Partial Solar Eclipse Spotted in Singapore: Here's How It Went

Urian B., Tech Times 20 April 2023, 01:04 am

It was a rare day of anticipation and excitement on Thursday morning, as over 200 people gathered at the Science Centre Observatory with hopes of catching a glimpse of a hybrid solar eclipse. But the Sun was unfortunately hidden behind the clouds on a rainy day, which disappointed the crowds.

Disappointment Among Eclipse-Enthusiasts Despite Live Stream from Exmouth, Western Australia

According to the story by Straits Times, hundreds of people gathered at the Science Centre Observatory in Singapore in anticipation of a rare hybrid solar eclipse. However, the Sun was obscured by clouds, causing much disappointment among eclipse-enthusiasts despite being able to witness a live stream of the event broadcasted from Exmouth, Western Australia.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, obscuring the Sun from view. Eclipses can occur in various forms - a total eclipse happens when the Moon completely covers the Sun, while an annular eclipse occurs when only the outer ring of the Sun is visible.

This time around, it was a partial eclipse with the Moon covering approximately 15% of the Sun, visible from most places across the island when the Sun was directly overhead. For safety reasons, Science Centre Singapore arranged for telescopes to be set up in the Ecogarden, allowing for a magnified view of the eclipse.

The Next Solar Eclipse Forecast to be Visible in Singapore

Solar and lunar eclipses may be relatively rare events, with two to five of them happening per year on average. When it comes to a total solar eclipse, one may only witness it once every 18 months or so, making them a valuable opportunity for astronomy fans who want to observe them.

The next solar eclipse forecast to be visible in Singapore is on Aug 2, 2027, and will be a partial eclipse viewed during sunset. Many will be excited for the 2028 partial solar eclipse, which is also expected to be visible on July 22 that year.

It is unfortunate that the viewers in Singapore didn't get the opportunity to witness this hybrid solar eclipse due to the unfortunate weather conditions. Regardless, as with all solar eclipses, it provides a beautiful reminder of the fascinating and awe-inspiring relationship between the Moon, Earth, and Sun.

The Next Solar Eclipses Visible from Singapore

Telescopes at the Eco garden offered a safe and magnified view of the eclipse. Meanwhile, fans of the celestial event could watch a live stream of the full eclipse from Exmouth, Australia, on a big screen at the Science Centre, making up for the bad weather. People interested can track the next solar eclipse on Time and Date.

Although it seems that this time around, the weather was the ultimate deciding factor in not experiencing the eclipse at its fullest, the Science Centre Observatory assured that the next solar eclipse in Singapore will take place on Aug 2, 2027 - a partial solar eclipse that would occur during sunset. It will be followed by another partial solar eclipse visible from Singapore on July 22, 2028.