UAE residents safely watch partial solar eclipse
Special glasses, filters and projections used to observe the celestial spectacle
Dubai: Residents from all walks of life as well as astronomers and officials across the UAE took precautions to safely watch a partial solar eclipse through filters or on projection screens on Tuesday.
Dubai Astronomy Group CEO Hasan Al Hariri said around 150 people turned up at Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre to view the celestial spectacle. Before the viewing, Al Hariri presented a lecture on the phenomena and how to safely watch it. The event was livestreamed on YouTube as well.
The CEO added that participants were provided special glasses to see the eclipse. People also saw the event through a filter in telescopes, one of which was used to project the eclipse onto a paper screen. “This made it possible to combine a photo opportunity and observation in one event,” Al Hariri said.
The partial solar eclipse in UAE covered around 39 per cent of the disc of the sun. It lasted for a duration of over two hours, from 2.41pm to 4.54pm, peaking at around 3.51pm.
People should never watch the eclipse with the naked eye as the intensity of the solar flares at the time of eclipse is harmful, Al Hariri said.
Solar eclipses occur when the moon comes between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on the planet and blocking sunlight, completely or partially.