does the tour price include tips?
Tips for guides and drivers are included in the price of the tour. Tipping is not required at hotels for luggage transfer or at restaurants, because those services are included in the tour price. [top]
Are children welcome on the tour?
I don’t have an age limit for the tour, so children are welcome as long as they are able to handle the conditions comfortably, such as long hours of road travel, “strange” food, etc. Of course, parents are entirely responsible for supervising their children and ensuring that their behavior does not interfere with others’ enjoyment of the tour. For couples traveling with a single child, I can arrange for a third, rollaway type bed to be moved into your room so all three of you can stay together. [top]
Group Size and Tour Activities
How many people will be in the group?
Because of the expected strong demand for this tour, the group will be a little bit larger than my normal tour groups (which are limited to no more than 12 people), but I still want to preserve a smaller group feel. Also, many of the very special activities I am planning for this tour are not really feasible for a larger group. So I am limiting the number of reservations I will take for the two-week tour to 20-25 people. (I expect that a few more may join us for a few days for the eclipse-only option.) [top]
What if your group is already filled up when I contact you?
If there is very strong demand for the tour, I will consider adding a second section that will travel separately along the same itinerary, with its own English-speaking guides and tour leaders. The new section will still be under my supervision, and will be able to enjoy the same small-group activities. [top]
Will we be taken to go shopping?
Many tours of China include regular shopping stops as part of their activities. While nearly everyone likes to buy at least something to take home from their trip, my experience is that many people dislike these forced shopping stops and the pressure to buy that accompanies them. This tour will not include any shopping stops as part of its scheduled activities. Instead, there will be some limited free time available if you want to go shopping. If you’re interested in looking for particular types of things, please let me know and I can tell you where to look for it. If you do go shopping, please be aware that bargaining is expected in most “free market” shopping areas, but not in government-run stores that cater to tourists or in standard department stores. Also, please be aware that there are many “fake” famous-brand goods, or poor quality imitations of famous-brand goods, for sale in China. The general rule is: “Caveat emptor!”-“Let the buyer beware!” If you do decide to buy larger items, it is possible to arrange to have them shipped home, but you need to be very careful about doing this because it is not unknown for shipments to be switched or damaged in transit. [top]
Travel Formalities: Passports and Visas
What paperwork do I need to go to China?
You need a valid passport that will not expire within 6 months of the last date of the tour, and a Chinese tourist visa. [top]
Do you get the visa for me or do I need to get it myself?
You will need to get the visa yourself. [top]
How do I get the Chinese visa?
The “L” class tourist visa is issued by the Chinese consulate
that handles applications from your home area. There are several consulates
in the United States--please click
here to find a map of the consular districts so you can see where you need
to apply.
Chinese consulates do not handle visa applications by mail. If you live within
easy reach of a city with a consulate, you can go there in person.
Otherwise, there are two ways to get the visa. One is to find a travel service
in or near your hometown that has a visa application service. Many of the travel
services that regularly arrange air tickets to China can provide this service.
Another is to use a so-called visa application service, which entails mailing
your passport and the visa application to the service and having them take it
to the proper consulate and then return the passport to you with the visa. It
is very easy to find such services by doing a web search for “visa service”.
No matter how you do it, you will have to fill out a visa application form, provide at least one passport-sized photo, pay a fee and submit your current passport.
The application forms are available on-line on the Chinese consulate web sites and also on the sites of visa application services. Travel services that can get visas should have the forms on hand.
The fee for the visa if you get it directly from the consulate is $130 USD
as of April 1, 2008. (Please look at the rules for the consulate you are using
to see how you need to pay it. Normally, the consulates will not accept personal
checks, but will accept cashier's checks, money orders and credit cards.) Fees
charged by travel services and visa application services will be in addition
to the visa fee, and will vary. (Just to give you an example, the last time
my husband and I got visas for China, in January, 2008, the visa fee was $100,
and the travel service we use in Sacramento charged us $140. Given the increase
in the visa fee to $130, this will have gone up. One visa application service
we checked on-line was charging a base fee of $179.95 plus delivery costs that
varied according to how quickly you want it delivered.)[top]
When should I apply for my visa?
