370 solar eclipse enthusiasts in Singapore stay indoors due to rain

370 solar eclipse enthusiasts in Singapore stay indoors due to rain
By Jessica Yeo, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : 370 Singaporeans gathered at the Singapore Science Centre to catch the solar eclipse on Wednesday morning, but they ended up staying indoors because of the rain which resulted in poor visibility.

10 per cent of the eclipse could have been seen in Singapore between 8:41am and 9:43am, with its optimum position at 9:11am.

The next eclipse is expected on 15 January 2010, and Singaporeans will be able to catch 30 per cent of it.

But Singapore will have to wait until 2019 for the annular eclipse if residents want to see the moon's shadow totally cast on the sun.

"The eclipse is caused by the moon casting a shadow on the Earth and this time round, the path of the shadow passes through the densely populated areas in China. Singapore happens to be literally at the fringe of the activity," said Dr Chew Tuan Chiong, CEO of Singapore Science Centre.

- CNA /ls

- wong chee tat :)

Solar eclipse pits superstition against science

Solar eclipse pits superstition against science


MUMBAI (AFP) – Indian astrologers are predicting violence and turmoil across the world as a result of this week's total solar eclipse, which the superstitious and religious view as a sign of potential doom.

But astronomers, scientists and secularists are trying to play down claims of evil portent in connection with Wednesday's natural spectacle, when the moon will come between the Earth and the sun, completely obscuring the sun.

In Hindu mythology, the two demons Rahu and Ketu are said to "swallow" the sun during eclipses, snuffing out its life-giving light and causing food to become inedible and water undrinkable.

Pregnant women are advised to stay indoors to prevent their babies developing birth defects, while prayers, fasting and ritual bathing, particularly in holy rivers, are encouraged.

Shivani Sachdev Gour, a gynaecologist at the Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, said a number of expectant mothers scheduled for caesarian deliveries on July 22 had asked to change the date.

"This is a belief deeply rooted in Indian society. Couples are willing to do anything to ensure that the baby is not born on that day," Gour said.

Astrologers have predicted a rise in communal and regional violence in the days following the eclipse, particularly in India, China and other Southeast Asian nations where it can be seen on Wednesday morning.

Mumbai astrologer Raj Kumar Sharma predicted "some sort of attack by (Kashmiri separatists) Jaish-e-Mohammad or Al-Qaeda on Indian soil" and a devastating natural disaster in Southeast Asia.

An Indian political leader could be killed, he said, and tension between the West and Iran is likely to increase, escalating into possible US military action after September 9, when fiery Saturn moves from Leo into Virgo.

"The last 200 years, whenever Saturn has gone into Virgo there has been either a world war or a mini world war," he told AFP.

It is not just in India that some are uneasy about what will transpire because of the eclipse.

In ancient China they were often associated with disasters, the death of an emperor or other dark events, and similar superstitions persist.

"The probability for unrest or war to take place in years when a solar eclipse happens is 95 percent," announced an article that attracted a lot of hits on the popular Chinese web portal Baidu.com.

Sanal Edamaruku, president of the Indian Rationalist Association, dismissed such doomsday predictions.

"Primarily, what we see with all these soothsayers and astrologers is that they're looking for opportunities to enhance their business with predictions of danger and calamity," he told AFP.

"They have been very powerful in India but over the last decade they have been in systematic decline."

Astronomers and scientists are also working to educate the public about the eclipse.

Travel firm Cox and Kings has chartered a Boeing 737-700 aircraft to give people the chance to see the eclipse from 41,000 feet (12,500 metres).

Experts will be on board to explain it to passengers, some of whom have paid 79,000 rupees (1,600 dollars) for a "sun-side" seat on the three-hour flight from New Delhi.

The eclipse's shadow is expected to pass over the aircraft at 15 times the speed of sound (Mach 15), said Ajay Talwar, president of the SPACE Group of companies that promotes science and astronomy.

"It's coming in the middle of the monsoon season. On the ground, there's a 40 percent chance of seeing it in India. On the aircraft you have almost a 90 percent chance of seeing the eclipse," he added.

Siva Prasad Tata, who runs the Astro Jyoti website, straddles the two worlds.

"There's no need to get too alarmed about the eclipse, they are a natural phenomenon," the astrologer told AFP.

But he added: "During the period of the eclipse, the opposite attracting forces are very, very powerful. From a spiritual point of view, this is a wonderful time to do any type of worship.

"It will bring about good results, much more than on an ordinary day."


What will happen tomorrow?

- wong chee tat :)

Absolute darkness to envelop Earth on July 22

Absolute darkness to envelop Earth on July 22

Source: Pravda.Ru

A total solar eclipse is expected to take place on July 22, at about 8:00 a.m. Beijing time. The Moon will cast its shadow on planet Earth for 6 minutes and 39 seconds. It will be the longest eclipse during the latest two millenniums, China’s official Xinhua news agency said.

