Astronomy magazine is fortunate to have commenced a partnership with a world-class travel firm whose owner, Melita Wade Thorpe, is an active and enthusiastic amateur astronomer. Melita’s company, MWT Associates, is based in San Jose, California. Melita has more than 24 years’ experience in organizing and executing tours for amateur astronomers. Among the exotic locales from Melita’s previous trips are Egypt, Italy, Turkey, Botswana, and Tunisia.
I want to draw your attention to the upcoming trips we are planning with Melita and suggest that, as Astronomy readers, you may find coming along with us on a trip to be the experience of a lifetime. The next trip will be an adventure in aurora spotting to Iceland March 16–22, 2007, the enrichment program for which will be led by Associate Editor Laura Baird. Response to this trip has been so overwhelming that it is now sold out. The itinerary for this trip includes time in Reykjavik, aurora observing, visiting geographical features in the countryside surrounding Reykjavik, touring geysers, volcanoes, and lava beds, horseback riding, enjoying Icelandic lobster, and much more.
The next trip will occur August 11–19, 2007, and will consist of an observatories tour to Chile, to visit the giant telescopes at Cerro Tololo and Gemini South. The enrichment program for this tour will be led by Senior Editor Rich Talcott. Among the highlights for this expedition will be touring Santiago, wine tasting, visiting archaeological sites, seeing geysers, and enjoying the Atacama Desert (perhaps you’ll find a meteorite?).
In 2008, with the next major total solar eclipse in the offing,
Astronomy and MWT Associates will partner to journey to Siberia to see totality. Our Siberian eclipse trip will take place July 18–August 2, 2008, and will include not only viewing the eclipse and seeing Novosibirsk, Siberia, but also taking a scenic cruise down the Volga River to explore the Russian treasures of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kizhi, Goritzy, Uglich, and Yaroslavl. Red Square, the Kremlin, the Moscow Circus, and the Hermitage will also be part of the fun. I will be accompanying readers on this trip.
Should you have interest in either the Chilean observatories tour or the Siberian eclipse venture, I encourage you to email me at
editor@astronomy.com. I’ll make sure you get the first package of information that will be sent shortly to inform you about further details on these trips-of-a-lifetime.