The longest, ring-like solar eclipse of the millennium started on 15 January 2010 Friday , with astronomers saying the Maldives was the best place to view the phenomenon that will not happen again for over 1,000 years. This is the longest solar eclipse of the millennium.
NASA the U.S. space agency said on its website the eclipse was annular, meaning the moon will block most of the sun's middle, but not its edges, causing it to look like a ring.
This blockage will last for 11 minutes, 8 seconds, an annual duration according to NASA and would not be exceeded until 23 December 3043.
According to NASA, the "ring" will be seen in a narrow stretch spanning Central Africa, the Maldives, southern India, northern Sri Lanka, parts of Myanmar and China. In Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, it will be a partial eclipse.
Astronomers said Malé, the capital island of the Indian Ocean island nation the Maldives, will be the best place on land to witness the eclipse as it will last there for over 10 minutes. There were lots of interest for this once in a life time opportunity in the Maldives. People from across the globe travelled to witness this rare event.
The eclipse will follow a 300-kilometre wide route across Africa, the Indian Ocean and eastern Asia, beginning at 10:45am Maldivian time and almost completely overlapping the sun at 12.27pm, creating a stunning ‘ring of fire’ effect that will be visible for almost 11 minutes.
Astronomers said the eclipse started at 0514 GMT in the Central Africa Republic, peaking at around 0700 GMT and ending completely at 1007 GMT.
"Many amateur astronomers have taken time off work and spent a lot on money on travel to see it," said Lin Qing, head of the Sheshan Station of Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told China's official Xinhua news agency.
"We will travel across China simply to witness the magnificent astronomical phenomena," Lin said.
The eclipse, the first of its kind to cross over Sri Lanka since 1955, sent sea birds along the oceanside capital of Colombo looking for a place to roost for the night, shortly after lunchtime.
A pelican looped over the city as the skies darkened from the north and the eclipse neared its peak.
"Wow, it's marvelous," said an army officer, who was on security duty in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo. "This is the first time I have seen this kind of eclipse."
According to astronomical websites, the last annular eclipse occurred roughly 1 year ago, January 26, 2009. The next one will happen May 20, 2012.
Onboard Louis Cruises’ cruise liner Aquamarine 800 enthusiast chased the event from Kochin to the Maldives. The cruise liner was anchored in the Maldives for the best view on 15th January 2010.
AtollTimes.com
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