A Total Solar Eclipse

Date: 22-Jul-2009

A Total Solar Eclipse will be noticeable in India on July 22, 2009 from early morning 05:28 hrs to 07:40 hrs (Indian Standard Time). The total solar eclipse will last nearly four minutes — from 6.26 am to 6.30 am — in India and the sun will not be noticeable at all. In India, Total Lunar Eclipse will be visible in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Varanasi, West Bengal and Northeastern States. According to NASA, the solar eclipse on July 22, 2009 is a ‘Total Solar Eclipse’ and the Moon’s umbra shadow on Sun starts in India and crosses through Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China and ends in the Pacific Ocean.

It is the longest total solar eclipse in the 21st century and will not beat in duration until next 123 years.

The total solar eclipse in India will be seen in regions around Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Surat (Gujarat), Darjeeling (West Bengal), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) and Patna (Bihar).

Popular of the regions in India will not have a sight of the Total solar eclipse. As per NASA data, it will be a incomplete eclipse in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.

The most eclipse duration of 6 minutes and 43 seconds occurs far off the coast in the Pacific Ocean.

For those in search of the maximum time in totality the only choice is a cruise ship located east and south of Japan. The mobility of a cruise ship to shun bad weather well in proceed will be very useful.

Stars and Planets: The moon/sun will be situated between the groups of Cancer and Gemini. Nearest to the eclipse will be Mercury, about 9 degrees to the East and shining at a magnitude of -1. The nearest bright star will be Procyon (Magnitude 0.5) 16 degrees to the south. Nine degrees to the WNW will be Pollex (M 1.2) followed by Castor (M 1.6) another four and half degrees further along the same path. Over 40 degrees to the West of the Sun will be Venus shining brightly with a Magnitude of -4. Saturn will be 49 degrees to the East of the Sun at about Magnitude 1.

Observers along the started of the eclipse path will not see Saturn. Observers near the end of the eclipse path will not see Venus as it will have already set before the sun and moon.

Climate: Late July is in start of the cyclone and rainy season. Because long eclipses such as this one only occur in the tropics, the predictable weather is always a risk. On a good day the sun will shine in the morning and it will rain in the late afternoon. If a storm is settled into the area then the rain and clouds may go on for days. Thus it will be very significant to stay tuned to the local weather reports during the time leading up to the eclipse. A more eastern location is recommended with good mobility being significant.

Over land the weather fashion is cloudier than over the sea. The best percentage for cloud cover (the lowest percentage) is found near the end of the path, in the Pacific Ocean (Long: 180 degrees). The only way to observe the eclipse in that location will be by journey ship or from an airplane. Toward the end of the eclipse path totality is about 4 minutes and the sun low on the horizon.

Check some interesting photos of solar eclipse in India