People across Coimbatore were left disappointed on Thursday as the view of the annular solar eclipse was blocked by clouds, offering just momentary glimpses of the rare celestial spectacle.
Nearly a thousand people thronged the Regional Science Centre on CODISSIA Road on Thursday where special arrangements to view the eclipse safely were made. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that advises against looking directly at the sun during eclipse, all eyes were glued to the sky to see if the clouds would make way to view the “ring of fire” formation.
Loud cheers broke out as the grey clouds moved away around 9.30 a.m., offering a glimpse of the ring of fire for less than a minute. As the clouds diminished the sun's intensity, many chose to view it with naked eyes to catch a quick glimpse of the “ring of fire” and capture images on their mobile phones.
“We have come all the way from Pune,” said Sudhakar S. Joglekar, who came with 14 members from his family to Coimbatore to view the eclipse. Although he and the family members did manage to see the eclipse, Mr. Joglekar wished that the cloud cover had not played spoilsport.
“This is the first time I am seeing a solar eclipse,” said J. Girinath, a Class VIII student of a private school in Periyanaickenpalayam, who came along with four other students. “Our school arranged for viewing the eclipse, but it was too cloudy, so we all came here [Regional Science Centre],” said M. Kamali, a Class IX student.
J.R. Pazhaniswami, District Science Officer at the Regional Science Centre said the maximum annularity, wherein the moon eclipsed the centre portion of the sun and left the rest to form the “ring of fire”, occurred at 9.29 a.m and the ring lasted from 9.28 a.m. to 9.31 a.m. in Coimbatore. Arrangements available at the science centre included sun projection boxes, solar filter glasses and even a computerised telescope.
“The next annular solar eclipse will be on May 21, 2031 where the “ring of fire” will be visible in Madurai and Theni,” he said. Thursday’s eclipse was also visible around 9.21 a.m. and 9.24 a.m. but for hardly 10 seconds in both the instances, Mr. Pazhaniswami said.
On why many people viewed the eclipse with naked eyes, Mr. Pazhaniswami said the clouds acted as a natural solar filter. There would be no danger to the eyes as the clouds reduced the sun's intensity. However, on sunny days, people must use adequate precaution while viewing the eclipse, he said.
Studying the eclipse
Nearly 250 volunteers from across India, who are associated with Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous organisation under the Department of Science and Technology, studied the solar eclipse at K.G. Chavadi on Wednesday. G. Kannabiran, project coordinator, said the volunteers initially planned to study the eclipse at Jansons Institute of Technology, Karumathampatti. “At 6.45 a.m., we saw that it was cloudy and it will not be possible,” he said, following which the team proceeded to K.G. Chavadi.
T.V. Venkateswaran, senior scientist from Vigyan Prasar, said the volunteers conducted experiments as part of an “activity-based learning” such as measuring the temperature difference before and during the solar eclipse. “They found a temperature difference of two degrees Celsius,” he said.
TIRUPPUR
Tiruppur also faced cloud cover during the solar eclipse and even had light showers. K. Ravindran, president of Nature Society of Tiruppur, said that over 200 people participated in a public outreach programme on the annular solar eclipse organised in association with Tamil Nadu Astronomical Society, where experts discussed aspects of the solar eclipse. “Even though the eclipse was not visible, we created an awareness among the students,” he said.
Mr. Kannabiran, who is also the coordinator of Galileo Science Club in Udumalpet, said that nearly 800 people witnessed the solar eclipse at an event organised by his club on Kalpana Grounds in Udumalpet. “Whenever the sun was visible, people saw the eclipse using the solar filter glasses,” he said.
