WESK DESK
The country is witnessing a rare celestial event, annular solar eclipse today. The annular ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse, wherein the Sun appears like a ring of fire, is visible in different parts of the country.
The solar eclipse is taking place on the summer solstice, which is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere. When Moon comes between the Sun and Earth, the shadow falls on the surface of the Earth.
The Sun is entirely covered by the Moon for a brief period. Those places that are engulfed by the dark, dense umbral shadow of the Moon experience the total solar eclipse.
Ministry of Science and Technology has urged people not to use sunglasses, goggles, exposed x-ray sheet or lampblack over a glass as they are not safe. It said, viewing the Sun’s image on the surface of the water is also not safe.
The Ministry said, welders glass 13 or 14 can be used to see the Sun directly with naked eyes. People can make a pinhole in a card sheet and hold it under the Sun, at some distance, keep a screen of white paper.
Image of the Sun can be seen on this sheet. By adjusting the gap between the sheet and the screen, the image can be made larger.
People can look at the shadow of a bush or a tree. With the gaps between the leaves acting like a pinhole, numerous images of the eclipsed Sun can be seen on the ground.
People can also cover the compact makeup kit mirror with black paper, with a small hole at the centre. Reflect the image of the Sun on a distant wall in shadow. People can get a projected image of the eclipsed Sun.
