Channel NewsAsia 20 Jul 09
SINGAPORE: Come Wednesday, China, India and Japan will be seeing its longest total solar eclipse in almost 500 years.
But Singapore will have to wait a little longer to experience the full eclipse.
Scientists said Singapore will only experience a partial solar eclipse between 8.40am and 9.40am. They added that unlike other countries there will be minimal changes to temperature and visibility.
The Singapore Science Centre will be providing special equipment for members of the public to view the eclipse.
It will also have talks about the astronomical phenomenon. - CNA/vm
Singapore group head to China for rare glimpse
Victoria Vaughan, Straits Times 21 Jul 09;
A PASSIONATE group of eclipse chasers from Singapore are journeying to Wuhan in central China to view tomorrow's total solar eclipse.
The group of 22 comprises members of The Astronomical Society of Singapore and their families, and is led by society president Albert Lim, who has 'lost count' of the number of eclipses he has witnessed.
'You have the moon biting into the sun, part of the sun becomes dark. When the moon totally covers the sun, the entire sky is black.
'You get a 360 degree glowing light around the horizon, like a sunrise, and you can see the sun's corona dancing round the edges of the moon,' Mr Lim explained.
Leading up to this astronomical event, Mr Lim looked at the path of the moon's shadow across the earth, the weather forecasts and historical cloud coverage in the region before making a decision on where to follow through with his chase.
Even so, such analyses can still result in disappointment.
In 2002, Mr Lim flew to Australia and drove 1,600km to Ceduna for a 24-second eclipse only to have it obscured by clouds.
All those on the 10-day trip are prepared for the perils the weather may bring, but will also enjoy trekking in Tibet and high-altitude astrophotography - taking pictures of the night sky.
As well as soaking up the atmosphere in the lunar shadow, Mr Lim is hoping to get the 'one in a million' shot of the eclipse sequence.
His shot of last year's eclipse on Aug 1, from the site of China's space programme in the Gobi desert, was featured on television's History Channel.
Dr Chew Tuan Chiong, chief executive at the Science Centre, said tomorrow's event will not be as spectacular at this end of the earth.
He explained that Singapore will experience a partial eclipse - only about 10 per cent of the sun will be covered by the moon - between 8.40am and 9.40am, with the peak at 9.11am, if the weather is clear.
Those who would like to see the partial eclipse need a clear view of the sun rising in the east.
It must also be seen indirectly or through solar filters to avoid eye damage.
The Observatory at the Science Centre will be open from 8.30am for people to see the event.
Solar eclipses take place roughly every 18 months, and the next total solar eclipse will be visible in South America on July 11, 2010.
The next total solar eclipse which can be viewed in Singapore will be on July 5, 2168.