It will be possible to eyewitness the spectacular phenomenon in India, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Japan. The eclipse will be partially seen in the north-west of Oceania, in Russia’s Far East and in Kazakhstan.

The amazing natural phenomenon will appear in all its beauty for China , scientists of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said.

The last total eclipse of the Sun occurred on August 1, 2008. The next is expected on July 11, 2010. The most remarkable eclipse took place on August 11, 1999, when it coincided with the planet parade and could be observed all across Europe.

Total solar eclipses are rare events. Although they occur somewhere on Earth every 18 months on average, it has been estimated that they recur at any given place only once every 370 years, on average. The total eclipse only lasts for a few minutes at that location, as the Moon's umbra moves eastward at over 1700 km/h. Totality can never last more than 7 min 31 s, and is usually much shorter: during each millennium there are typically fewer than 10 total solar eclipses exceeding 7 minutes.

The next eclipse exceeding seven minutes in duration will not occur until June 25, 2150. The longest total solar eclipse during the 8,000-year period from 3000 BC to 5000 AD will occur on July 16, 2186, when totality will last 7 min 29 s.

- wong chee tat :)

Update 2: Annular Solar Eclipse

Here are some of the pictures from various sources that captured the solar eclipse on Jan 26th 2009.






























Indonesians among the few to witness solar eclipse

By ZAKKI HAKIM,Associated Press Writer AP - Tuesday, January 27

ANYER, Indonesia - Indonesians were among the few worldwide to witness an eclipse of the sun Monday, but even there the view was hampered in most places by cloudy skies.

Dozens gathered in the western coastal town of Anyer as the moon passed across the sun's path at 4:40 p.m., covering 92 percent of the sun's diameter and leaving a white, flaming ring of fire that lasted about four minutes.

"I'm old, but I still think this is magical," said Roanna Makmur, 66, who drove several hours with eight friends to witness the sight, known as an annular eclipse, because it does not completely black out the sun.

"I can't help but feel the greatness of God," she said, as other onlookers cheered. "Anyone who passed up this opportunity, really missed out."

Annular eclipses, which are considered far less important to astronomers than total eclipses of the sun, occur about 66 times a century and can only be viewed by people in the narrow band along its path.

A relatively small number of people were in the best places to view Monday's eclipse, said Jay Pasachoff, professor of astronomy at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and chair of the International Astronomical Union's Working Group on Eclipses.

Aside from several regions in Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, only villagers on a tiny South Pacific island group known as the Cocos, administered by Australia, were to have been able to see the ring-shaped corona, he wrote in a statement.

A partial eclipse _ with coverage ranging from 1 percent to 84 percent of the sun's diameter _ was to be visible in the southern third of Africa, in southeastern India, and southeast Asia, as well as the western part of Australia.

The last total eclipse of the sun was Aug. 1, 2008, and was visible in Canada, across northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia, Mongolia and China.

The next total eclipse will be July 22, 2009, and will be visible in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China and some Japanese islands.

___

On the Net:

Path details: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OHfigures/OH2009-Fig01.pdf

S’poreans gather at Science Centre, mosque to watch solar eclipse

Channel NewsAsia
Channel NewsAsia - Tuesday, January 27

SINGAPORE : It was the first solar eclipse of the year, and many said it was the clearest seen in 10 years.

More than 6,400 people were at the Singapore Science Centre’s Observatory Centre on Monday to watch the rare phenomenon unfold at about 4.30pm.

However, before the maximum eclipse could be seen, visibility started to dip at about 5.40pm.

Another group of Singaporeans was at the Al—Firdaus Mosque to witness the same natural phenomenon.

They also took part in activities which included calculating and predicting the next solar eclipse.

Experts said the next solar eclipse that can be seen in Singapore will likely be on July 22 this year.

However, it will be not be as vivid as the one on Monday, where observers could see the moon’s shadow covering almost 80 per cent of the sun’s surface.

— CNA/ms

- http://shadowandsubstance.com/

- http://www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/0132009/

-http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Solar-Eclipse/ss/events/sc/012609solareclipse;_ylt=Al4YpLcEiNY22j_Vd40OBTH9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTFmMGM3MmJyBHBvcwMxNwRzZWMDeW5fcl8zc2xvdF9zbGlkZXNob3cEc2xrA3NsaS1ldi1saW5r

- wong chee tat :)

When red is not auspicious

Sunday January 25, 2009
When red is not auspicious
VASTHU SASTRA
By T.SELVA

The first day of Chinese New Year will see the first solar eclipse of the year, so precautions are recommended amidst all the merry-making.

THE first eclipse of the sun for 2009 occurs tomorrow, the first day of Chinese New Year, and it is a time to be cautious.

This annular eclipse will happen between 4.30pm and 7pm in Malaysia. A dark red shadow will creep across the sun and this can be observed from many countries on this side of the world, including Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Taiwan, as well as our country.

This eerie reddish light is viewed as unfavourable astrologically.

Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between the Earth and sun. This is an uncommon event because the moon usually remains either above or below Earth’s orbital plane.

