Total Solar Eclipse Australia 2012
Total Solar Eclipse in Australia:Sydney and the Daintree Rainforest, November 6-16
Trip Home
Itinerary
Enrichment Lecturer
Details & Pricing
Hold my Spot
With MIT Professor Edmund Bertschinger
11 days/10 nights
Overnights
• 2 nights aloft
• 4 nights Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney
• 4 nights Silky Oaks Lodge, Daintree Rainforest
Physical Activity Rating: Level 2
Co-share: exclusive to the MIT community
Maximum Group Size: 30 travelers
Reservation Form (PDF)
Pre/Post-Tour Extension Information (PDF)
Witness one of the world’s most unique phenomena in tropical North Queensland, Australia: a Total Solar Eclipse!
On November 14, 2012 (Australian Time), the solar eclipse shadow will sweep across the Gulf of Carpenteria and Cape York before the central line crosses directly over Port Douglas’ Oak Beach, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Coral Sea at 6:39 am. In the company of MIT Professor Edmund Bertschinger and fellow alumni, we’ll experience this rare and amazing event. The center point of the total eclipse of the sun will cross over our location in the Port Douglas area at 6:39 and the duration for the total eclipse is 2 minutes and 2.7 seconds.
Our viewing of the spectacular total eclipse of the sun will be complimented by the unforgettable experiences offered in Sydney, the Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation National Park, and the Great Barrier Reef. An optional pre-trip extension to Kangaroo Island is available; and an optional post-trip extension is available to Ayers Rock.
Total Solar Eclipse programming typically sells out quickly and space is limited on this program. Make your reservation today! The trip itinerary, pricing, and a reservation form (PDF) are on this website.
The program begins with four nights in Sydney. Stay at the Four Seasons Hotel, overlooking Sydney Harbor in the historic Rocks district. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the Sydney Opera House and climb Sydney Harbor Bridge, both an economic and engineering triumph. Journey to the Blue Mountains, named for the ever-present blue haze caused by rays of light striking the small droplets of oil that emanate from the surrounding eucalyptus trees.
Continue the journey to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. Our home for the next four nights will be the lovely Silky Oaks Lodge. The Lodge is secluded in 80 pristine acres bordering the Daintree National Park, one of the worlds’ oldest living rainforests. Embark on a full day on the Great Barrier Reef where there will be opportunities to swim and snorkel.
Please note: Although the eclipse comes at the early part of the rainy monsoon season, cloud cover is not so heavy in November as in the following months. Please note that ideal weather conditions and cloud conditions for viewing the eclipse can change and are not guaranteed.
If you have any questions or to make a reservation, please call the MIT Alumni Travel Program at 800-992-6749, or email us at compass@mit.edu.