The “L” tourist visa is valid for 90 days after it is issued. You can enter China anytime up to the end of that 90 days. I recommend that you apply for your visa approximately two months before the start date of the tour, that is, sometime in May, 2008. [top]
How long does it take to get the visa?
No matter which method you use, it should take somewhere between two and three weeks to get your visa. [top]
How long can I stay in China with the tourist visa?
The standard tourist visa permits you to stay in China for up to 30 days. This is long enough to cover the two-week tour and the optional one-week extension. [top]
What if I want to have a longer stay in China?
It may be possible for you to apply for a 90-day visa, which is available at a higher cost. If you get the regular 30-day visa and then decide to stay longer, you will have to go to a police station in China to apply for an extension. This can be an inconvenient and time-consuming process. [top]
What if I have questions about the visa application process?
Please e-mail or call me and I will be glad to answer any questions. [top]
Arranging Travel To and From China
Do you arrange international air tickets to China?
No, you will need to arrange your own air tickets. When you are doing so, please note the correct entry and exit points for your tour option. For the two-week Eclipse Over the Silk Road tour, the entry point into China is Beijing and the departure point from China is Shanghai. For the one-week eclipse only option, the entry and departure point is Shanghai. The departure point from the optional post-eclipse extension is Shanghai. [top]
Can I arrange extra hotel nights if my travel plans require me to arrive before, or leave after, the rest of the group?
Yes, of course. Please contact me for prices and other details on making the necessary bookings. Please be aware, though, that prices in Beijing will be quite high because of the upcoming 2008 Olympics, which open on August 8. Based on the latest information I have from China, rates for a double room in a 3 to 4 star tourist hotel may be as high as $300-400 USD per night. [top]
How can I find a good price on a ticket to China?
In my experience, the on-line ticket agencies often do not have the best prices to China. Instead, the best places to check would be with airline ticket consolidators or with a local travel service that specializes in travel to Asia. Ticket consolidators usually advertise in the Sunday travel sections of major metropolitan newspapers such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, etc. [top]
Arriving in China
How do I get from the airport to the hotel when I arrive in China?
I will arrange for an English-speaking guide and a driver to meet all tour participants when they arrive. To find them, you first need to complete entry formalities by going through the passport control, health inspection control, baggage claim and customs. (The path you will need to follow from the arrival gate is very well-signed in English.) From the customs check, you will exit straight ahead through the doors into the arrival concourse. As soon as you exit the doors, begin looking for someone holding a sign that says “Jasmine’s China Adventure Tours”. This will be your initial contact person. (In some cases, it may be me, although I probably won’t be able to meet every flight.) He or she will give you the instructions about meeting the driver and vehicle that will take you to the hotel. In some cases, because one driver may be picking up people from more than one flight, you may have to wait for a short while before the bus leaves. We know you will be tired, though, and will keep these waits as short as possible. The bus will deliver you directly to the hotel in central Beijing (or Shanghai), where I or one of my representatives will assist you with check-in. [top]
What if I can’t find you or your representative right away?
If for some reason you don’t see me or my representative right away, please go out into the arrival concourse and wait there with your bags. We’ll find you as soon as we can. Please don’t worry-we’re very good at locating people! [top]
Medical and Dietary Issues
Unfortunately, no. Please don’t drink tap water and be very careful not to take in any tap water when showering or brushing teeth, either. Hotels usually provide a thermos of hot boiled or purified water in your room that you can use for making tea (the rooms also usually provide teabags) as well as for brushing teeth. I will provide a supply of bottled water for everyone on our vehicles during our daily activities. If you want to buy your own drinks, bottled water and canned soda or beer is widely available and can be purchased at a reasonable cost at hotel shops or from shops or vendors on the street. If you buy your own water, please be careful to check the seal on the bottle before you drink it! If the seal seems at all loose or otherwise unusual, try another bottle. [top]
What shots do I need for China?
Officially, no shots are required to enter China or to return to the U.S. from China. That said, please see your personal doctor or a travel medicine specialist to find out what they recommend in light of your personal medical history and needs, and to find out about any health related updates from organizations such as the World Health Organization. You will be traveling to the following regions of China: Beijing, Xi’an, Gansu and Shanghai, and, for the optional one-week extension, Guangxi Province. Please note that I cannot answer specific medical questions or provide any kind of personalized medical advice. [top]
Can I find my prescription medications in China?
