SOLAR ECLIPSE MARCH 29, 2006: PRE-TOUR JANUARY 2006

by Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

In the end of January I travelled to Turkye with representatives from Kuoni. We would check that everything is ok for the unique excursion in the end of March. We even travelled to the (then) snowy mountains north of Manavgat. The weather statistics for Manavgat is very good. However, if clouds should appear, we will drive over mountains to the north that have altitudes of up to 3000 meter. They will block any clouds effectively.

Even on exceptionally cold days in January Turkey is a nice and exotic place to visit. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

This tour will offer the participants both astronomy, great experiences, culture and history. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

Here you may recognize a few greek letters. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

Turkish money show this place in Efesos. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

On this day in the end of January it was exceptionally cold and the temperature was far below freezing.I am holding a piece of ice. During the excursion in March the temperatures will be much warmer and more comfortable! Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

Just outside the house where Mary according to the legends spent her last years a thin layer of snow is covering the ground. In March we may expect hot sunshine. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

This is not ice or snow!! In Pamukkale there are hot springs and a fascinating moutain made of lime stone. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

We will not be starving on this tour! All the hotels are top class with 5 stars and offer exceptionally good food, lots of activities and a very good service. Photo: Kuoni

When we are arriving it will be spring and already rather warm conditions. Photo: Kuoni

Here we are going to view one of the greatest celestial phenomena in our time! We will stay on this 5 star hotel and will be using huge areas out door and on the roof of the hotel. More than one half of the hotel will be used by our group. On March 29 there will be lots of telescopes, cameras and eclipse shades here!! Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

For those participants needing calm conditions the roof of the hotels offers magnificent conditions with high mountains in the background. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

A unique view of snow covered mountains with altitudes of more than 2000 meters. If the weather should be cloudy, we will cross these mountains with buses. By the end of March the snow will be gone. The mountains will stop the clouds and make good observing conditions on the other side. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

We are prepared for all kinds of weather conditions. This is one of several alternative observing locations in the mountains. A huge sports area will be made available to us by the local community. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

When we got even higher in the mountains we got conditions like those prevailing in Norway in this time of the year. By the end of March the landscape will have turned from white to greenish. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

It is a quite rare and special experience to got stuck in the snow in Turkey! We searched for different alternatives at various latitudes and behind several mountains to escape possible clouds on March 29. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

The hotel in Manavgat is situated close to a huge and magnificent beach. The temperature in the water was around 15 degrees C in January, but will improve till our tour. Photo: Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard