Gujarat hoping to get tourist rush for solar eclipse

July 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Unable to buy a solar goggle but keen on watching the century's longest solar eclipse, 25-year-old Anurag Gupta caught hold of an old x-ray scan of his chest and went to the Nehru Planetarium to have a glimpse of the celestial spectacle. Gupta was not the only one armed with an x-ray.

July 22nd, 2009 SHIMLA - A partial solar eclipse was witnessed amidst partly cloudy skies across Himachal Pradesh Wednesday, officials here said. "The partial solar eclipse began at 6.24 a.m.

July 22nd, 2009 BHUBANESWAR - Those who had hoped to witness the century's longest solar eclipse in Orissa were disappointed Wednesday as the sky remained overcast in most parts of the state. Thousands of people woke up early in the morning and were armed with special glasses to see the phenomenon.

July 22nd, 2009 TAIPEI - Tens of thousands of people in Taiwan watched Wednesday's partial solar eclipse, but few said they still believe in superstitions that the eclipse could spell disaster. In Taipei, clusters of people gathered in squares, parks and on rooftops to try to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon, which appeared as a total eclipse in parts of India, Nepal, China and Japan and a partial eclipse in other areas of Asia.

July 22nd, 2009 SURAT - Scientists, tourists and school children in Gujarat were left disappointed Wednesday as heavy clouds blocked the view of the total solar eclipse. "Some darkness was felt in Surat around 6.25 a.m.

July 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - As dawn broke Wednesday, the century's longest total solar eclipse began with thousands of sky gazers craning their neck skywards to catch the glimpse of the rare celestial spectacle. The sun rose eclipsed Wednesday morning at 5:28 a.m.

July 22nd, 2009 DHAKA - The long-awaited total solar eclipse was observed Wednesday morning in northwestern Bangladesh that lasted for little more than three minutes. Despite the cloudy weather, tens of thousands of astronomy enthusiasts gathered in the South Asian country's northwestern Panchagarh district, about 440 km from here, observed the greatest celestial spectacle of the century.

July 21st, 2009 MUMBAI - Did you know animals and birds often prepare for sleep or behave confusedly during total solar eclipse? Well, here are some other little known facts about solar eclipse. - The longest recorded duration for a total solar eclipse is 7.5 minutes.

July 20th, 2009 SURAT - The Gujarat government Monday launched a website dedicated to the total solar eclipse of July 22, an official here said. The state government launched the website solareclipsesurat.in jointly with the Surat Municipal Corporation and the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

July 12th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Keen to capitalise on religious fervour during a major solar eclipse July 22, the Haryana tourism department has made elaborate arrangements for visitors to the holy town of Kurukshetra as it expects around 1.5 million tourists to come during the celestial phenomenon. The solar eclipse will last from from 5.35 a.m.

July 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - After space tourism, it is astro-tourism that is catching up people's fancy, courtesy the ensuing total solar eclipse. Air charter and tourist operators in India are receiving an overwhelming response for chartered flights to view total solar eclipse of longest duration in 21st century.

July 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Commencing Tuesday, three eclipses - a lunar eclipse, a solar eclipse and another lunar - will take over the skies, a phenomenon which although experts say is not rare, will nevertheless be nature's grand spectacle. On July 7, a penumbral lunar eclipse will occur as the moon rises over Australia and sets in western north and south America in the early pre-dawn hours, said C.B.

June 30th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India will view 21st century's longest solar eclipse July 22 which will provide a life time opportunity to scientists and sky gazers to study this grand spectacle of nature. The total eclipse is expected to last 6 minutes and 44 seconds, making it the longest eclipse till 2132.

January 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The first solar eclipse of the year was partially visible in some parts of India and observed by various people Monday afternoon. The eclipse started at 2.15 p.m.

January 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Sky gazers in some parts of India will get an opportunity to observe a partial solar eclipse Jan 26. The eclipse, first for the year, will start at 2.15 p.m.