This year's Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day happen to fall on the same day, thus quite a number of people are planning to view the first Qiantang River Tide of the new century during the seven-day National Day holiday, however,the best date this year, according to astronomers, is not the 18th day in the eighth lunar month(Oct.4) but the third day in the eighth lunar month(Sept.19).

Experts point out that only when three conditions are met simultaneously can the Qiantang River Tide occur. The first is that the day must be "Suo"(the first day in the eighth lunar month of the year) or "Wang"(the 16th day in the eighth lunar month), the day when the earth, moon and sun run in a straight line.The second is that the "Suo" or "Wang" should be the nearest from the Autumn Equinox(16th solar term) and the third is that "Suo" and "Wang" should occur in a date when the moon runs in a nearest place awary from the earth.

On Sept.19, or the third day in the eighth lunar month of this year, the three conditions mentioned above can be met, thus the day will be the golden day for people to view the Qiantiang River Tide.

(www.cnzj.org.cn 08/24/2001)