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."