Annular eclipse offers chance to combine amateur astronomy with African safaris

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      An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon covers the centre of the sun, creating an appearance of a ring of fire in the sky.

      The next time one of these events will happen is on September 1, 2016, but it's still not too early to start making plans.

      According to Bestway Tours & Safaris, Mbeya in southwestern Tanzania will offer a superb viewing location.

      It also coincides with a great time of the year to see some of Africa's more legendary animals, including lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and Cape buffalos.

      Bestway is offering a 15-day tour that will not only include an opportunity to see the annular eclipse, but also let you experience safaris in Tanzanian national parks in Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro,  Tarangire, and Ruaha.

      You can set aside any lingering concerns about the upcoming solar eclipse harming your eyesight.

      That's because the tour will be led by eclipse expert Ralph Chou, a professor emeritus of optometry at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry.

      He's led 12 solar-eclipse tours in the past and used to be a contributor to NASA's bulletins on solar eclipses.

      The tour leaves on August 23, 2016, and costs US$6,495 per person on twin sharing.

      Here's NASA's time-lapse video of of the 2011 annular eclipse photographed from the Hinode satellite.

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