Rare solar eclipse viewed in Nigerian cities

A rare solar eclipse swept through parts of Africa, the Middle East and America yesterday. It was viewed in many Nigerian cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Jos, the Plateau State capital and Calabar, Cross River State, among others.

In the eclipse, the sun is totally or partially blocked by the moon.

The full eclipse is a “hybrid” eclipse. A normal solar eclipse involves the moon blocking the sun completely. The moon’s area will also briefly be reduced, revealing “sun rings”. This is called an “annular eclipse”. Hybrid eclipses are among the rarest in the world – accounting for only 4.8% of eclipses recorded.

The full eclipse was viewed in some areas of West Africa and a number of islands in the Atlantic. There, the eclipse proceeded first, with the moon entirely covering the sun. Then, the shadowed area gradually reduced, revealing sun rings. Finally, the moon continued until the sun was again consigned completely to the shade.

In North America, the eclipse was only viewed on the East Coast.

Only a partial eclipse was witnessed in Nigeria.

Some Lagos and Abuja residents expressed both excitement and disappointment over the partial eclipse.

Reports from parts of the metropolis showed that while most were expecting a total eclipse, many were still excited over the partial eclipse.

Some of the residents from Egbeda, Command Road, Agege and Oke-Aro – all on the outskirt of Lagos – said that they had not expected a partial eclipse, but were excited that they could see changes in the sun.

A resident of Egbeda, Mrs Titi Francis, told NAN that at about 1.10 p.m., the weather became dark.

“Around 1.10p.m., I noticed that the cloud became dark as if it was about to rain. I did not really see it like an eclipse, but I am excited about it because I heard it was really total in some places,’’ she said.

A supermarket owner at Iju Road, Agege, Mr Patrick Bada, said what he saw was below his expectation.

“When I read the news about the eclipse on Thursday, I was waiting to experience it today. I waited to see it, but it was just dark and cloudy, nothing extraordinary.

“I had wanted to show my three-year-old grandson how an eclipse looks like, but I am still happy it was partial,” Bada said.

The partial eclipse was witnessed at around 2:37 pm in some parts of Abuja.

It lasted almost an hour around Sun City in Lugbe. The experience was as if it would rain as the eclipse occurred.

Other residents in areas such as Gwagwalada, Lugbe, Kabusa, Kubwa and Sun City experienced it.

However, some residents, who patiently waited to see the eclipse, were a bit disappointed. They claimed they never witnessed any view.

Kehinde Adeniyi alleged he did not experience any eclipse. He said the federal government through the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASDRA) had procured special glasses for those who desired to view it.

Some said viewing the eclipse with natural eye might damage the eye. Others advised it should be viewed through a bucket of water, positioned directly towards the sky.

Adeniyi said: “I am highly disappointed. And you know how many millions they have spent on the procurement of those special glasses because we are not expected to view it casually.”