Sunday’s solar eclipse

Preparing for Sunday’s solar eclipse

As people all over the world prepare  with great excitement for the solar eclipse, which will occur this Sunday, November 3, 2013, it is necessary to alert our people to the significance of the cosmic event and prepare them on how to safely observe it.

This very event is a solar eclipse, otherwise known as eclipse of the sun, which occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth thus casting the moon’s shadow either partially or wholly on the surface of the sun. It is essentially a natural phenomenon already demystified by science, even though religious and traditional believers often attribute supernatural significance to it.

The Director General of National Space and Research Agency, Dr. Seidu Mohammed, wants Nigerians to bear in mind that the eclipse is a normal natural event that should not bring about undue panic.

The excitement generated by eclipses all over the world is centred on the fact that because they are unique and sometimes occur a few times in a person’s lifetime, people, naturally, want to view this interplay of heavenly bodies. That is where the main danger is, and where everybody — both children and adults — must play safe.

According to an article on Space.com entitled: “How to Safely Observe Sunday’s Solar Eclipse”: “Here is a helpful reminder for new eclipse chasers: be safe. A fraction of a second of magnified, unfiltered sunlight will sear your eye’s retina irreparably. Imagine a horrible sunburn on your eyeball. Your eye cannot grow new layers and (peel off) the (burnt) ones like your skin tissue can, so staring directly at the sun is dangerous without the protection of safety equipment used by veteran sky watchers and astronomers.”

We are appealing to governments to deploy their media and orientation outfits to mount a massive civic education of the populace because it will not do if after the eclipse we have a new batch of avoidably blinded citizens. The private media, religious and advocacy groups should also key into this public enlightenment.

It is time that the specialised glasses needed to observe eclipses are made readily available, while corporate organisations and social groups should organise observation centres and invite interested citizens to come and safely participate.

For the avoidance of doubt, the eclipse is likely to be partial in the Southern parts, from Calabar to Lagos, while in the central areas like Abuja and Kaduna; it is likely to be a full eclipse.

We call on youth people and students to allow the momentum of the eclipse to fire their renewed interest in science and technology, especially space research. They must get ready to join their peers from other parts of the world to become equal stakeholders in these areas in future.