Wendy Wu China Tours to view China Eclipse summer 2009

Solar Eclipse Tours available at The Travel Village 01253 341014 with special savings!!

Wendy Wu Tours is offering a number of different tours for viewing the longest total solar eclipse this century. On their very special eclipse dedicated tours, you will view the event from their viewing site at Yanguan on the banks of the Qiantang River.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth so that the sun is fully or partially obscured. We will experience uninterrupted views and 5 minutes and 40 seconds of totality (weather permitting). Totality will occur at 0938 and at an altitude of 57 degrees and the eclipse itself will end about 1100. At about 1230 witness the world famous Qiantang River Tidal Bore. The gravitational pull of the moon and sun will create a wave several metres high as the high tide penetrates the relatively narrow river mouth.

Classic Tours

Wendy Wu will also be running a number of our classic itineraries that are timed to coincide with the eclipse. These tours journey through China on the normal routes, allowing you to combine the sights of this beautiful and historical country with a viewing of the eclipse. On these tours, we will see the eclipse from an unobstructed site near Shanghai experience totality for at least 5 minutes (weather permitting).

There is also the option for a four day Eclipse Easy Stay in Shanghai, which can be taken as a short break on its own or combined with private touring elsewhere in China.

Top Astronomy Authors

For those on Wendy Wu's very special dedicated Eclipse tours, top astronomy authors Stuart Clark and Paul Parsons will be with us in Hangzhou to share their knowledge and experience as the excitement builds before the big event. To add to the anticipation they will make a presentation the day before the eclipse and will also accompany their groups to the Qiantang River viewing site on Eclipse Day.

Dr Stuart Clark holds a first-class honours degree and a PhD in Astrophysics and is one of the UK’s most widely read astronomy journalists. He is a former editor of Astronomy Now, the UK’s biggest selling astronomy magazine and he currently he writes for the European Space Agency, New Scientist and BBC Focus magazine and is a science advisor to the BBC. Stuart has also written articles in The Economist and The Times. He has written many astronomical books and ‘The Sun kings’ was shortlisted by the Royal Society for their best popular science book prize. Find out more about Stuart on his website www.stuartclark.com

Dr Paul Parsons is a former science journalist for the BBC, where he served as editor of award-winning science magazine Focus and managing editor of BBC Sky at Night magazine. He remains a consultant editor to Focus and is now a freelance writer, editor and author specialising in science, space and astronomy. Paul has contributed to a wide range of publications including Nature, New Scientist and the Daily Telegraph and his books include ‘The Big Bang’ and ‘The Science of Doctor Who’. Paul also makes frequent appearances on radio and TV and gives regular talks at science festivals and events.

Call The Travel Village on 01253 341014 to find out more about Wendy Wu's China Eclipse holidays in 2009.

This is a holiday blog entry by Phil