The solar eclipse which will take place on July 22, 2009 is the longest solar eclipse of the twenty-first century; the next time a solar eclipse as long or longer will occur will be only in 2132. Some enthusiasts have even planned a trip from Delhi to Patna with the eclipse.
Ok. So we’ve been hearing about it, night and day. What is a solar eclipse?
We know that we are revolving around the sun, and the moon is revolving around us. Now what happens during a solar eclipse is that the moon passes between the sun and earth such that the sun is partially or completely covered. Two to five solar eclipses occur on earth every year. And out of these, zero to two are complete. Solar eclipses always take place on new moon nights.
On the 22nd of July, the path of the Moon's umbral shadow begins in India and crosses through Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and China before curving south across the Pacific Ocean. A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes most of the eastern Asia, Indonesia and the Pacific Ocean.
People across central India and in parts of Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar will briefly find themselves in daytime darkness before the solar eclipse proceeds into China. Some planets may also be visible due to the darkness.
In India, a village 27 km north of Patna, called Taregna, will be the place to be tomorrow. Interestingly, not only is the word Taregna very similar to Tare Gina (Counted stars) but Taregna is also the place where Aryabhatta set up an observatory to study Mars.
If you were living a few centuries ago, a sudden disappearance of the sun during the day would have been a bit unnerving. So there were a number of myths as to what a solar eclipse was. In India, Rahu and Ketu, two demons, were said to have swallowed the sun. In China, a dragon was said to have devoured it. The Sun was a part of the meals of many a creature!
Now, if you want to view the eclipse, please, PLEASE make sure you do it safely. Just because you are able to see the sun directly does not mean that it’s safe.You can use a pinhole camera or specially designed glasses.