BY CLAY LARROY
Do
you feel like it is time for a short vacation? Once you decide to travel, how
good you plan the trip will help you feel comfortable and be comfortable at
your destination. Not only will you feel less anxiety before the trip, but you
can rest assured that once you arrive where you're going you will have a good
understanding of what's going on there. When you need to plan a vacation contact me!
"Then you flew
your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun"
- Carly Simon "You’re So Vain"
To see the total eclipse of the sun"
- Carly Simon "You’re So Vain"
Carly Simon sang
about it, but you can really do it, and you don’t need your own jet.
Astronomical tours focus on the observations of the heavens from terrestrial
destinations possessing permanent or temporary geographic advantages for
watching particular celestial events or phenomenon.
Most of the civilized
world suffers from "light pollution", whereby man-made light dilutes
and washes out the much more distant lights of planets and stars. Thus, the
best possible sky gazing is done far from the pernicious effects of artificial
light in more remote locations. Likewise, the higher the altitude, the better
the viewing as there is less of earth’s atmosphere between the traveler and the
heavens. Thus, the ultimate destination is one where the sought after phenomenon
is viewable, far from artificial light, at as high an altitude as possible. If
you have ever considered an astronomical vacation, use this TRO guide to
acquaint yourself with the many options available to globe-trotting
astro-vacationers.
Southern Sky tours
take advantage of remote locations in the southern hemisphere to observe the
unfamiliar night vistas of the lower latitudes. In the southern regions of the
globe, many celestial objects that are not present in the northern hemisphere
are visible including two nearby galaxies, the Magellanic Cloud, and the Eta
Carinae Nebula. Many star groupings from the Northern Hemisphere are not
visible or look strangely different.
Tour companies often
use Central and South America countries such as Costa Rica or Bolivia as
viewing locations, and each typifies different advantages. In Costa Rica, the
warm climate makes viewing very comfortable. In Bolivia, the altitude of 12,000
feet plus means that in any season a coat is in order, but much of the earth’s
atmosphere is beneath you!
Southern sky trips
are often available in close proximity to local observatories. Tour operators
often charter use of these facilities for the duration of the trip, adding to
the interest.
Throughout history,
many cultures have worshiped the planets, stars, sun and moon. Even today,
vestiges of the old religions can be found in native cultures or, in some
instances, hiding behind the vestments of our modern religious practices. The
summer and winter solstices, June 21 and December 21, are two occasions when
opportunities for great astronomical viewings present themselves and tour
operators offer specialized tours. Many tours center around century’s old
astronomical sites: think Stonehenge or Andean temples. Because the Solstices
represented the longest and shortest days of the year, the dates bore great
import to ancient agricultural societies. Itineraries usually explore the
cultural significance of the occasion along with observation of astronomical
phenomenon. During your planning, be sure to note that the summer and winter
solstices are reversed in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
The autumnal and
spring equinoxes are the times of year when the celestial auroras are most
visible. However, the visibility of northern and southern lights, unlike many
other types of astronomical phenomenon, cannot be as easily forecast as they
are literally the byproducts of solar weather in the earth’s upper atmosphere.
Best viewed in the highest and lowest latitudes, the Auroras are spectacular displays
of nature. In the northern hemisphere travelers can view the aurora borealis,
and in the southern, the aurora australis.
Solar eclipses
present very special occasions for astronomical viewing and photography. Tour
operators fly avid travelers to many distant locales to place them directly in
the path of the totality of the eclipse. A little background on the mechanics
of a solar eclipse is in order to explain why travel is such an important
aspect to viewing.
A solar eclipse
occurs when the moon passes between the earth and the sun. If the moon’s shadow
falls on the earth’s surface at that time, some portion of the sun’s light is
eclipsed and the light passing to earth is blocked. Because the moon’s orbit is
tilted 5 degrees to the Earth’s orbit, the moon’s shadow usually misses the
earth during an eclipse. At least twice a year, however, everything lines
up just so and an eclipse can be seen from some region of the earth. When the moon’s
darkest shadow, the "umbral shadow" hits the earth, and the moon is
also at its closest point to earth in orbit, a total eclipse of the sun can be
seen.
The track of the
umbral shadow, the "track of totality" is very long, 10,000 miles,
but very narrow, about 120 miles wide. Thus, to be in the path of totality, one
must travel to very specific parts of the globe. The next total solar eclipse
will be on August 1, 2008. The path of total eclipse will cross areas of China,
Mongolia and the Artic Ocean, Greenland and Northern Canada.
REFERENCE SITES:
Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another.Plato
Enjoy life and travel often, the more you travel, the more memories you create!
