Malawi experiences annular solar eclipse
Malawi was one of the countries in southern Africa that experienced the annular solar eclipse on Thursday.
The annular solar eclipse was visible in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre from around 9:07am to 12:50pm, an estimate of over three hours.
During the annular eclipse, the moon passed in front of the sun, creating a brilliant ring of sunlight visible from areas around the southern Indian Ocean, including Malawi.
According to the Director of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Jolamu Nkhokwe, solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes precisely between the earth and the sun and its shadow falls on the earth.
“During this period of solar eclipse, a slight drop in day time, temperature is experienced including partial darkness as the shadow of the moon is cast on parts of the earth including Malawi,” said Nkhokwe.
Nkhokwe further said the northern part of the country was expected to experience 90 percent of the solar eclipse.
“The general public was therefore advised not to view the solar eclipse directly but should use recommended sun glasses to avoid damage to the eyes. The annular solar eclipse does not have a specific duration it occurs as it varies from time to time,” he said.
Tanzania provided the best scenes for viewing the annular eclipse, which also occurred in other parts of Western Australia, the Arabian Peninsula, part of Indonesia and the Pacific Ocean.
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa are among the countries that experienced the annular solar eclipse.
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