For total solar eclipse, travel to Asia, or Griffith Observatory

Around the world folks are gearing up for a major switch-off. The next total eclipse of the sun, on July 22 (July 21, California time), will “darken major cities, densely populated countryside, and a vast expanse of tropical ocean,” according to Sky & Telescope magazine. Lasting over 6.6 minutes at its point of longest duration, the solar eclipse will be the longest Earthlings have a chance to see until 2132.

To view this phenomenon, during which the moon completely obscures the sun, in person, you’ll have to get yourself to select portions of Asia or the Pacific islands. Destinations along the path include parts of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, China and Japan.

The “instant of greatest eclipse,” or the longest totality (6 minutes, 39 seconds), will occur above the Pacific Ocean well away from land at 2:35:19 UT on July 22, according to Sky & Telescope. But just before and just after this maximum is reached, the eclipse will be viewable in Iwo Jima and Kitaio Jima, and then the Marshall Islands and Kiribati.

Want to seek a pot of gold at eclipse’s end? Aim to be about 620 miles northwest of Tahiti at 4:18 UT.

Along the path, crowds are sure to gather with everything from exposed X-ray sheets to solar glasses to view the natural spectacle. The stylish pooch pictured above was in Bulgaria during the solar eclipse of Aug. 1, 2008. (For other images related to that eclipse, see this Times photo gallery.)

Of course, the upcoming eclipse won’t be visible from North America, but at Griffith Observatory, in L.A., you can watch a live webcast of it on the evening of July 21, beginning at 5:24 p.m., as seen from an island near Shanghai. Admission is free, and no reservations are required.

However, on its website the observatory does offer one caveat to potential viewers: “It is worth noting that July is the height of the monsoon season in southern Asia. That means that the clear skies needed to see the eclipse are far from certain.” We’ll stay tuned.

Contact: Griffith Observatory, (213) 473-0800

- Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

[Top photo: The total solar eclipse on Aug. 1, 2008, as seen in Jiuquan, China; Associated Press]

[Bottom photo: Dog geared up with protective glasses for the 2008 solar eclipse near Varna, Bulgaria; Petar Petrov / Associated Press]

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This entry was posted on Friday, July 10, 2009 at 9:45 am by Susan Derby and is filed under Asia, California, China, Family & Kids, Global, India, Islands & Beaches, Japan, Los Angeles, News, Tips & Advice, Outdoors & Adventure, Sky watching, Summer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.