KOLKATA: The buzz in the city over Sunday morning’s solar eclipse was unmistakable. A celestial event such as this is a spectacle anytime, more so in the current pandemic gloom. However, the excitement was somewhat dampened by the cloud cover on Saturday that threatened to be a killjoy on Sunday as well.
Last December, too, a cloud cover had made it difficult for Kolkatans to enjoy the solar eclipse. Visible for a few minutes, the view had been cut short by a grey sky and light drizzle. MP Birla Institute of Fundamental Research director (research & academic) Debiprosad Duari, who had camped in Coonoor to view the eclipse, recounted the experience as “magical”. This time, though, he is stranded in the city owing to the pandemic and is hoping for more than a slice of luck to view the annular solar eclipse that will be partial over Kolkata.
Members of the Sky Watchers’ Association of North Bengal (SWAN), too, had planned to travel to Suratgarh to view the total eclipse, but cancelled the plan in view of the pandemic and will now have get only a partial view from Siliguri. The path of annular solar eclipse will enter India through Gharsana on the India-Pakistan border around 10.12am
But the Met office didn’t have an encouraging forecast. The sky could remain cloudy through the morning since a low-pressure trough is already triggering showers in south Bengal. Monsoon currents, too, remain active in the region.
But there was a silver lining. “Kolkata is likely to receive light to moderate showers throughout the weekend. So, while we are likely to have intermittent rain, there could be dry periods when the sky clears up. Since the eclipse will continue for five hours, the event could be visible at least for some time,” said deputy director-general of meteorology Sanjib Bandopadhyay.
“I am hoping to catch the partial eclipse from here and that the cloud cover doesn’t play spoilsport,” said Duari, warning enthusiasts not to try and take a peek without proper gear as even a few seconds exposure can cause severe eye damage, including blindness.
“One must use a certified aluminized Mylar filter in solar goggles or No. 14 welder’s glass to observe the eclipse directly. The easy way is to make a pin hole on a cardboard and project the image of the Sun on a white paper or on a wall and observe the progression of the eclipse. One can use a solar filter on a telescope to observe it also,” he said.
Last December, too, a cloud cover had made it difficult for Kolkatans to enjoy the solar eclipse. Visible for a few minutes, the view had been cut short by a grey sky and light drizzle. MP Birla Institute of Fundamental Research director (research & academic) Debiprosad Duari, who had camped in Coonoor to view the eclipse, recounted the experience as “magical”. This time, though, he is stranded in the city owing to the pandemic and is hoping for more than a slice of luck to view the annular solar eclipse that will be partial over Kolkata.
Members of the Sky Watchers’ Association of North Bengal (SWAN), too, had planned to travel to Suratgarh to view the total eclipse, but cancelled the plan in view of the pandemic and will now have get only a partial view from Siliguri. The path of annular solar eclipse will enter India through Gharsana on the India-Pakistan border around 10.12am
But the Met office didn’t have an encouraging forecast. The sky could remain cloudy through the morning since a low-pressure trough is already triggering showers in south Bengal. Monsoon currents, too, remain active in the region.
But there was a silver lining. “Kolkata is likely to receive light to moderate showers throughout the weekend. So, while we are likely to have intermittent rain, there could be dry periods when the sky clears up. Since the eclipse will continue for five hours, the event could be visible at least for some time,” said deputy director-general of meteorology Sanjib Bandopadhyay.
“I am hoping to catch the partial eclipse from here and that the cloud cover doesn’t play spoilsport,” said Duari, warning enthusiasts not to try and take a peek without proper gear as even a few seconds exposure can cause severe eye damage, including blindness.
“One must use a certified aluminized Mylar filter in solar goggles or No. 14 welder’s glass to observe the eclipse directly. The easy way is to make a pin hole on a cardboard and project the image of the Sun on a white paper or on a wall and observe the progression of the eclipse. One can use a solar filter on a telescope to observe it also,” he said.
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