'Ring of Fire' solar eclipse watchers should use safe viewing equipment on Dec 26: Debiprosad Duari
Kolkata, Dec 25: When the annular solar eclipse takes place on December 26, sky watchers should use safe viewing equipment and proper techniques to view the celestial event as the infrared and ultraviolet rays of the Sun can cause severe retinal damage, a senior astronomer has said.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the Sun for a viewer on Earth.
An annular solar eclipse takes place when the moons apparent diameter is smaller than that of the Suns and blocks most of the Suns light. This causes the Sun to look like an ring (annulus) of fire, Debiprosad Duari, the Director, Research and Academic of MP Birla Institute of Fundamental Research, MP Birla Planetarium, said.
Partial phases of the solar eclipse will be visible from all over the country in varying magnitude depending upon the geographical position.
One should not look directly to the Sun for even a little period without proper protection. Even when 99 per cent of the surface of the Sun is covered by the moon during partial eclipse, the remaining light is still intense enough to damage the eye, Duari told PTI.
Proper solar filters with certified appropriate optical density against radiation which are safe to the eyes should be used in front optical devices and the naked eye, he said.
Aluminised mylar films of approved thickness and transmissivity coated with black polymer are the safest for use in solar goggles that one generally uses for eclipse viewing, he said.
Welders glass number 14 is a safe material as solar filter for direct viewing of the solar disc, the researcher said.
According to him, the best method to view the solar eclipse will be to use a pinhole camera or a telescopic projection on a suitable surface.
Use of unsafe filters like smoked glass, polarising filter, sun glasses, photographic neutral density filters, colour films are not advised to view the solar phenomenon, he said.
Thursday's eclipse will be visible in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.
Population centers in the path of the annularity include Udhagamandalam, Kozhikode, Coimbatore, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Singapore, Singkawang and Guam, Duari said.
In the Indian sub-continent, the annularity phases will be seen within a narrow path grazing the southern Indian peninsula through Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu before crossing the Bay of Bengal for northern Sri Lanka.
The people of the southern part of the country will be fortunate to see a greater part of the partial solar eclipse because of the geometry of the eclipse path. But every Indian will get an opportunity to see at least a partial eclipse. In India the maximum duration of the annularity phases will be just over 3 minutes, he said.
The beginning of the eclipse can be first seen from the Arabian sea coast of Oman at around 7:59 hours IST and the annular eclipse will become first visible in west of Bahrain at 09:06 hours IST, Duari added.
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Indian Railways offers meals at Rs 20 and 50 for General Class passengers
Train passengers travelling in unreserved compartments are now getting hygienic meals and snacks at affordable prices at stations under a new initiative by the Railways, an official said.
These meal counters are operational at over 100 stations and nearly 150 counters across Indian Railways, and the facility will be expanded further.
“Indian Railways along with Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is stepping up to serve passengers, particularly those in unreserved coaches, with a new initiative offering hygienic meals and snacks at affordable prices,” the railway official said.
He added, “We anticipate a surge in passenger traffic during the summer months and recognise the challenges faced by those travelling in unreserved compartments (General Class Coaches), who may not always have access to convenient and budget-friendly meal options.” According to Railways, to ensure easy access, these meal counters are conveniently placed near general second class (GS) coaches on platforms.
“There are two categories, the economy meal which costs Rs 20 and the snack meal which comes at Rs 50. Passengers can buy their refreshments directly from these counters, eliminating the need to search for vendors or venture outside the station,” the official said.
He said the service was successfully piloted at about 51 stations last year.
"Building on that success, Railways has significantly expanded the programme, with counters now operational at over 100 stations and nearly 150 counters in total. The initiative is slated for further growth, encompassing even more stations in the near future,” the official said.
