Watch out for the decade's first eclipse

[Jacpher]

THE new decade's first solar eclipse - when the moon travels between the sun and the earth, casting a shadow on the sun - will happen this afternoon.

 

It is expected to last 11 minutes and 8 seconds, making it the longest annular one - when the sun appears as a ring of light in the sky - in this millennium.

 

The Astronomical Society of Singapore's secretary, Mr R. Kalaimani, said: "The duration will not be exceeded until the year 3043!"

 

The eclipse will start at 1.13pm in Africa, peak at 3.06pm in the Maldives - when it will form the ring of light for about 11 minutes - and end in China at 4.59pm.

 

Those in African countries Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Somalia; the Indian Ocean; as well as Asian countries Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and China, will see the ring of light properly.

 

A partial eclipse will be visible over eastern Africa, south-east Europe, the Middle East, and South-east Asia between 12.05pm and 6.07pm.

 

Singapore lies some distance away from the path of the main shadow, so only a partial eclipse can be seen here, Mr Kalaimani said.

 

The first sign of the shadow will emerge here at 3.10pm, with the largest shadow visible at 4.26pm, he added.

 

The Singapore Science Centre will be holding a free eclipse-viewing event from 3.30pm to 5pm today at its observatory.

 

It will give away 3,000 pairs of solar glasses for the viewing of the eclipse, and set up telescopes with solar filters on the grounds of the observatory.

 

It will also provide live feeds of the solar eclipse from the observatory for those who are unable to view it.

 

Children and their families can also take on astronomy projects, such as making their own pinhole eclipse viewer.

Going on right now in parts of Middle East and East Africa. They're praying Salaat Kusuuf right now at the Masjid Haraam.

[N.O.R.F]

The sun is 35% obscured ight NOW. Took one look and my eyes are still funny. Heard a takbeer at the mosque at 10.30am and thought my watch was wrong as I was still getting ready for Jumca.