South Africans can view a partial solar eclipse today
South Africans are in for a rare celestial treat today, 17 February, as a rare partial solar eclipse will become visible this afternoon.
What is a partial solar eclipse ?
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, but does not perfectly align, obscuring only a part of the sun.
This causes the moons outer shadow, known as the renumeration, to fall on the Earth creating the impression of a small piece being taken from the sun.
The full annual eclipse which is refered to as the Ring of fire, will only be fully visible in remote parts of Antarctica.
However
Here in the Western Cape we should have a visability of a maximum of five percent.
Live stream the eclipse
The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) will be live streaming the event using their newly acquired solar telescope from their Hermanus facility.
The telescope forms part of SANSA weather centre’s efforts to monitor solar observations and activity on the sun.
The live stream offers an accessible way for those wanting to view the eclipse, to safely experience the event in real time.
What time can you view the partial eclipse?
The partial eclipse will begin at 2.01pm, South African Standard Time.
It should reach maximum coverage, according to SANSA, at 2.23pm and will end at 3.24pm. Lasting one hour and twenty three minutes.
Safety
People watching the eclipse are urged not to look directly in the sun without certified eclipse glasses or proper solar filters as this could cause damage to you eyes.
Where to watch the eclipse online
You can log on and view the live stream here
