Free Astronomy Magazine March-April 2020

31 MARCH-APRIL 2020 OUR EXPERIENCES shops, conferences and round tables were organized, at- tended by over 200 people from all over Spain. The fact that the Congress head- quarters was made up of the buildings of the Universidad Politécnica de Valen- cia, Campus de Gandía, contributed to its success, since we were able to broadcast some of the essential presen- tations live on the Internet and record the rest for the final publication. Despite all this activity, the current situation is far from lively. After those years of euphoria, today we are immersed in a profound cri- sis that can have serious conse- quences, as collaborations that maintain the activity are lacking. was the opportunity for organizing a new trip. On this occasion, and despite the distance to be covered, the number of participants reached 60, including amateurs from other associations, who appreci- ated both the trip and the eclipse. Despite being cloudy in most of the region, they were able to see the phe- nomenon almost entirely. The observation area was lo- cated near the new Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, the site the Chinese govern- ment had chosen to observe the eclipse. During the sum- mer of 2010, we also partici- pated as organizers in the Reunión anual de Construc- tores Aficionados de Telesco- pios (RETA), which is an annual meeting of amateur telescope manufacturers. It took place in Aras de los Olmos, with a participation of over 100 people. In De- cember 2012, we organized and celebrated the XX Congreso Estatal de Astronomía, a meeting of most of the astronomical associ- ations of Spanish amateurs. For four days, presentations, work- O bservation zone of the total solar eclipse of 2006 in Turkey. We were in the city of Side, in a place specially equipped for observation, inside the Temple of Apollo. The stones on which we put the material and around which we were would have delighted any museum. S ome participants in the trip to China, on the occasion of the largest eclipse of the entire 21 st century. The area where we were staying was chosen because it was close to the new Shanghai Observatory, which was moved to Anji, due to the great pollution suffered by the one existing in the city.