Kasaragod helps public watch annual solar eclipse

The people of Kasaragod district had the rare opportunity of witnessing the December 26 solar eclipse, first among all Indians.

Cheruvathoor here is one of the three places in the world where the eclipse will be most clearly seen.

District Collector Sajith Babu said the district administration would make arrangements for the public to watch the eclipse at Kadakkottu in Cheruvathoor.

The schedule

The partial eclipse began at 8.04 a.m. when the moon touched the sun’s edge. At 9.24 a.m. the annular phase started and the full eclipse was visible by then.

At 9.26 a.m., the maximum eclipse occurred, when the moon is closest to the centre of the sun. By 9.27 a.m. the full eclipse ended and by 11.05 a.m. the moon will leave the edges of the sun, ending the partial eclipse. The total eclipse will last for 3.12 minutes.

The annular solar eclipse is fully visible in Cheruvathoor. Observers can experience the ‘ring of fire’ that is characteristic of this kind of solar eclipse. This is a rare event that can be experienced only along a relatively narrow strip on the earth’s surface.