Total Solar Eclipse 2008 plans?

I've even heard about your ability to jinx weather!

Thanks for the info Al. I guess a lot more research needs to be done.

BTW did Phil Lardner ever tell you the story about one of our trips to djouce mountain. A lovely clear transparent night, at least until I arrived and it started to snow. The conversation went like.

Phil: Ohh I dont know about this this looks like it's here to stay.
Dave: Relax lads its just a shower, we'll be back out observing in a few, I saw the sat pic before i came out.
Phil: It's sticking Dave, I can't see my 20" anymore.
Dave: Dont worry phil the snow will take all the crap off the mirror when you wipe it off.
Phil: Yeah if I ever find the damn scope in that drift over there.
Jed Glover: F&*^ this guys, I'm soo outta here.
Dave and Phil: Waaaaaiittt for uuuuuusssssssss.

What do we do about Seanie? Check-in luggage?

Seanie,

Dave "The Grinch" Grennan made me do it. :roll:

Seanie's no problem just don't feed him after midnight and you'll be all right. I'm sure we'll find some 30 stone, lonely siberian, exiled for cruelty to furry animals to share a room with our dear Seanie. You don't mind do you Seanie?

Not at all Dave, It'll probably mean free accommodation with the deal!

Anthony, thanks!

Seanie.

Care to share some accommodation info Anthony?

Comrade Al,

I will have to go back and check my notes. However, I do recall that all of the expenses (complete air travel, accomodation, visa, insurance etc) came to around 830 euro and which included the use of Aeroflot between Athens and Moscow. I purposely checked for alternate carriers (I am not very comfortable with Aeroflot and their history) and found Alitalia to have an even more attractive pricing scheme (Athens -> Milano -> Moscow) which would reduce the 830 euro figure by a further 60 euros.

The agencies planning group packages are going to make a killing with this particular eclipse (at least) since flights to Moscow (at least from Athens) are very cheap (around 280 euro) and I am told local expenses in Novobisirsk such as food and accomodation are dirt cheap.

The icing on the cake is that we have two well-known telescope manufacturers in Novobisirsk ... TAL and Astrosib. In fact, for the latter, one can pick up a 14" RC (!!!) for less than 10,000 euro. Imagine going to Novobisirsk for the eclipse and "accidently" returning back with an extra package (I am working on it!).

Anthony, thanks!

For the hairy, overweight, smelly Russian bear? :lol: :lol:

Anthony, thanks!

For the hairy, overweight, smelly Russian bear? :lol: :lol:

i think a sheep and a pair of wellies and he'll be sold .

Interesting. I found you can fly from Dublin - Moscow (via london) with British Airways for about €450 return (this year in late July, coming back early august). Now getting from Moscow to Novosibirisk is another matter. I guess internal flights in Russia wouldn't be too expensive. I'd say it could be done for under €1000 a head?