The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Celestial spectacle lined up this month

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 06, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Celestial spectacle lined up this month

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: Two eclipses, described as an interesting curiosity for those involved in gazing skies, are lined up for September.

A partial lunar eclipse is slated for September 7, which could be seen in the country. Lunar eclipses take place when the full moon is exactly in line with the earth and sun and it moves into the earth's shadow.

The eclipse on Thursday begins when the moon enters the region of partial shadow at 10.12 p.m. at night and continues till 11.35 p.m. However, nothing visible happens till this period, informs B.G. Sidharth, Director, B.M. Birla Science Centre.

Annual eclipse

The maximum partial eclipse takes place at 20 minutes past midnight when about 19 per cent of the moon gets eclipsed. From this time, the moon begins to leave the region of total shadow and finally leaves it at 1.07 a.m., according to Dr. Sidharth. However, the inconspicuous partial shadow phase of the eclipse continues till 2.30 a.m.

The second eclipse, the final one of the year, is to occur 15 days later on September 22. This will be a rare Annular Eclipse, when at the maximum of eclipse, the sun appears like a ring or a bangle. "This eclipse begins at 2.10 p.m. and ends at 8.10 p.m.. However, it is not visible from any part of the country," says Y. Ravi Kiron, Coordinator, Association of Hyderabad Amateur Astronomers. The Annular Eclipse can be seen from parts of South America, Caribbean islands and Western Africa. "From a scientific point of view, the fact that there are two eclipses within a month is an interesting curiosity," adds Dr. Sidharth.

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