The solar eclipse, which will last less than 7 minutes, will be visible in more than 40 cities in China, including Hangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuxi, Suzhou, Changzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan and Hefei.

At a press conference in Beijing on May 19, the Chinese Astronomical Society and the National Astronomical Observatories named eight other places as the best spots from which to observe the eclipse. They are Yixian Town, Tongling City, Tongcheng City in Anhui Province, Jiaxing City in Zhejiang Province, Suzhou, Changzhou, Wuxi, and Gaochun Town in Jiangsu Province.

The cities are currently gearing up for the eclipse.

In Gaochun

The local astronomical society has designated three venues to provide its citizens with open spaces to observe the solar eclipse, including the city square and a resort village.

In Suzhou

The tourism bureau of Suzhou has introduced six "solar eclipse-viewing" travel routes covering the city's major sightseeing spots such as the Lion's Grove Garden and the Humble Administrator's Garden. The solar eclipse in the city will be broadcast live on the Internet.

A forum with more than 200 astronomers from both home and abroad will be held on July 19-25.

In Wuxi

The city will hold a series of activities to popularize the study of astronomy. A children's center and a local residential community will host interactive astronomy presentations on July 20, followed by two days of astronomy forums at other public venues.

In Changzhou

Three venues in Changzhou, including a wildlife park, are said to be the best places in the city to observe the solar eclipse. Experts from the local association for science and technology will keep records of how the animals in the wildlife park react to the eclipse. The experts say animals are quite sensitive to unusual changes in nature and suggest astronomy fans pay special attention to the behavior of their pets or other domestic animals during the solar eclipse.

How to observe the solar eclipse

Do not look directly at the solar eclipse with unprotected eyes. The photospheric crescent will be intensely bright and can hurt them, causing blindness or serious loss of vision.

The safest and most inexpensive way to watch the solar eclipse is by projection, in which a pinhole or small opening in a piece of cardboard is used to cast the image of the sun on a screen placed a half-meter or more away.

You also can use glass filters specifically designed for this purpose. They usually have a thin layer of aluminum, chromium or silver on their surfaces, which reduces the amount of visible, ultraviolet and infrared light. One of the most widely available filters for safe solar viewing is a number 14 welder's glass. Aluminized Mylar has also become a popular and inexpensive alternative in recent years. Mylar can easily be cut with scissors and adapted to any kind of box or viewing device.

(China.org.cn, Beijing Planetarium, July 21, 2009)