When you are running on 9 March, tomorrow morning, you might wish to keep a lookout for a spectacular sight, the celestial event of the year: a total eclipse of the sun.
A solar eclipse can take place only during a New Moon, and happens when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, blocking the Sun’s rays and casting a shadow on Earth.
Why is a solar eclipse so special? Because you get to witness only about 240 solar eclipses in a century! Not forgetting a total solar eclipse maximum duration only lasts about 7 and a half minutes!
Where and When to See the Solar Eclipse in Singapore?
You need not climb up Singapore’s highest hill to be able to witness this amazing natural grandness.
Sunrise on Wednesday, will be at 7:12 a.m., and the solar eclipse will start from 7:23 a.m, with its peak at 8:23 a.m, and ending at 9:32 a.m, with a duration of 2 hours, 10 minutes.
Unfortunately, in Singapore we could only have a partial view of the solar eclipse, as during the peak of the solar eclipse, only a maximum of 87 percent of the sun is expected to be obscured by the moon.
According to the Astronomical Society of Singapore, runners can get an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon from anywhere in Singapore, at a compass heading of 94 degrees in order to view the eclipse. This means any open spaces or high places without obstructions to the east are recommended.
In Singapore, from the year 1700 to 2100, a total of 146 eclipses will and have been seen. The last eclipse happened in January 2009, while the next solar eclipse, an annual one, will occur on Dec 26, 2019.
But before you glaze happily at the sky waiting for this grand transformation, please note that you are advised to so with extreme caution. Looking at the sun directly without proper equipment can cause serious and permanent eye damage. Do please use a pair of solar filters or sunglasses to view it.
So what if you wish to join others in this viewing affair? You can join the free activities at the National University of Singapore (NUS), at the Solar Eclipse 2016 @ NUS event on 8, 9 March.
Visit the Science Centre Singapore on 9 March morning to view a live stream of footage from the eclipse or proceed to Labrador Park from 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday to view the solar eclipse safely through solar-filtered telescopes set up by the Astronomical Society of Singapore.
So will you make Wednesday a memorable day for you by going for a good morning run, followed by a solar eclipse viewing?
