As some of you might already know, a total solar eclipse will take place on Friday, August 1, 2008.

A total solar eclipse is a rare astronomical phenomenon, where the Sun, Moon and Earth are aligned on a straight line. If viewed from Earth, the Moon covers the whole Sun and only the Solar corona is visible. Watching and studying a total solar eclipse live is a spectacular experience and although there are many beautiful pictures and videos of such events they can not reproduce the atmosphere and the feelings of a live experience.

A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth every 18 months or so and it has been estimated that they recur at any given place only once every 370 years. You can read Wikipedia's entry for an excellent description of how and why solar eclipses happen.

Unfortunately, the ground track of the total solar eclipse is not always at easily accessible places. An expedition to experience and study a total solar eclipse often requires planning and preparations to begin well in advance. On the other hand, such events provide a good excuse for visiting countries and places that you haven't seen before. This year the total eclipse will be visible from parts of Canada, northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia, Mongolia, and China. However, a partial eclipse will be visible from northeastern North America, most of Europe and Asia - provided that the weather will allow it.

Fortunately, everybody who has access to the internet will have a chance to follow this extraordinary event via NASA TV, see http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/eclipse/index.html for details.

Very Important:
In case you will have a chance to experience the eclipse live, be sure to take proper precautions for protecting your eyes by using appropriate Eclipse glasses or by indirect projection. Sunglasses are not safe, since they do not block the harmful and invisible infrared radiation.