Rare partial solar eclipse to occur on March 9

Hazarry bin Haji Ali Ahmad

PEOPLE in Brunei will be treated to a rare astronomical phenomenon when the moon passes in front of the sun on Wednesday morning, March 9.

The partial solar eclipse will begin at 7.30am and will go on till 9.54am local time.

At 8.37am, maximum coverage will occur with approximately 77 per cent of the sun will be obscured by the moon.

If the sky is clear, the two-hour and 24-minute celestial spectacle will be visible anywhere in Brunei and eclipse watchers will need a clear view of eastern horizon that is free from trees or buildings.

The path of the moon as it passes directly in front of the sun during the solar eclipse on March 9, 2016. – IMAGES: HAZARRY BIN HAJI ALI AHMAD

Viewing east from Brunei Darussalam. This chart displays, at time interval, positions of the sun’s altitude relative to the horizon and phases of partial eclipse of sun on March 9

Eclipse viewers are warned to never look directly at the eclipsed Sun but to use a pinhole projection or protective eclipse glasses.

The next solar eclipse is predicted to occur in the Sultanate on December 26, 2019. It will also be a partial solar eclipse.

- Borneo Bulletin Online. Saturday - March 5, 2016.

Partial solar eclipse on March 9

Azmi Zainal

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

BRUNEI will experience a partial solar eclipse on March 9.

According to the Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam, the solar eclipse will be visible in Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and locations in the Pacific Ocean.

While the total phase of the solar eclipse will not be visible in Brunei, it can still be observed as a partial solar eclipse for those in the sultanate.

Partial solar eclipses occur when the moon comes between the sun and the earth, but do not align in a perfectly straight line. Because of this, the moon only covers part of the sun’s disc.

The eclipse, which will start at 7.30am, will last for about two hours and 24 minutes in Brunei.

The maximum phase of the eclipse will occur at 8.37am with the moon covering 76.5 per cent of the sun’s disc.

The partial eclipse will end when the moon leaves the sun’s edge at 9.54am.

The Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam posted a warning on its Facebook page that looking directly at the sun can lead to burns at the back of the eye and permanent blindness.

Indirect viewing of the sun is recommended. This can be done by using a pinhole projection method, a solar filter or solar glasses.

Hj Khairul Abidin, head technician at the Survey Department, said the department is currently in talks to organise a public viewing of the phenomenon at the Berakas Secondary School football field.

Another rare astronomical phenomenon, one which will happen for the first time in a decade, will also be visible in the country.

Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter will be visible from Earth, appearing in a diagonal row before dawn or around the time after the call of the dawn prayer.

According to the Huffington Post, the phenomenon started on January 20 and will continue to occur every early morning until February 20.

The last time it occured was between December 15, 2004 and January 15, 2005.

Hj Khairul said the phenomenon can be seen from the city and residential areas with the naked eye, given that the sky is not cloudy. To view it, he said, look towards the eastern horizon that is free from obstructions to locate Mercury.

The other planets will be easily visible because they are in the sky.

He said the Astronomy Department will be conducting an observation and has welcomed the public to join them at the Old Airport area parking lot at 5am on February 7.

The Brunei Times

Peluang saksi gerhana matahari separa

Oleh Hazarry bin Haji Ali Ahmad

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 4 Mac – Penduduk di negara ini akan berpeluang menyaksikan fenomena astronomi yang jarang berlaku apabila bulan melintasi di hadapan Matahari pada pagi 9 Mac ini.

Kejadian gerhana matahari separa dijangka akan bermula pukul 8.30 pagi dan dijangka berakhir pada 9:54 pagi waktu tempatan. Pada jam 8:37 pagi, fasa maksimum akan berlaku dengan kira-kira 77 peratus daripada Matahari akan ditutupi oleh Bulan.

Jika langit tidak berawan, peristiwa cakerawala selama dua jam dan 24 minit ini akan boleh kelihatan dari mana-mana kawasan di Brunei. Namun orang ramai yang ingin mencerap gerhana akan memerlukan ufuk Timur yang tidak terhalang seperti bebas daripada pokok-pokok atau bangunan.

Laluan perjalanan Bulan melintasi di hadapan Matahari dan fasa-fasa semasa gerhana 

matahari pada 9 Mac nanti.

Orang ramai juga diberi amaran supaya tidak melihat secara langsung pada matahari tanpa menggunakan penapis suria yang selamat atau kaca mata pelindung gerhana.

Ramalan merupakan hasil kajian penulis sendiri bersumberkan laman sesawang dan perisian astronomi. Gerhana matahari seterusnya dijangka berlaku di negara ini pada 26 Disember 2019.

- Media Permata. Sabtu, 5 Mac 2016.