Dangers of watching today’s solar eclipse with naked eyes

• NARSDA, UNN set up viewing centres

• Lagos to witness 80% darkness, Abuja 60%

As the country witnesses the eclipse of the sun

today, experts have warned against watching it with

naked eyes.

The eclipse is expected to occur between 7:15 a.m.

and 10:03 a.m. with slight variations in actual

timing across the country.

In Lagos, the first contact will occur around 7:15

a.m. while the maximum eclipse will occur about

8:30 a.m. and will end by 10:03a.m., going by the

predictions by the National Space Research and

Development Agency (NARSDA) in Abuja.

The solar eclipse is expected to commence in Abuja

around 7:17 a.m., with the maximum eclipse to be

experienced around 8:32 a.m. and end around

10:00 a.m.

NARSDA confirmed yesterday that the highest

degree of obscurity in Nigeria during this natural

occurrence would be in the southern part of the

country. Particularly, obscurity is expected to be 80

per cent in Lagos.

Scientists and other members of the public,

including school children, are expected to meet at

various locations in the country to view the exciting

phenomenon.

But there is general poor enlightenment about the

development, a situation that has elicited subtle

panic as many don’t have full information about the

development.

NARSDA announced yesterday that it had made

adequate arrangements for the occurrence to be

viewed at a space centre in Abuja.

The leader of Astronomy and Astrophysics Research

Group at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu

State, Prof. Augustine Ubachukwu, warned against

viewing the eclipse with naked eyes.

In a circular to the university community obtained

by The Guardian, he spoke of plans to help people

in the institution and its environment observe the

eclipse without risk to their eyes.

His words: “On September 1, 2016, the moon will

pass in front of the sun, creating a brilliant ring of

sunlight visible from Nsukka.

“When the moon creates a ring of sunlight during

an eclipse, instead of completely blocking the solar

disk, it is known as an annular eclipse. And

although the September 1 event won’t be a total

eclipse of the sun (from south eastern part of the

country), it will still be a stunning sight of partial

solar eclipse.

“For those interested in watching this eclipse event,

the Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Group of

this university is making special viewing glasses

(eclipse glass) available at the Christ Church Chapel

field, UNN, starting by 7.30 a.m. Please never look

directly at the sun with your unprotected eyes.

“Viewers will be able to see the moon cross paths

with the sun on September 1 (Thursday) between

8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.”

It was learnt that in Sokoto and other parts of

Northern Nigeria, the darkness level would be

about 45 per cent. The region would witness the

lowest degree of darkness during the eclipse.

The eclipse, which is described as ‘annular’ will be

observed as a partial or near-total one across the

country with the Federal Capital Territory expected

to record about 60 per cent darkness.

The Head, Media and Corporate Communications of

NASRDA, Dr. Felix Ale, said the agency had arranged

a viewing centre to enable members of the public to

view the eclipse, using specially designed viewing

instruments provided by the organisation.

Ale, who described the eclipse as an astronomical

event, and an occurrence of nature for man to

behold, said it could not be viewed with the naked

eyes as this could cause permanent damage to them.