Tibet first to see longest total solar eclipse in 500 years

　　BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhuanet) -- China will see the longest total solar eclipse in 500 years on July 22.

　　The total eclipse will last up to six minutes, the longest that can be seen in almost 500 years from 1814 to 2309, according to Wang Sichao, a scientist of the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Saturday.

　　Photo taken at 19:15, Aug. 1, 2008, shows the total solar eclipse at an observatory in Jinta County of Jiuquan City, northwest China's Gansu Province. China saw the first total solar eclipse in the 21st century on Aug. 1, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

　　Wang said that viewers in parts of China's eleven provinces such as Tibet, Sichuan, Yuannan, Hubei and Henan, will be able to witness the total solar eclipse, while those in whole Shanghai can see the spectacular phenomenon.

　　The prime time of the total eclipse was expected to begin from 9 a.m. going on to 9:38 a.m. (Beijing Time), with Tibet being the first to usher in the wonder.

　　For viewers in other provinces and areas, including Beijing, they can only observe a partial solar eclipse, Wang added.

　　China will then see another total solar eclipse on March 20, 2034, with viewers in Tibet and Qinghai being able to see. That can not be compared with this one in terms of both duration and the number of cities it shadows.