Nigeria is set to experience an annular solar eclipse that will be visible all over the country with different degrees of totality on September 1. An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. The term eclipse is most often used to describe either a solar eclipse, when the Moon’s shadow crosses the Earth’s surface, or a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow. Annular solar eclipses have a “ring of fire” and occurs when the Moon moves in front of the Sun but does not cover the Sun’s discs completely. The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), said yesterday that the highest degree of obscurity in Nigeria during this natural occurrence will be in the southern part of the country particularly in Lagos where it is expected to have 80 per cent obscurity while the lowest degree of obscurity will be about 45 per cent and this will be observed in the northern part of the country, particularly in Sokoto. Head of Media and Corporate Communications of NASRDA, Dr. Felix Ale, in a statement said the annular eclipse would be observed as a partial or near total eclipse across the country with Abuja the Federal Capital Territory expected to be about 60 per cent.
“The annular 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 about 7:15 a.m. while the maximum eclipse will occur around 8:30 a.m. and will end by 10:03 a.m. “The eclipse is expected to commence in Abuja around 7:17 a.m., with maximize eclipse to be recorded about 8:32 a.m. and the eclipse will end around 10:00 a.m.”
Ale also reminded Nigerians that eclipse is not a spiritual issue but a natural occurrence that can be accurately predicted by science, hence NASRDA has developed the capacity to accurately make this prediction as part of its mandate.
