It is being described as once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse, with a maximum duration of six minutes and 39 seconds, making it the longest total solar eclipse in years.

Michael Geffert, an astronomer at the University of Bonn, Germany explains: “The earth is not moving around the sun in a circular orbit nor is the moon around the earth. So the moon is sometimes nearer or sometimes further away from the earth. Now, we have a situation when the moon is quite near and the sun is quite distanced from the earth. This makes the solar eclipse so long.”

The total solar eclipse will start in western India’s Gulf of Khambhat at dawn. In around eight minutes, it will cross the centre of the country before entering northern Bangladesh and the eastern tip of Nepal.

It will then move further east towards Bhutan, Myanmar, China and southern Japan's Ryuku Islands before ending in the Pacific Ocean. People in Indonesia and the Pacific will only witness a partial eclipse.

Once every few centuries

The fact that such a long-lasting solar eclipse occurs only once every few centuries has generated a lot of excitement among ordinary people and scientists across the globe. People are rushing to buy special glasses to protect their eyes while witnessing the exceptional event.

Over 20,000 people have gathered in India’s eastern town of Taregna, which is considered one of the best located areas to observe the event. In China, many are flocking to Shanghai, where the eclipse is likely to last for around five minutes.

Federico Borgmeyer, the manager of the international specialist travel agency Eclipse City is currently in Shanghai.

He says that despite fears of bad weather, many are overjoyed by the event: “We are going to be on an island in Zhejiang, which is the deep sea water port an hour's drive south of Shanghai in the Hangzhou Bay. This is the location which promises to deliver the longest duration in eclipse viewing in all Asia.”

A chance to gather crucial data about the sun

For scientists, it is an opportunity to gather crucial data that can explain solar flares and help study the temperature of the sun’s gases and chemicals, says Geffert.

“Normally, it is difficult to observe things at the border of the sun because of the full light of the sun. So the solar eclipse is a good situation when you have the most of the light not visible because the moon is at that place and then you can see the border of the sun better than on normal days.”

A bad omen for some astrologers

Some astrologers in India, China and Myanmar say the eclipse is a bad omen. They believe it is going to bring uncertainty and trigger wars in the region.

However, Pundit SP Tata, an astrologer from the Indian capital New Delhi, has played down such claims: “These are natural phenomena created by god and it is not his intention to harm people. Every year, you have four or five eclipses anyway and even if you don’t have eclipses, you have war and violence.”

The next total solar eclipse is due on July 11, 2010. It will be visible across the South Pacific, in parts of French Polynesia and Easter Island as well as on the southern tip of South America.

Author: Disha Uppal
Editor: Anne Thomas