KARACHI: An annular solar eclipse, said to be the last big celestial event of the year as it returns to the region of Asia on Thursday 26 December from the first time in twenty years.
Starting at 7:30 am, it peaked at 8:37 am and is to go on till 1:06 pm. The eclipse was also viewed in other countries including Myanmar, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and parts of India.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department had said the eclipse would be visible all over Pakistan, especially in Karachi and Gwadar.
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It said the celestial event would be visible in eastern Europe, northern and western Australia, eastern Africa, Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, and much of Asia, including Pakistan.
People have been advised not to look at the sun with the naked eye during the eclipse because it may cause permanent eye damage or even blindness.
The Met Department shared the duration of the eclipse in various cities of Pakistan:
Karachi start of partial eclipse: 7:34; maximum eclipse: 8:46; End of partial eclipse: 10:10
Lahore start of partial eclipse: 7:47; maximum eclipse: 8:58; End of partial eclipse: 10:19
Islamabad start of partial eclipse: 7:50; maximum eclipse: 8:57; End of partial eclipse: 10:15
The solar eclipse is not a total eclipse but an annular one. This means the sun and the moon will be positioned in a way to form a “ring of fire” as the moon won’t be able to completely cover the sun.
The rare and historic event is completely different from the total solar eclipse that took place in August 1999 due to the ‘albedo effect’. It means that most of the radiation did not reach the ground and got deflected back into space because of cloudy skies previously.
But this time there are clear skies. Therefore, there will be a direct impact of the radiation. People have been advised not to look at the sun with the naked eye during the eclipse.
There are several superstitions being associated with the celestial event. Some say it may bring about major changes in world politics with shifts in power.
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Other beliefs include thoughts of fear. In ancient China, people used to counter the effects of a solar eclipse by getting together and screaming aloud. They believed that there was a big snake eating up the moon which needed to be stopped and scared away with the noise.
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