Nigeria to experience 40th eclipse in 116 years

The entirety of Nigeria’s geographical mass will experience an annular solar eclipse on September 1, 2016 between 7:14 am and 10:03 am.

While the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) says the rare occurrence will take place between 7.15 am and 10.03 am, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) projects the occurrence to happen between 7.14 am and 9.52 am. The few minutes in difference just might count for whoever perhaps comes out late to partake in the experience.

The annular eclipse this year, found by most people to be spectacular as with other eclipse experiences, is to some other people, given supernatural connotations and in Nigeria will the 40th of its kind in 116 years.

BusinessDay analysis of occurrences between 1901 and 2016 as archived by NASA shows the September 1, 2016 occurrence will be the 40th eclipse experience to be recorded in Lagos, the 39th in Port Harcourt, and the 38th in Kano.

The eclipse to be experienced two weeks from now is an annular solar eclipse which happens when the Moon covers the Sun’s center, leaving the Sun’s visible outer edges to form a “ring of fire” or annulus around the Moon. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon appears smaller than the Sun as it passes centrally across the solar disk and a bright ring, or annulus, of sunlight remains visible during the eclipse.

What this translates into is that the Sun looks like the Moon has taken a bite out of it. This is because the Moon casts the lighter, outer part of its shadow, the penumbra, on Earth.

The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), in a statement said that the highest degree of obscurity in Nigeria during this natural occurrence will be in the southern part of the country particularly in Lagos where it is expected to have 80 per cent obscurity while the lowest degree of obscurity will be about 45 per cent and this will be observed in the northern part of the country, particularly in Sokoto.

Felix Ale, Head of Media and Corporate Communications of NASRDA, said in a statement that the annular eclipse would be observed as a partial or near total eclipse across the country with Abuja the Federal Capital Territory expected to be about 60 per cent.

“In Lagos, the first contact will occur about 7:15 a.m. while the maximum eclipse will occur around 8:30 a.m. and will end by 10:03 a.m. The eclipse is expected to commence in Abuja around 7:17 a.m., with maximum eclipse to be recorded about 8:32 a.m. and the eclipse will end around 10:00 a.m,” Ale said.