I can’t guarantee that you will be able to, particularly as we move away from the larger cities towards the eclipse site. If you are taking prescription medication, I recommend that you bring a supply that will be sufficient for the entire trip. It’s best to bring your medicines in their labeled bottles with your name on them just in case there is a customs inspection. [top]
Will I need to take malaria prophylactics for this tour?
Please ask your personal doctor or travel medicine specialist about this. [top]
I have special dietary needs or food allergies. Can
you accommodate them?
Normally, yes. But please let me know about them as soon as possible, so I can
make whatever special arrangements are necessary. [top]
I’m a vegetarian. Is that a problem?
Not at all! I have had many vegetarians travel with me over the years, and it’s always possible to get wonderful meatless dishes wherever we go. [top]
I have a physical disability. Should I take this tour?
Unfortunately, travel in China can be very challenging for persons with disabilities. Generally, conditions in China are not as well-developed as they are in Western countries in terms of access to public places for the disabled. Even in larger cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, features such as access ramps, handrails, sidewalk “cutouts”, and accessible restroom facilities are not always found, and as we move out to more distant places on the way to the eclipse site and onto the Tibetan Plateau they are practically unheard-of. Also, buses normally do not have lifts for wheelchairs. If you have a physical disability but are adventurous and used to coping with obstacles, I would be very glad to have you join this tour. Please let me know something about you and I will do everything I can to assist you by trying to minimizing obstacles and trying to get help where possible. [top]
How physically fit do I have to be to take this tour?
Although you probably will do a fair amount of walking on this tour, it will not involve really strenuous physical activity. Our optional bike ride in Yangshuo on the post-eclipse extension takes place on country lanes with gentle ups and downs and will pose no difficulties for those who have ridden bicycles before. If you are reasonably fit and active, you should have no difficulty. I do expect the weather in some places to be hot and relatively humid, so I will make sure we pace ourselves. But please see the next question about high elevation places. [top]
I have health issues involving high-elevation places. Should I take this tour?
The tour will visit some high elevation places. Our eclipse viewing site near Wuwei is at an elevation of over 4,000 feet, and the Tibetan monastery complex at Xiahe sits at over 9,000 feet. At times during our exploration of this area we may reach elevations of nearly 11,000 feet. If you have had medical difficulties with high-elevation places in the past, unfortunately, I don’t recommend that you take this tour. [top]
Climate and Weather
What will the weather be like along our tour route?
Generally, we can expect the weather at the time of our tour to be warm to hot, with highs in the 80s and even 90s at times, and (except for the desert area around Wuwei) relatively humid, more so as we go to the south, that is toward Shanghai and Guilin. The exception will be Xiahe, where the high elevation brings cool nights. Summer does tend to be a relatively rainy season in Beijing and Shanghai in particular, so you should be prepared for showers. A more detailed description of the weather prospects for the eclipse site can be found in the FAQ section on “Eclipse Viewing”. [top]
Do you have a backup plan if the primary eclipse-viewing site has bad weather?
We will have the ability to move to an alternate viewing site if the primary viewing site outside Wuwei is threatened by bad weather. Our eclipse-viewing consultants will monitor the weather reports in the days leading up to the eclipse and make a recommendation to us on the morning of eclipse day. If we have to move, we have one thing in our favor: the main national highway runs from southeast to northwest through Gansu Province, generally along the southern boundary of the path of totality. Our primary opportunity for an alternate site will be to the northwest (towards Xinjiang), because moving back to the southeast (towards Lanzhou) quickly takes us into mountainous areas with poor sightlines and variable weather (and also towards the end of the path of totality). If we do decide that we need to move, we may have to leave quite early in the morning in order to reach a suitable alternate site in time to set up, and may also have to return to Wuwei quite late at night. Because there are relatively few good roads running north from the main national highway towards the centerline, it is possible that we may have to use an alternate site near the southern boundary of the eclipse path. [top]
Packing and Clothing
What are the checked baggage limits on international flights?
