When a leading astronomer wanted to know the best place to watch next Wednesday's total eclipse of the sun, he looked in a guidebook written by three Chinese teenagers.

The result? Jay Pasachoff, head of the Solar Eclipse Working Group of the International Astronomical Union, will be in China on July 22 to watch the longest solar eclipse until the year 2132.

"They provided detailed information for astronomical researchers and lovers all over the world," said Pasachoff, who visited the students' school in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday. He will watch the eclipse at nearby Tianhuangping in Anji county, one of 23 sites recommended by the students.