Alicia Chong
Image credit: Pxhere
Fittingly, Singapore will have its daylight boxed out by an ‘ultra-rare’ annular solar eclipse on the 26th December from 11.27am to 3.18pm. The lion city can expect to experience two minutes of darkness during the afternoon, with the eclipse projected to peak at approximately 1.23 pm.
What is an annular solar eclipse?
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), an annular eclipse occurs when the moon is farthest away from earth and can only cover the sun’s centre, leaving a “ring of fire” visible.
However, this can only be seen from a specific geographical area as the moon will not be in the centre from other angles and places such as Johor Bahru. The next time this rare eclipse will be visible in Singapore is in 2063.
Where to get the best views of the “ring of fire”
Special outfitted telescopes will be set up at Jurong Lake Gardens and Singapore Science Centre. The latter charges a small admission fee of S$6 for adults and S$4 for children (applicable for Singaporeans or permanent residents).
You can also view the phenomenon outdoors with the aid of solar eclipse glasses which sell for S$5 each at Singapore Science Centre. It should be noted that regular sunglasses are inadequate protection from the harmful rays and it will not be completely visible from northern regions of the island.
Image credit: Science Centre Singapore
Some heartland Residents Committees will be providing free solar glasses to watch the event at designated areas. Other places to spot the eclipse include Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, Hong Lim Park and Marina Barrage, Green Roof B.
P.S. In your excitement to catch the annular eclipse, don’t forget to take care of your eyes! The rays from the sun can do serious damage to your eyes even if you use binoculars or telescopes without special filters.
Also read: Best Places to Go Stargazing in Asia