This may depend upon your airline. Generally, most international carriers allow two checked bags not exceeding 70 pounds, although I have heard that some airlines now may be limiting checked baggage to no more than 50 pounds. Please check with your airline. Also, please note that the baggage limit on Chinese domestic flights is less than either of these limits. [top]
What are the checked baggage limits on Chinese domestic flights?
Generally, they allow two checked bags not exceeding 44 pounds. [top]
What if I want to bring heavy or oversized equipment for viewing the eclipse?
You will be responsible for any oversized or overweight baggage charges. Please check with your international carrier for details. If you can tell me the approximate weight and dimensions of items that might be subject to additional charges, I will try to find out for you what the Chinese domestic charges are. [top]
What sort of clothing should I bring? And how much?
Dress comfortably for warm and humid weather. Casual dress is fine everywhere, although for our visits to mosques and Tibetan monasteries I do recommend that we dress somewhat conservatively in order to show our respect. I strongly recommend that you bring a wide-brimmed sun hat (and a good sun block) for our time in the desert of Gansu, where the sun is very strong. Particularly in Beijing and Shanghai, we may have rain showers from time to time, so a light rain jacket and hat, or a small umbrella, will be useful. A jacket and sweater for possible cool nights in Xiahe is recommended, because of the high elevation (approximately 9,200 feet). Good, sturdy walking shoes with non-slip soles are the best choice for footwear. I do recommend a wheeled suitcase. [top]
Can I wash clothes along the way?
You can probably wash some light items in your bathroom sink and let them dry overnight. But since summer is a relatively humid season, this isn’t always effective. Almost all of our hotels have laundry services that can clean, dry and return clothes to you within about a day at a small fee. [top]
Can I use small electrical devices such as battery chargers and hairdryers in China?
Yes, but you will need a set of plug adaptors and a power converter. My husband has a set called a “Voltage Valet” that he has been using for overseas trips since the 1980s that has worked very well in China. I do recommend that you have a set of plug adaptors because I have seen different plug setups in different hotels. Hotels very often have hair dryers available in the room, or they can be obtained from housekeeping. [top]
Are there any other useful items I should bring?
I recommend that you bring a small day pack to carry bottled water and snacks. For your luggage, I recommend something with wheels. Another useful thing (but maybe not essential) is a small flashlight. And something like a Swiss Army Knife is especially useful, for opening bottles (they don't always have twist-off caps there!) and peeling fruit. (If you bring a knife or other cutting tool, please remember that it will have to be placed in checked baggage on all flights because of the new security rules. This applies to all Chinese domestic flights, too.) If you are sensitive to noise, it's a good idea to bring a pair of earplugs. [top]
Also, you might want to bring some "Wet Ones". I found these very useful for times like "snacking" on the top of the Great Wall, eating fruit in the car, or when you stop at some bathroom along the road with no towels. Some of the bathrooms you will find, particularly in the desert of Gansu and along the road of Yangshuo, are very primitive and do not have running water or toilet paper. Sundries such as shaving cream and toothpaste are usually available, but some of my friends told me they couldn't find mouthwash and dental floss, so you might want to bring some along. [top]
Can I get film and batteries for my camera?
Standard color film for your camera is very easy to buy, except for the new advanced format or panoramic cameras. Standard batteries such as AA are available, too, but more unusual batteries for cameras and video recorders are not always easy to find. I recommend that you bring enough batteries to last for your entire trip, just to be sure. If you use a digital camera, you should bring enough memory cards to last for your entire trip, because it isn't easy to find them in China, or to find places to download pictures conveniently. [top]
Dealing With Money on the Tour
How much money will I need to bring with me?
The tour price includes virtually everything once you arrive in China, so you only need to bring as much as you think you might want for personal expenses such as shopping, snacks, phone calls, Internet usage, etc., as well as something extra for emergencies just as you would on any trip. So it’s really up to you how much to bring. [top]
Should I bring cash or traveler’s checks? And how can I change money?
