Targeting the Sun from Burma

I f you are looking for Iran's eclipse man, make sure to find him in the Southeastern Asian state of Myanmar.
Unlike previous visits, Iranian eclipse chaser Hamid Khodashenas along with a few eclipse hunters are due to reunite in Burma to sight the longest annular solar eclipse of the 21st century.
Iran's Mr. Eclipse is expected to leave Tehran on Friday, 8 January 2010, to view the solar eclipse which lasts eleven minutes and eight seconds.
Khodashenas will finalize his ten-day mission after a tour to Burma, starting from Rangoon, the capital city of the Union of Myanmar, now called Yangon and is scheduled to fly back on 23rd of January, 2010.
Myanmar's new capital is named Naypyidaw and was unveiled by the ruling government two years ago.
The longest annular eclipse of the century takes eight minutes in Burma and is visible as a partial eclipse in Africa, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Asia. Starting at Uganda, the eclipse passes through Nairobi, enters Indian ocean where the greatest eclipse is taking place in mid of Ocean.
After that enters Maldives, where it will be second longest with 10.8 Min of viewing before entering and exiting India at Rameswaram. Only place of land under the eclipse on India.
The next non-central solar eclipse will be on April 29, 2014 but the longest annular eclipse, according to some experts, will appear some centuries later.

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Fiji
Iranian research team is working to observe the 2009 total solar eclipse on July 22, in Kiribati islands, Pacific Ocean. International astronomers and scientists are preparing to observe the Total solar eclipse which is expected to appear on the Butaritari islet. Prominent experts will go on a ten-day journey, organized by the Astronomical Tours.

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What's next?

Sayeh Research Institute team plans to target the 2010 totality in South America.
The visit is interpreted as a part of a greater research project which is anticipated to stun many sky watchers, astronomers and spacemen on the globe.
The next solar eclipse will occur on July 11, 2010 and eclipse chasers may find their way into southern Pacific Ocean, with the eclipse passing near several islands including Tuamotu in French Polynesia and Easter Island or southern tips of Argentina and Chile in South America to visit the totality.
Nineteen years ago, a similar solar eclipse cast its shadow on the earth on July 11, 1991.

Blog and Comments

  • Observing the eclipse from the space?



    • A new idea has been devised by Iranian researchers a few years ago which sounds feasible and worthwhile: Observing the eclipse from the space.
    The abstract of the theory had been introduced to the Solar Eclipse Conference 2007 (SEC) in the United States, Los Angeles by Sayeh Research Institute representative and CEO Hamid Khodashenas in an article.
    The idea has been warmly embraced by participants; even through Hamid himself failed to attend the meeting.
    Two years on, preliminary studies on the project is gathering momentum and Iranian researchers step up to the plate. The program is intended to launch a comprehensive investigation into the impacts of the phenomena on the globe and shooting the corona from the space.
    Yet, before implementing the dream, many questions on the subject should be taken into consideration. Is the project plausible? Will it win high international support? What will be the gains? Please comment.
    Posted on Friday | August 14, 2009 | 1:32 AM
    28 Comments


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  • Get ready to shoot the sun



    • Iranian sky watchers remain vigil to shoot the much-awaited 2009 June 22 total solar eclipse in Nadi Islands in Fiji, Pacific Ocean.
    While many eclipse chasers take on a trip to the remote areas across the world like China and India to sight the longest totality of the century on Wednesday, Iranian researchers just need to take a flight to southeastern province of Sistan-and-Baluchestan to observe the extraordinary phenomenon. Early Wednesday, the eastern part of the sprawling Mideastern country wakes up to a partial solar beam at about 05:00 AM local time ...
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