Global interest in the coming total eclipse of the sun is growing as the countdown quickens and preparations for the big astronomical event gather pace. The dramatic phenomenon of a total eclipse, deep in the shadow of the moon as it passes between the sun and the earth, is an awesome spectacle. The line of totality or deepest shadow will run from north of Mana Pools on the Zambezi River to Nyamapanda on the Malawi border. Hotels and lodges are heavily booked for the period and a variety of imaginative 'solar safaris' into the path of the eclipse itself are attracting enthusiasts from many parts of the world. UTc, the country's largest tour operator, is offering a range of packages to the Mavuradonha wilderness area and Mana Pools, and to prime viewing locations at Nyamapanda.
Astronomers promise a particularly outstanding spectacle.
The period of totality will be long at just under five minutes. The winter sky is likely to be clear. The sun is very active at the moment as it nears the peak of its solar cycle, releasing great masses of gas from its rim and making the 'ring of fire' around the dark moon even more dramatic at the time of totality. Despite the present tourism downturn the show continues to be highly regarded as a premier travel shop window in Southern Africa, attracting more than 100 exhibitors from Zimbabwe and the region and with more than 150 confirmed buyers due to attend. The first two days are confined to the trade, to bring together the exhibitors and the hosted buyers from Europe, the United States and Australia.