I recommend that you bring a small amount in cash, but that you bring most of your money in the form of travelers’ checks. American Express travelers’ checks are the most widely-accepted in China. Most of our hotels will be able to change money at the front desk, for a small fee. You also can change money at many Bank of China branches, but given our tight schedule it will be more convenient to do it at the hotels. You won’t absolutely need to change money when you arrive at the Beijing airport, because your transfer to the hotel is included in the tour price, but if you choose to, there is an exchange service in the main terminal arrival area. [top]
It may be possible for you to use ATMs in some of the larger cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and even Xi’an, although generally I do not recommend that you rely on them because in my experience they do not always work with foreign bank cards. If you want to try using an ATM in China, please contact your bank before you leave to get a list of ATMs on your system, and to make sure that your PIN can be used in China (or to have a PIN issued that will work in China). We shouldn’t expect to find ATMs that we can use in Gansu-that’s still a little remote! [top]
Can I use credit cards in China?
Some larger stores accept credit cards. Visa seems to be the most widely-accepted card. One very important point: if you intend to use your credit card in China, inform your credit card company before you go, so they will know you will use it there. Also, check with your card issuer to see what fees it will charge for foreign transactions--fees of 3% are not uncommon. The Bank of China can make cash advances on credit cards if you need money but this can be an expensive option--again, check with your card issuer. [top]
Keeping in Touch With Home
Will I be able to call home from China?
In the larger cities on our tour, such as Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai and (during the optional extension) Guilin, your hotel room should have a telephone that is capable of international direct dialing, or a business center with telephones, which you can use to call home if you need to. Please be aware, though, that making an international direct dial call from a hotel room can be very expensive, so this is an option that should probably be used only in an emergency. Also, international direct dial calling probably will not be available from hotels in smaller places such as Wuwei and Xiahe. In many cities and towns, post offices have phone centers with international calling booths that we can arrange for you to use. [top]
Is it possible to use a calling card in China?
Yes, some long-distance carriers do have calling cards that you can use from China, and in some cases this can be much cheaper than dialing direct. Please check with your carrier to see if such a card is available, and make sure to find out what cities in China you can make calls from (and the local access numbers in China), since the cards often work only in a few major cities. [top]
Will my family or friends be able to call me in China?
In most places, yes. I will give all of the tour participants a list of the hotels where we will be staying, along with their telephone and fax numbers. The list will have the phone numbers exactly as you would dial them from home, including the international access code, country code for China and the city code. [top]
Is Internet/E-mail access available? Can I use my own computer?
Yes. Hotels in larger cities have business centers where you can pay for time on a computer with Internet access. Some of the larger hotels may have data ports where you can plug in your computer but generally wireless access will not be available. You can use Internet access to send and receive e-mail from home, although from time to time it can be difficult to access certain services. I have always had good success with my Hotmail account, and have heard that others have had good success with services such as gmail. It might be a good idea to set up e-mail accounts with at least two free services such as Hotmail so you have a backup just in case there are problems with access to one service during the tour. [top]
Will my cell phone work in China?
The China Telecom mobile phone network is comprehensive-we saw cell phone towers in the middle of the empty desert and up on the Tibetan grasslands, and I have used my Chinese cell phone all over China, including Gansu. But most foreign cell phones will not work in China unless they are specially set up. If you would like to be able to use your cell phone in China, please check with your service provider to see if that would be possible. And be sure to check the rates-international calling on cell phones can be very expensive in China! [top]
Accommodations and Meals
We will be staying in clean, comfortable, well-located tourist hotels that regularly receive foreign guests and rate at least three stars on the Chinese five-star rating system, which is based on hotel facilities and amenities. Rooms will be double occupancy with two beds; a third rollaway type bed can be moved in for couples traveling with a child. Your room will have a private attached bathroom with sink, shower and Western-style toilet. Your room will have air conditioning, except perhaps in Xiahe, where the high-elevation mountain climate normally makes it unnecessary. [top]
Over the years, my friends have told me again and again that the food in China was one of the highlights of their trip. It may surprise you how different it is from the typical Chinese cooking you have tasted at home. That’s why one of the things I always look forward to on my tours is introducing my guests to the real local flavors of China--such as Beijing roast duck, the many kinds of steamed dumplings in Xi’an, and Tibetan specialties like tsampa (a mixture of yak butter and barley flour) and fresh yogurt. Breakfast will normally be in our hotel and will feature a mixture of Chinese and Western-style items (sometimes served buffet-style). Most of our lunches and dinners will be at restaurants I have specially chosen for this trip. These are not “tourist restaurants”, but places popular with local people, where you can taste the authentic flavor of the regional specialties. I will order a large variety of meat and vegetarian dishes for each table, so everyone can have the chance to enjoy several different dishes. Meals include one beverage per person, such as beer or a soft drink, and also tea and bottled water. [top]
Eclipse-Viewing --Provided by Bill Sorrells of the Peninsula Astronomical Society
Where is the viewing site located?
