Thousands witness longest total solar eclipse of 21st century
By chennaivision at 22 July, 2009, 3:47 pm
Chennai, The people of this burgeoning megapolis got a glimpse of a once-in-a-lifetime celestial phenomenon, the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century.
The eclipse which began at 0558 hrs, ended at 0718 hrs, as people woke up to see an eclipsed Sun rising over the horizon.
Slight overcast sky initially threatened to dampen the spirits of the sky gazers. However, after a few minutes, clouds gave way for the people to watch the rare event.
Thousands of skywatchers assembled at the Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre and also at world’s second largest beach Marina to watch the century’s longest total solar eclipse.
In Tamil Nadu, partial eclipse was seen as the totality path of the eclipse was away. Around 63 per cent of the Sun was covered by the Moon at the time of the greatest eclipse at 0621 hrs. This was the longest eclipse with the maximum phase being 6 minutes 39 seconds.
An eclipse of the Sun occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun thereby totally or partially obscuring the Sun from the Earth.
Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre Executive Director Dr P Iyamperumal said a total eclipse of the Sun occurs when the Sun was completely obscured by the Moon.
”It is a rare event and I did not want to miss it at any cost,” said an IT professional, who was at hand to gaze at the sky.
Since the eclipse was considered inauspicious, several temples were closed during the eclipse. The temples were opened after 0830 hrs after performing ”Graha Santhi Pooja” and ”Parihaara Pooja”.
While many schools delayed their opening due to the eclipse, management of some schools declared a holiday today.
The Tamil Nadu Science Forum distributed sunfilter glasses to the people at Marina to watch the eclipse as doctors have warned the people against watching it with naked eye.
To appease the God, a section of people, who believed that the eclipse would bring natural disasters like tsunami, offered 101 Kg Idly (Rice Cake) made of ”Navadhaniyam” (nine varieties of pulses at the Marina.
Meanwhile, Dravidar Kazhagam President K Veeramani organised a feast to remove superstitious belief that consuming food during the eclipse would be harmful to the body.
No comments yet.