Class of ’79 Celebration
July 31- August 3, 2027
Total Eclipse of the Sun in Gibraltar!
Image Courtesy Richard T. Fienberg
Our Location
At Gibraltar
Path and Timing of the Total Eclipse
Note: Local Time in Gibraltar is UT+2
DETAILS
Welcome to the Class of ‘79 excursion to the 2027 Total Solar Eclipse in Gibraltar! It will be a unique experience to see the Sun completely covered by the Moon - with the beautiful corona visible. So many phenomena accompany an eclipse: Birds and animals go to rest, the temperature drops, the sky goes black, and there is sunset all along the horizon. An experience not to be missed! The weather prospects are good, and the duration of totality is long - 4 minutes and 28 seconds. Gibraltar should be an historic and epic place to watch this amazing phenomenon. What a great way to celebrate turning 70!
Our classmates Tim Gent and Tim Sykes have made arrangements for rooms in Gibraltar at the SUNBORN for the nights of JULY 31, 2027 through AUGUST 2, 2027. You may very well want to spend additional time in Europe before or after the eclipse, and you can contact our travel partner Cain Travel if you would like assistance with any of your travel needs. You are responsible for your own travel arrangements to and from Gibraltar. We will gather in Gibraltar on JULY 31, 2027. Please make your travel arrangements to arrive no later than JULY 31.
Classmate and astrophysicist Doug Arion will deliver presentations and workshops on the scientific background and observing guides for the eclipse. We will provide eclipse glasses and other observing materials for the eclipse.
Eclipses are major events! You must make your reservation by December 21, 2025 to be included. While Sunborn will take your credit card information, you will not be charged until August 1,2026. Please visit the Sunborn website for room descriptions. Tim G. and Tim S. have arranged a block of 25 rooms. The following room types are in our block - though you can potentially reserve one of the suites:
Group Daily Rate (Breakfast included)
Super Yacht King £ 220
Super Yacht Twin £ 220
Super Yacht Deluxe £ 220
The Sunborn Hotel has added the following rates for our group outside of the 25-room block:
Superyacht Executive Suite £ 310
Superyacht Rock Suite £ 470
Superyacht Apartment Suite Not Priced
Superyacht Ocean Suite £ 660
Superyacht Penthouse Not Priced
Note: At present, 1£ is approximately USD$1.35. We have also reserved a conference room space for presentations and socializing. While details are being worked out, there will be a modest additional cost per person to cover the conference space, refreshments, and ancillary expenses for the eclipse experience. Reserve your space by emailing Eloy Gil at res@sunborngibraltar.com. Please let Tim Gent know that you’ve made a reservation so we can have you on our list! We recommend you use the following text to reserve your room:
Dear Sunborn Reservation Team,
I would like to make the following reservation:
Room Type: <Enter your preferred room type>
Check-in: Saturday, 31 July 2027
Check-out: Tuesday, 03 August 2027 (3 nights)
Rate: <Enter Room Pricing> GIP per night (add £12 for double occupancy)
Group Code: 724714
Group Name: Dartmouth College '79 Eclipse
Guest Names: <FILL IN NAMES>
US Passport #<FILL IN PASSPORT NUMBERS>
Expiry <FILL IN PASSPORT EXPIRATION DATES>
Payment Due: 01 August 2026
Payment Method: I will provide my credit card when you confirm receipt of this request.
If you want to reach us directly, here’s our contact info. Please direct all your Gibraltar questions, concerns, and ideas to Tim Gent and he will be glad to help you in any way he can.
· Tim Gent timothybgent@gmail.com 703-598-1960
· Doug Arion dougarion57@gmail.com 262-308-2557
· Tim Sykes flymo.mulch@gmail.com 978-273-2189
ORGANIZERS
Timothy Gent D’79
Tim is a retired Naval Flight Officer, went on to work in telecommunications and then for the FBI. He is now enjoying finally working for himself as a consultant to technology companies seeking to sell their wares to the federal government, leaving him plenty of time to travel with his wife Laura. Tim and Laura were members of Doug’s 2024 eclipse trip, and they can’t wait to see the Sun covered by the Moon again as well as see as many '79s with the passion to do something really cool together!
Douglas Arion, PhD D’79
Doug is the founder and Director of Mountains of Stars, Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy and Donald D. Hedberg Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Entrepreneurial Studies at Carthage College, and co-founder of Galileoscope.
Doug is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union, has received the Distinguished Service Award from Sigma Pi Sigma (the physics honorary society), the Volunteer Leadership Award from the Appalachian Mountain Club, and the Dark Sky Defender Award from the International Dark Sky Association. He serves on US and international commissions on dark skies preservation. He is an award-winning telescope builder and member of the Springfield Telescope Makers. His dissertation research was on solar flares - so eclipses are a particularly special occasion! Doug was previously Asst. Vice President at Science Applications Int’l Corp., and a senior scientist in the US nuclear survivability program. He and his wife, mary, are looking forward to joining you in gibraltar for this eclipse!
Timothy Sykes D’79
Tim was one of Doug’s dorm-mates in the Motor Lodge back in our Dartmouth days, and splits his time between Booth Bay Harbor, ME and Franconia, NH, where a number of our other Dartmouth ‘79 classmates also reside. It’s a nice group we have here in the ‘Whites! He and his wife Judy were also on our 2024 eclipse adventure, and are excited to experience another total eclipse!
79s Tim, Tim, Doug, and Joe Giammarco in Texas for the 2024 Total Eclipse