About the eclipse on Easter Island
A total eclipse of the Sun will take place on 11th July 2010. The path of this eclipse crosses vast open stretches of the Pacific Ocean and can only be viewed by anyone who happens to be on a ship or is on one of just a handful of islands in its path.
You can witness this dramatic celestial event on one of our Easter Island Eclipse Tours, one of the most mysterious and isolated places on Earth and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Maoi stone heads on Easter Island have been a source of wonderment for generations of explorers and this iconic island will make for a particularly unusual and esoteric place from which to view the total solar eclipse.
The total duration of the eclipse on Easter Island will be nearly 5 minutes, making it very well positioned to enjoy this remarkable natural event. Plus you will have the opportunity to combine this unique celestial event with an exploration of Chile, a land of dramatic and beautiful landscapes.
expert astronomers
Two of our tours to see the Easter Island eclipse will be fully accompanied by our expert Astronomers, who will be on hand to give talks, explanations, answer any questions and give you those expert eclipse viewing tips. There will also be the chance to spend a few further evenings stargazing and learning about the night sky.
Dr Francisco Diego will accompany the Atacama, Easter Island and Eclipse tour
Dr Francisco Diego was born in Mexico City. He has a PhD in Astronomy from UCL and has become an active populariser of Astronomy as an author, lecturer and producer of planetarium shows. He co-produced an educational TV program about total solar eclipses and collaborates with the media in a variety of projects. Francisco has been working with Explore on our Eclipse programmes since 2004. He is a veteran of many solar eclipse expeditions.
Mr Andy Green will accompany the Easter Island Eclipse & Atacama Adventure tour
Mr Andy Green has been actively involved in astronomy for more than 30 years and has travelled the world to meet space people from cosmonauts to Patrick Moore! He regularly lectures at schools and universities, museums and societies and has his own astronomy business including a mobile planetarium. He is passionate and enthusiastic about astronomy and enjoys sharing his passion with others.
update
We are pleased to confirm that the flights for this tour, including the flights to Easter Island have now been confirmed by LAN Airlines. Also, our planned visit to the Paranal VLT has been confirmed by the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO).