Partial solar eclipse begins at 8:42 am today

KATHMANDU: Nepal will witnesses a partial solar eclipse on Thursday.

According to the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee, the solar eclipse can be witnessed from 8:42 am to 11:33 am in Kathmandu, from 8:38 am to 11:19 am in Mahendranagar, from 8:48 am to 11:27 am in Bhadrapur.

This annular solar eclipse will also be visible from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.

The partial eclipse will begin at 8:42 a.m. when the moon ‘touches’ the sun’s edge, and at 10:01 am, the annular phase will start and the full eclipse would be visible, Dr Ramchandra Gautam,  Chairman of the Committee said.

The total eclipse will last for 3.12 minutes. The eclipse will start in Qatar, the UAE, Oman will finally vanish from the direction between west and west-south.

It is not advisable to look at the Sun during a solar eclipse with naked eyes. Only eclipse glasses that have a certification with “ISO 12312-2 international standard” are safe for use, according to NASA.

Other options are the number 14 welder’s glass or a pinhole projector that allows a user to project the image of the sun on paper or cardboard.

It is safe to eat, drink and carry out your daily activities during an eclipse.