Download Sky & Telescope eclipse webinar (60 mins)
On-demand webinar: When Is the Next Eclipse? How to Plan a Trip to See Another Total Solar Eclipse
Do you want to see another eclipse? Since the stunning total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, in the U.S. was observed by 20 million people, interest in eclipse-chasing is higher than ever. The Great American Eclipse may be over, but there are now not one but two Great South American Eclipses to look forward to.
Late in 2017, I broadcasted an hour-long Webinar for Sky & Telescope magazine, with Kelly Beatty, S&T’s Senior Editor, the S&T Webinar: When’s the Next Solar Eclipse? I want to download it. Here’s the summary:
Exactly where and when the Moon’s shadow will fall on Earth have been calculated thousands of years ahead, but some events are much easier to travel to than others. In this webinar, Jamie Carter—astronomy journalist and editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com—will share with you the essential characteristics and travel possibilities of upcoming solar eclipses to help you choose which one to see.
Will you journey to Chile in 2019 or 2020 to observe a total solar eclipse? Which eclipse presents the best chance of clear skies? Are there any “secret” locations that might make it easier? Should you join an expensive organized tour or travel independently? Why not just wait until 2024’s eclipse in the U.S.? All these questions and more will be answered in this presentation, which will discuss total solar eclipses up to 2027 to help you choose which ones are best for you. The talk will also describe annular solar eclipses and discuss whether these are worth traveling around the world to view.
Seeing a solar eclipse under clear skies is never guaranteed, but you can maximize your chances, your budget, and your time with this ultimate guide to eclipse-chasing in the next decade.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
- Why eclipse-chasing is the best reason to travel
- How to be an eclipse-chaser
- Characteristics of the total solar eclipses in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2026, and 2027
- How to choose among total solar eclipses if money is a factor
- Choosinge an observing location (and why to identify more than one)
- How to select an organized eclipse tour operator
- Why you shouldn’t worry about the duration of totality
- Reading the seasons and weather forecasts for Southern and Northern Hemisphere eclipses
- “Secret” locations where total solar eclipses will soon be visible (such as the site of some of the world’s largest telescopes, the set of Tatooine in Star Wars, and a town in Texas that will see two eclipses in six months)
WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS WEBINAR?
- Anyone impressed enough by August 21’s Great American Eclipse to want to see another one
- Amateur astronomers who now have a burning ambition to experience totality again as soon as possible
- Seasoned eclipse-chasers who are starting to think about upcoming eclipses
- Those who missed out on totality on August 21 and now regret not traveling
- Astrophotographers who want to try their hand at imaging an eclipse
- Amateur astronomers who want to keep up with upcoming astronomy events
- Anyone wanting an excuse to plan a trip with an extra-special dimension
INSTRUCTOR
Jamie Carter is a science and travel journalist and author who specializes in eclipses, stargazing, and dark-sky destinations. As well as editing WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com, he is the author of The Great South American Eclipse Travel Guide for July 2, 2019 and When Is the Next Eclipse? When, Where & How to See Solar & Lunar Eclipses 2018-–2030. He has also written A Stargazing Program for Beginners for Springer. He lives in the U.K. and tweets at @TheNextEclipse and @jamieacarter.
