New Delhi:  SPACE is organising the International Solar Eclipse Conference 2011 in New Delhi from 15th to 17th December 2011. The Solar Eclipse Conference is the coming together of scientists from all over the world to discuss and finalise global plans for upcoming eclipses and majorly the Solar Eclipse of November 2012.

SPACE is proud to have a list of distinguished scientists, eclipse chasers and astronomers from all over the world as speakers and guests. SPACE has also invited amateur astronomers, schools, students and teachers to participate in this exciting opportunity. The agenda of the conference will cover Travel, Education, Research, Science, Culture, Mythologies, Public Outreach, Pro-Am linking and Student learning possibilities.

The Solar Eclipse Mailing List (SEML) and before the Solar Eclipse Newsletter (SENL) had been successful as a vehicle in bringing together solar eclipse enthusiasts, professionals and amateurs alike. There have been three Solar Eclipse Confernce in the past, the first Solar Eclipse Conference was held in Antwerp (SEC 2000). The Solar Eclipse Conference is repeated at non-central eclipse years. The second international Solar Eclipse Conference of 2004 (SEC 2004) was held in August 2004 at the Open University of Milton Keynes, England. The last international Solar Eclipse Conference (SEC 2007) was held in August 2007 at the renovated Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, USA. Close to 200 attendees came. During the SEC 2007, Patrick and Joanne Poitevin, the organizers of the first three SECs, decided to leave the organization of the next SEC to others.

SPACE in the year 2009 organised the Solar Eclipse Worksop and brought together many eminent scientists and eclipse chasers from across the world. To prepare for the eclipse, Eclipse Chasers Athenæum, the eclipse sphere of SPACE, conducted the ‘Solar Eclipse Workshop’ from 9th to 11th January, 2009 at New Delhi. The workshop focussed on the preparation of the biggest eclipse of the millennium in July 2009 at Taregana, Bihar. This motivated SPACE to enable people chase eclipses from land, air and water.

The conference will assimilate “An Eclipse Plan” for the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse 2012, focusing on Australia as the destination. The Conference will also focus on the rare spectacle of Venus Transit 2012. Whether you want to observe the eclipse, photograph it, or show the eclipse to a large audience, all related aspects will be discussed to help you make definite plan. The Conference will aim at creating an Indian student expedition group for the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse 2012 in Australia.

In the Solar Eclipse Conference, eminent scientists and eclipse chasers from around the world would be presenting lectures and demonstrations. Some of them are: Prof S.S. Hasan (Director, IIA), Dr. Fred Espenak (NASA), Glenn Schneider (Astronomer at University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory & Project Instrument Scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, Dr. Jay Anderson (NASA ), Xavier Jubier (famous eclipse chaser from France), Prof. Dipankar Banerjee ( Co-I of Aditya mission), Dr. N. Rathnashree (Director, Nehru Planetarium)

CONFERENCE DETAILS

Date: 15th (Thursday) to 17th (Saturday) of December 2011.

Venue: Rama Krishna Bajaj Auditorium, Vishwa Yuvak Kendra,

Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.