Written by Mahmoud Ragheb

Saturday, October 14, 2023 09:00 PM

Earth is witness Annular solar eclipse This evening, Saturday, October 14, 2023, Central Time coincides with the conjunction of the month of Rabi al-Akhir for the year 1445 Hijri..

President of the National Institute for Astronomy and Geophysical Research and President of the Arab Society for Astronomy and Space Sciences, Dr. Ghat al-Qadi confirmed this according to astronomical calculations carried out by the Institute Sun Research Laboratory led by Dr Yasser Abdel. Hadi, the world will witness an annular solar eclipse today, October 14, 2023 AD (not visible in Egypt) (parts of America – Mexico – Colombia – Brazil – South America – Central America).

(West Africa – North America – South America – Pacific Ocean – Atlantic Ocean – Antarctica) It is seen as a partial eclipse..

At the peak of the annual eclipse, the lunar disk covers about 95.2% of the entire disk of the Sun, and this peak of the eclipse coincides with the moment of conjunction preceding the birth of the Rabi crescent. Akhir for 1445 Hijri, which is Universal Time at 5:59:32 PM (8:59:32 PM Cairo Time), and at this time the Sun appears as a ring of fire surrounding a black disc. is the moon.

A lunar eclipse usually occurs when it is at the height of its orbit around the Earth, because it allows part of the Sun’s rays to reach the Earth from the edges of its disk..

The National Institute for Astronomical Research explains that the eclipse will last approximately 5 hours and 52 minutes from start to finish, that the annular eclipse will last 5 minutes and 17.2 seconds, and that the next annular eclipse will occur in October. 2, 2024 AD..

In the same context, today, October 14, 2023, the Earth will witness an annual solar eclipse from 06:03 PM to 11 PM, which will not be seen in Saudi Arabia or Arab countries, Jeddah Astronomical Society said in its statement. At 55 PM Makkah time, it will cover 95% of the Sun. An annular eclipse will last 5 minutes 17 seconds and cover a path as wide as 187 kilometers wide. This is the second and last eclipse of the year..

The report indicated that the annular eclipse will be visible in the United States, Central America and South America, while the partial eclipse will be visible in most parts of the United States..

He added: A lunar eclipse should not be confused with a total eclipse, where the Moon completely covers the Sun. But, during an annular eclipse, the apparent size of the Moon is so small that it cannot completely cover the Sun. In the Moon’s elliptical orbit, when the Moon passes in front of the Sun, there is a visible ring, the “ring of light.” “But, in the sky, it’s a really amazing astronomical phenomenon..

During this eclipse, the Sun’s apparent diameter will be 0.3% larger than average, and the Moon will be only 4 days after reaching its zenith point, making its apparent size somewhat smaller than the larger peak of the annular eclipse. The apparent diameter of the Moon is 4.2% smaller than average, which is not that big. It is enough to cover the Sun, which is why it is an annular eclipse..

The annular eclipse will reach land in the US state of Oregon at 7:18 PM Makkah time, then it will pass over Nevada, Utah and Arizona before passing over northeastern California. It will cross Albuquerque directly around 07:00. 37 PM Mecca Time, then it will cross New Mexico and Texas and reach the Gulf at Corpus Christi at 07:58 PM Mecca Time..

For Mexico and Central America, the loop path reaches the Yucatán north of Campeche at 08:24 PM Mecca Time, then directly passes Belize City at 08:34 PM Mecca Time, crosses Honduras, and reaches land at 08:41 PM Mecca Time. Makkah, then Nicaragua at 08:48 PM Mecca Time, then back to the Caribbean Sea at 08:56 PM Mecca Time..

The edge of the annular eclipse path passes along the east coast of Costa Rica and then to Panama at 09:06 PM Mecca time, while the central path of the eclipse reaches the mainland at 09:10 PM Mecca time and passes over Punta. Mala Beach at 09:16 PM Makkah Time..

For South America, the path of the annular eclipse begins at 09:24 PM Mecca time and reaches the Colombian coast, passes Doloa at 09:32 Mecca time, and then crosses Brazil at 09:56 PM Mecca time. It then passes directly over Brazil, passes through the Pecos at 10:43 PM MST, reaches the southern coast of Natal at 10:46 PM MST, and the eclipse ends in its annular shape over the Atlantic Ocean a few minutes later.

Observers in the path of the central eclipse will experience a decrease in daylight as the moon’s shadow passes, causing the air temperature to drop by a few degrees..

Outside the path of the annular eclipse, the eclipse will be visible in its partial form in one area, and at sunset the partial eclipse will be visible over most of North and South America, except for the remote continent of Africa. Areas closest to the path of the annular eclipse will see the highest percentage of partial eclipses, but the percentage decreases as we move away from it..

Viewing an annular solar eclipse requires special viewing equipment for eye protection, as 5% of the Sun is blindingly bright. Therefore, use eclipse glasses that block more than 99.99% of sunlight, ultraviolet and infrared rays or filters. (Sun filters for binoculars, binoculars, and cameras, which appear as an orange or white disc in the sky..

Many experiences can be experienced during a solar eclipse, including changes in birdsong and insect sounds. Wildlife is known to respond to the decrease in sunlight. Using binoculars equipped with a special solar filter, you can see amazing particles of sunlight (Bailey bells). Throughout the lunar mountains, especially around the north and south poles of the moon..

In addition, the solar eclipse will be used to conduct a scientific experiment on the path of the annular eclipse in the polar region, which will test the strength of the arrival using antennas in the network of wireless communications operators to study the ionosphere layer in our planet’s atmosphere. As a measure to determine the impact of the eclipse on the Earth’s atmosphere, high frequency signals are used to determine the extent to which the ionosphere layer is affected by the eclipse of the Sun, how long this effect lasts and to compare the results of previous and upcoming eclipses..

It is noteworthy that this annular solar eclipse will be visible in the skies of Saudi Arabia and Arab countries two weeks later on October 28 (Rabi al-Akhir 13, 1445) with a partial lunar eclipse.