Next total solar eclipse - Mongolia, August 1, 2008

 

total solar eclipse

Sirius Travel Inc. is owned and operated by astronomers whose specialties include solar astronomy, stellar and planetary evolution, galactic astronomy, cosmology, X-ray astronomy, astrophotography, and archaeoastronomy. When we are not leading excursions to interesting astronomical sites in the U.S. or around the world, we pursue observing time, write papers, and teach astronomy. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Sirius Travel is influenced by and ideally situated to access the rich astronomical environment, both ancient and modern, of the north american southwest.



Victoria Alten Sahami, M.S. is an alumna of the University of Colorado astrophysics program. Over the years she has taught numerous astronomy courses, worked as a solar observer at Mt. Wilson Observatory, worked as a tour guide at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, researched and discovered more than 40 new astronomical objects (Herbig-Haro objects), launched UV telescope payloads on rockets from the outback of Australia, and spent countless long cold nights at telescopes observing everything from geosynchronous satellites to star formation regions. Currently, Vicky leads tours to see total solar eclipses and astronomical sites. Tours that she has led include Venezuela (1996), Divrigi, Turkey (August, 1999), the Australian Outback (December, 2002), Turkey, 2006 and the American Southwest tour. When she is not leading tours, Vicky teaches courses at local universities and Planetariums and gives invited lectures. She is currently teaching General Astronomy at the Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Kamran Sahami, Ph.D. is a professor of physics at the Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD) and is a researcher at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Kamran recently earned the prestigious Annual Faculty Senate Teaching Excellence Award at MSCD and is currently a principal investigator on an NSF grant studying the effects of an immersive environment on teaching undergraduate astronomy. He has spent many years teaching physics at the college level, has co-authored a teacher’s guide to undergraduate astronomy, and enjoys photographing astronomical objects. Currently Kamran's research is focused on studying the effects of an immersive environment in the classroom and whether information retention increases for the students with its use. Kamran has participated in leading astronomical tours around the American Southwest, Sirius Travel’s eclipse trip through Australia (December, 2002), and has explored many astronomical sites in Peru, Mexico, and Europe.

Ralph Shuping, Ph.D. is currently a staff scientist for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) -- a telescope in a Boeing 747 under development at NASA Ames Research Center. His research interests include the physics and chemistry of the interstellar medium, star formation, and astrobiology. He has used some of the most advanced telescopes in the world at Kitt Peak (Arizona), Mauna Kea (Hawai'i), and Cerro Tololo (Chile). Ralph has also taught undergraduate astronomy and moonlighted in primary and high school class rooms. When not working on astronomy, Ralph enjoys hiking, cross-country skiing, and surfing with his family.
   Ralph was a leader on the eclipse tours to Turkey in August, 1999 and March, 2006. He currently plans to participate in leading upcoming Sirius eclipse tours as his schedule permits.

total solar eclipse