Pakistan witnesses rare annular eclipse on Thursday

Pakistan witnesses rare annular eclipse on Thursday

ISLAMABAD, Dec 26 (APP):Pakistan along with other countries witnessed annular solar eclipse on December 26 (Thursday) morning after the long span of 20 years while bidding adieu to the year 2019.

The country witnessed Penumbral Eclipse from 07:30 am till 13:06 pm, Partial Eclipse from 08:34 am till 12:01 pm, Total Eclipse from 08:37 am till 11:58 am while the greatest eclipse was observed at 10:18 am, Assistant Meteorologist, Dawood Khan said while talking to APP.

Annular eclipse of sun was visible from Eastern Europe, much of Asia, North and West Australia, Eastern Africa, Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.

In Pakistan, the maximum partial eclipse of 0.77 magnitude was visible in Karachi at 8:46 am, 0.49 magnitude in Islamabad at 8:58 am, 0.64 magnitude in Quetta at 08:48 am, 0.50 magnitude in Peshawar at 08:56 am, 0.52 magnitude in Lahore at 08:58 am, 0.43 magnitude in Gilgit at 09:01 am and 0.47 magnitude in Muzzaffarabad at 08:59 am, he said.

Dawood Khan said a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun’s light.

During an annular solar eclipse, the moon does not completely cover the sun as it passes, leaving a glowing ring of sunlight around it.

According to NASA, an annular eclipse can only occur under specific conditions under which the moon must be a new moon, meaning it is in its first lunar phase.

The moon must also be further away from Earth on its elliptical orbit, appearing smaller in the sky than it usually would. Because the moon appears smaller under these

circumstances, it cannot fully eclipse the sun so a “ring of fire” or “ring of light” is formed.
Special prayers called Salatul al-Kasuf were offered at multiple places across the country in line with the Islamic tradition of performing the prayers at the time of solar eclipses.

The time for Salat al-Kusuf lasts from the beginning of the eclipse till the time it ends.

The space lovers across the world watched the eclipse online while the sky-watchers watched it through wearing solar eclipse glasses to avoid any harmful impact of radiation.

APP Services