Total Solar Eclipse 2008 From Xinjiang Province in Northwestern China

An Exploratorium and NASA Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum Event Overnight Eclipse Viewing Party at Exploratorium Begins July 31, 2008 at 9pm And Continues Through Friday, August 1 in the Wee Hours Over 100 Museums Internationally Also Participating Live Webcast Begins at 3:30am (PDT), and Totality at 4:09am (PDT) exploratorium.edu/eclipse

San Francisco's Exploratorium brings its fifth eclipse expedition team to remote Xinjiang Province in Northwestern China, very close to the Mongolian border, where the Exploratorium will webcast a total solar eclipse live to the world. From this remote desert on the ancient Silk Route, we'll point four cutting-edge telescopes skywards to capture the eclipse from beginning to end -- in white light, hydrogen alpha (for amazing details), and Calcium-K (to see surface structure). In addition to live feeds of the eclipse, Exploratorium scientists Dr. Rob Semper and Dr. Paul Doherty will provide commentary on prominences, sunspots, and the corona as they occur.

NASA Hemisphere physicist Dr. Erik Christian will show some of the latest imagery of the sun from NASA's SOHO and STEREO missions, and explain how the solar wind can impact us here on Earth. We'll also be joined by Dr. Na Wang, Director of the Urumqi National Observatory. From coronal mass ejections to snapshots of the Silk Road to the newest U.S. and Chinese moon missions, we'll cover it all while watching one of the world's most awe-inspiring celestial events. As the date nears, please check back at www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/2008 for more details.

For full press release, go to: http://www.exploratorium.edu/pr/documents/08-7Total.html

Spend the Night at the Exploratorium!

See the eclipse in person live at the Exploratorium. Pack your sleeping bag and camp out on the museum floor for an overnight eclipse party. This event will capture and actively observe the full eclipse, and investigate space weather and the sun as a power source. It is both a celebration and party, a look at Chinese culture, and pure Sun-Earth Connection science. The celebration begins with astronomers, food, music, and of course, tea/caffeine, to keep you alert for the big event. Doors open at 9pm, Thursday July 31. Films and solar science activities, like spectroscope making, will be held, as well as the sorts of traditional Chinese performances that mark special occasions, and in the name of science, roving astronomers to answer questions. General admission will be open from 9pm-midnight. Museum capacity is limited; we may sell out early. We strongly encourage advance reservations through www.ticketweb.com.