Our chosen site is in Gansu Province in the northwest of China, just off the Gansu Corridor portion of the ancient Silk Road and near remnants of the Great Wall. We will be operating out of Wuwei, a remote but sizeable city on the edge of the Tengger Desert. Our viewing site is about one hour outside of Wuwei, along a good paved highway, so travel to and from the site presents no problems. The site is a few miles north of the centerline along the road between Wuwei and Minqin, roughly midway between the two towns. It is a level, open field near the end of a large reservoir with clear sightlines towards the part of the sky where the eclipse will occur. A dirt road veers off the main highway and, in a short distance, encounters another firm dirt road running at right angles, which provides eclipse viewers a chance to spread out laterally. This is critical in this case, because the eclipse will be low in the sky, and everyone will need to set up side by side, to avoid blocking each other’s view. Click here to see a gallery of photos we took at the site during our visit in 2005. [top]
How are the weather prospects for eclipse day?
Very good; in fact, about as good as they are anywhere along the path. Wuwei is located at 1400 meters altitude (4600 feet) in a plain north of the Qilian Shan mountains, which rise to over 4800 meters (nearly 16,000 feet) at Lenglong Ling SW of Wuwei. Mountains frequently generate clouds, particularly in the late afternoon, but we will be traveling away from these peaks to get to the centerline, and will be some 60 miles from the highest mountains at the site. The sun at totality will be in the WNW, well away from the mountains. Any local weather generated by the mountains, such as thunderheads, should be behind us. Interestingly, a similar situation will be present at essentially all of the accessible viewing sites in China.
The weather prospects for the eclipse at this time are based solely on long-term
statistics, as compiled by the redoutable Jay Anderson of Winnipeg. Jay Anderson
has prepared a graph showing a graph of cloud cover statistics along the centerline
of the entire eclipse (see below). We have indicated the location of Wuwei on
the curve. As you can see, the area north of Wuwei is one of the better sites
along the path. More information can be found at Jay Anderson’s Web site:
www.eclipser.ca. [top]
Conditions were excellent at our viewing site in Gansu Province on August 1, 2007, one year to the day before the eclipse. Below is a satellite weather photo for China on August 1, 2007, showing the weather over northern China exactly one year before the eclipse, courtesy Air Force Weather. The shot was made at about local midday. The location of our intended viewing site is indicated. At the time of the photograph the weather throughout the Chinese portion of the eclipse path was good. The light streaks just below our site are the mountains south of Wuwei. Only a few small cumulus clouds are visible over the higher areas south of the path. According to Weather Underground, the local weather in Minqin, very close to our viewing site, was clear and sunny on August 1, 2007, with a high of 92 and a low of 59, average humidity of 22% and light winds from the northeast. While no guarantee can be made that the same will be true next year, the odds are in our favor!
Click
image for a larger view.
Do you have a backup plan if the primary eclipse-viewing site has bad weather?
We will have the ability to move to an alternate viewing site if the primary viewing site outside Wuwei is threatened by bad weather. We will monitor the weather reports in the days leading up to the eclipse and make a recommendation on the morning of eclipse day. If we have to move, we have one thing in our favor: the main national highway runs from southeast to northwest through Gansu Province, generally along the southern boundary of the path of totality. Our primary opportunity for an alternate site will be to the northwest (towards Xinjiang), because moving back to the southeast (towards Lanzhou) quickly takes us into mountainous areas with poor sightlines and variable weather (and also towards the end of the path of totality). If we do decide that we need to move, we may have to leave quite early in the morning in order to reach a suitable alternate site in time to set up, and may also have to return to Wuwei quite late at night. Because there are relatively few good roads running north from the main national highway towards the centerline, it is possible that we may have to use an alternate site near the southern boundary of the eclipse path. [top]
Will you have a pre-eclipse briefing to give us information
about viewing?
