HANGZHOU: The longest total solar eclipse of this century has triggered tourist fever along the Yangtze River as astronomy enthusiasts from home and abroad flock there to watch the event today.

The total eclipse, which will last up to six minutes, will be visible along the river valley this morning.

Wang Sichao, an expert with the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences based in Jiangsu provincial capital Nanjing, said the next eclipse that will last this long will be June 13, 2132.