Al Ain: Skywatchers are to witness a hybrid solar eclipse, a kind of rare eclipse, for just several minutes before sunset on Sunday.
In the UAE and all over the Middle East, the eclipse will only be observed partially starting at 5.18pm, said Al Ain-based astronomer Atif Hassan. The sun will set at 5.37pm.
The solar eclipse will be visible in most cities, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain, Sharjah, and Ajman in clear weather conditions.
He said the eclipse would start as an annular eclipse, with the ring of fire around the sun disk. It will later morphe into a total solar eclipse, but at that time it would not be visible anywhere in the Middle East.
According to the Nasa, the total solar eclipse would be seen in Gulu, a city in Northern Uganda, parts of Congo, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
People travelling in the North Atlantic Ocean will also be able to see full eclipse at certain points. The eclipse will partially be seen in parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean.
The solar eclipse takes place when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are aligned and the shadow of the moon falls on the surface of the Earth.
Some astronomy groups in the UAE usually make arrangements for interested people to view the phenomenon with special equipment.
Hassan, an astronomer in Al Ain, said the solar eclipse takes place when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are aligned and the shadow of the moon falls on the surface of the Earth.
Some astronomy groups in the UAE usually make arrangements for interested people to view the phenomenon with special equipment.
Solar eclipses are observed throughout the human history. Ancient records of eclipse were made in China and Babylonia. Scientists believe that the oldest records were made more than 4,000 years ago. People living all the regions of the world associate different myths and rituals with the solar and lunar eclipse.
Hassan warned people to not look directly at the sun, adding that people must take precautions to view the eclipse safely. He said the safest way to see the eclipse is by projecting the sun’s image on a screen.
