Easter Island holds 887 moai, or monumental statues. Among them, groups from around the world hope to observe a total solar eclipse July 11. Photo courtesy Astronomical Tours
As the lead astronomer for a trip organized by Astronomical Tours, I, along with my wife, Holley, embark Saturday on a journey through Bolivia and Chile to Easter Island to see the eclipse. We’ll return July 19. Before we view the eclipse, we will spend 3 nights at the Inca Utama Resort in Bolivia on Lake Titicaca. With an altitude of roughly 12,000 feet (3,650 meters) and a 22-inch Starmaster Dobsonian-mounted reflector at our disposal, many of our group no doubt will be observing into the wee hours.
From Bolivia, we venture to Chile and the Atacama Desert. This landscape is among the most undisturbed in the world. Along the way, we’ll pass through the Chilean Parque Nacional Lauca (Lauca National Park). This park is well-known for being home to a great wealth of flora and fauna, and many cultural and historical sites. A major attraction of the park is the astonishing Chungara Lake, one of the most elevated in the world, located at the foot of the Payachata twin volcanoes.
Another highlight in the barren and beautiful Atacama Desert will be ancient burial Chullpas (funerary towers of the Aymara people), which litter the epic landscape under a vivid azure sky.
On July 10, we take an early morning flight from Santiago to Easter Island. That afternoon, we’ll visit the Archeological Museum of Sebastian Englert. This facility contains interesting graphics and drawings that illustrate the island’s Rapa Nui culture.
Also on Easter Island, we’ll view the total solar eclipse — including 4 minutes and 37 seconds of totality — from a carefully chosen location for clear viewing. Totality begins at approximately 2:11 p.m. local time (20h11m UT) while the Sun stands 40° above the north-northwestern horizon. Unlike almost every other group, which will fly to Easter Island the morning of the 11th and leave that evening, our cadre of roughly 40 people spend 5 days exploring the most remote inhabited spot on Earth. It should be incredible.
Stay tuned for lots of coverage on Astronomy.com. I’ll post updates and images from the trip if Internet access is available. If not, I’ll post lots of great shots as soon as I return. And if technology cooperates, I’ll also “tweet” and post Facebook status updates live during this trip. Follow us on Twitter (@AstronomyMag) and Facebook (www.Facebook.com/AstronomyMagazine).