Yes. A day or two before the eclipse (exact day & time not yet determined)
we will hold a pre-eclipse talk for participants about what to expect when the
eclipse happens, what to look for during the brief moments of totality, and
tips on photo and video of the event. Our experienced eclipse team of Brian
Day and Bill Sorrells will have slides of the appearance of the sky, possibly
videos of eclipses past, and most importantly, a final weather update.
In the event of a bad forecast, we will have an option, if we know a couple of days ahead, of driving westward along the path up to a hundred miles or more, although this will mean a long drive back to Wuwei at a late hour and a possible compromise of dinner! Experienced eclipsers can be used to such things, but neophytes may find this degree of dedication rather surprising! [top]
Is it safe to look at a solar eclipse?
Yes, provided you follow a few simple rules. It is not safe to look at the unfiltered surface of the sun at any time. Even when 99% of the sun is covered by the moon, it is still too bright to safely look at without the right kind of filter. We will be providing filter “glasses” for those who want to experience the “naked” eye view of the partial phases of the eclipse. When the eclipse becomes total, however, it is perfectly safe to look at, and we strongly encourage everyone to do so!
As totality approaches, experienced eclipse chasers will be ready to call out when it is safe to look. This is typically about 15 seconds before the last bit of sun disappears. At this point you will see the “diamond ring” effect, as the solar corona appears behind the last bright speck of sun. The corona is safe to look at without a filter, being about as bright as a half-moon. [top]
How long will the eclipse last?
The entire eclipse will be about two and a half hours from the beginning to the end of the partial phases (at Wuwei, the final end of the post-totality partial eclipse will be virtually at sunset). Totality, when all the excitement happens, will be 1 minute 45 seconds at our chosen site. This is not long, and it will seem shorter in all the excitement. [top]
Typically, during a total eclipse, the sky assumes a look similar to mid-twilight, with the sky high overhead a deep grey-blue, and the horizon a much brighter orange-yellow. Sometimes the effect resembles a “360-degree sunset.” The brightest planets will be visible, and maybe if you are VERY lucky, one or two of the brightest stars. It will not be getting as dark as full nighttime. When the sun is low above the horizon, as is the case here, the darkest portion of the sky may be narrower than usual, and seem to sweep across the heavens as the lunar shadow passes. [top]
Which planets will be visible?
Mercury will be fairly bright close above the sun (if you’ve never seen Mercury, this is your big chance!) and Venus will be further away to the upper left. Saturn will be further away still, but not as bright and possibly difficult. Due to the shortness of totality, you might want to keep the planet viewing to a minimum. [top]
Yes! The great thing about eclipses is that they are not too hard to photograph. The range of brightness of the solar corona is quite large, so almost any exposure will show something. A small video camera on a tripod will work wonders, with proper settings. We plan to have a detailed presentation before the eclipse on what to expect and how to photograph it. Information on filters and film (if you are still using film!) will be sent out to participants before the trip begins. [top]
Solar eclipses occur every year, though they are not always total. Total eclipses can be expected about every year and a half, on the average, but they can only be seen from a narrow path, so if you want to see one, you usually have to travel. The next total eclipse after this one will be on July 22, 2009, also in China. (That eclipse will be visible from Shanghai and most of the Yangtze River Valley, and Jasmine will be leading another tour to see that one, too. More details are available on this site.) After 2009, the next eclipse is July 11, 2010, in the South Pacific, then November 13, 2012, also in the South Pacific (and northern Australia). [top]
When will one of these things happen in the U.S.?
You will have wait until August 21, 2017, when the path will cross the US
diagonally from Portland, Ore. to Charleston, SC. Also inside the path will
be St. Louis, Nashville, and Grand Teton National Park. After that, the US gets
totality in 2024, 2033 (Alaska only), 2044, 2045, 2052, 2078, 2079, 2097 (Alaska
only, again) and 2099. [top]
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