The various stages of a solar eclipse.

In astrological studies, any eclipse signals a time to be wary and this is especially true if the sun is involved because all living beings are dependent on the sun for light. There are also subtle eclipses of the moon but its impact on the universe is much less.

Why is a solar eclipse inauspicious? During the eclipse, the power of negative energy increases 1,000 times as compared to other times. When the environment becomes conducive for negative energy to amass, the chances of it affecting people increases.

Since ancient times, the sun has been viewed as an auspicious star and a life force. It is also known as the remover of all obstacles and the giver of health.

It rules the digestive system, heart and blood circulation and influences an individual’s strength, energy, self confidence, leadership and many other qualities.

The impact of the negative energies when the sun is obscured causes a lack of courage, fatigue and low self-esteem.

People are advised not to carry out activities as usual during the eclipse period as they may behave irrationally. Do not view the eclipse directly, and it is better not to travel during the period and stay indoors.

I understand this can be difficult with it being Chinese New Year but revellers should try to take precautions at least during the three-and-a-half hours of the eclipse.

People who were born during an eclipse should take even more care when such cosmic events occur because they will experience the effects of the eclipse more deeply than others.

Pregnant women and senior citizens should be extra careful and should not consume food or drinks during the eclipse period. And newborns should not be exposed to the rays.

Everyday activities that should be avoided during the time of the eclipse are sleeping, conjugal relations, swimming, holding meetings and weddings and all religious or special events.

To ward off the negative rays of the sun, people can use kusha or dharba grass (holy grass used in Hindu rituals). To mitigate the ill effects of the eclipse, the grass should be used as a cushion or placed on the bed and pillow, used in food and beverages, put in vehicles and by the main doorway of the house. (Dharba’s scientific name is Desmostachya bipinnata; in Australia, its common name is halfa grass and in the US, it is known as big cordgrass or salt reed-grass).

After the eclipse, people should wash and clean their houses to remove all “harmful energies” that would have set in and offer prayers.

Although the Jan 26 lunar eclipse is only partial and not like the total eclipse that occurred on Aug 1 2008, people should be careful. The next total eclipse will take place on July 22 and will be visible in India, Nepal, China, Hawaii, and the Pacific Ocean.

This solar eclipse will be the longest total solar eclipse that will occur in the 21st century and will last for up to 6 minutes and 39 seconds.

- wong chee tat :)

Annular Solar Eclipse of January 26 2009

Jan 26

An annular solar eclipse is visible from parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, Antarctica, and the South Pacific. The Sun will form a "ring of fire" around the intervening Moon. It is not visible from North America.

Details:

Annular Solar Eclipse of January 26

The first solar eclipse of 2009 occurs at the Moon's ascending node in western Capricornus. An annular eclipse will be visible from a wide track that traverses the Indian Ocean and western Indonesia. A partial eclipse will be seen within the much larger path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes the southern third of Africa, Madagascar, Australia except Tasmania, southeast India, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. (Figure 1).

The annular path begins in the South Atlantic at 06:06 UT when the Moon's antumbral shadow meets Earth and forms a 363 kilometre wide corridor. Traveling eastward, the shadow quickly sweeps south of the African continent, missing it by approximately 900 kilometres. Slowly curving to the northeast the path crosses the southern Indian Ocean. Greatest eclipse^[1] takes place at 07:58:39 UT when the eclipse magnitude^[2] will reach 0.9282. At this instant, the annular duration is 7 minutes 54 seconds, the path width is 280 kilometres and the Sun is 73° above the flat horizon formed by the open ocean. The central track continues northeast where it finally encounters land in the form of the Cocos Islands and onward to southern Sumatra and western Java (Figure 2). At 09:40 UT, the central line duration is 6 minutes 18 seconds and the Sun's altitude at 25°. In its final minutes, the antumbral shadow cuts across central Borneo and clips the northwestern edge of Celebes before ending just short of Mindanao, Philippines at 09:52 UT. During a 3 hour 46 minute trajectory across our planet, the Moon's antumbra travels approximately 14,500 kilometres and covers 0.9% of Earth's surface area. Path coordinates and central line circumstances are presented in Table 1.

Partial phases of the eclipse are visible primarily from southern Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Local circumstances for a number of cities are listed in Table 2. All times are given in Universal Time. The Sun's altitude and azimuth, the eclipse magnitude and obscuration^[3] are all given at the instant of maximum eclipse.

This is the 50th eclipse of Saros 131. The family began with an unusually long series of 22 partial eclipses starting on 1125 Aug 01. The first central eclipse was total in the Northern Hemisphere on 1522 Mar 27. It was followed by 5 more total eclipses before the series produce 5 hybrid eclipses from 1630 to 1702. The first annular eclipse of Saros 131 occurred on 1720 Aug 04. The series will produce 29 more annular eclipses the last of which is 2243 Jun 18. Saros 131 terminates on 2369 Sep 02 after a string of 7 partial eclipses.


- wong chee tat :)