The solar eclipse that is to occur over Siberia
next year will not present optimum viewing conditions.

I've been told by an amateur astronomer from
Whitehorse, Yukon, Mr. Cartier, a regular contributor to
Sky & Telescope magazine, that the 2008 solar eclipse
over Siberia will most likely be clouded out.
The weather patterns over that part of Siberia during
that time of year indicate common overcast skies
according to meteorological records;
that's in addition to fighting off mosquitoes and black
flies, iffy Russian accomodations, etc....
Chances are you'll get disappointing viewing
conditions for the solar eclipse in 2008.

But....Here's my suggestion to Raoul, Phil, Marcia, etc....

Why not wait until the solar eclipse that will take place
over Easter Island on July,11, 2010?

I've been told by Mr. Cartier that decade's-old weather records
for Easter Island for the month of July indicate a 99+ percent
probability of clear skies happening during the time of the Easter Island eclipse.
The only drawback is the shortage of tourist accomodations
on the island itself.
BUT!....I almost guarantee there will be a chartered cruise ship
plying the Pacific waters near Easter Island on July, 11, 2010.
And undoubtedly it will be hundreds of astronomers from known amateur
astronomy organizations, etc., who will be chartering that ship.

As a bonus, I'm informed that such ship cruises, chartered by astronomers,
will have the captain order "lights out" viewing privelages, hundreds of kilometers from the nearest population centers at night, allowing for awesome
dark skies to view thousands of stars and the Milky Way with the naked eye
from the ship's decks.
WOW!!!!...I'd love to go!!!

Jacob.