solar eclipse highlights

Every time the solar eclipse take places, the occurrence and its observation mean a great thing for the astronomy. Recently, Professor Jay M. Pasachoff has surveyed Jinshan near Shanghai，Mogan Mountain and the reservoir of Tianhuangpin Pumped Storage Power Plant and Hangzhou City in order to choose the best location in the world to observe the astronomic spectacle, accompanied by chief scientist of National Astronomical Observatory Dr. Yan Yihua and Curator of Beijing Astronomical Observatory Dr. Zhujin.

The solar eclipse will take place on July 22, 2009 and it happens once every three hundred years. It will be a total eclipse of the sun that will only be visible from a narrow corridor through central China, including Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai Cities, which means most parts of central China locate within the best area of observation. The solar eclipse is the longest total solar eclipse that will occur in the twenty-first century. Totality visible in Shanghai will last for up to 5 minutes. The last solar eclipse visible in Shanghai took place on May 10, 1575 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and it won’t happen again in Shanghai until June 9, 2309. There is no exaggeration to say the total solar eclipse is a rare chance once in centuries and many people are expecting its coming.

When the moon is directly between the sun and the earth, and the moon's shadow is cast upon the earth, it seems that to the people on the earth that the sun is not full and even disappearing. This is the solar eclipse. Actually this is one of the astronomical phenomenons when the sun is covered by the moon. Since the full solar eclipse belt is so narrow on earth that venues can observe this magic astronomical phenomenon is quite limited.

Now the hotel rooms are difficult to book for July 22nd 2009 in Anji Tianhuangping of Zhejiang province and Tongling in Anhui province, which were considered to be the best observation venue for the full eclipse in 2009. It is said that an isle locating on the solar eclipse belt had already been occupied by a travel agency for organizing astronomic amateurs to witness this eclipse. Those eclipse chasers are already get prepared for 2009’s eclipse. According to Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, observers’ number may create new world record next year. The full solar eclipse may influence natural environment, such as wind, temperature, animals and so on. Thus, when full solar eclipse takes place, temperature and humidity may fall sharply, wind direction may change, wind speed goes faster and it may darken suddenly during the daytime… lot of amateurs upload data and pictures from NASA to BBS to discuss the best observation venues. Since sun altitude of 2009’s eclipse is 55, residents living on high apartment in Shanghai may even witness at their home with the windows open.
After careful calculation, Prof. Jay M. Pasachoff, chairman of the Working Group on Solar Eclipse of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) finally released the information that the reservoir of Tianhuangpin Pumped Storage Power Plant, located at 119°35′east and 30°27′north and standing at 758 meters, would provide the best observing site. This information was released by after he went to Anji and made a practical survey of the place.