The longest solar eclipse of the century
Published January 15, 2010 | 
A rare celestial event in the form of the longest solar eclipse of the century is happening today, on January 15th . It will be visible in many parts of the world including Kerala. Unlike a total solar eclipse when the sun will be fully masked by the shadow of moon today’s eclipse is going to be annular. In this case the moon is farther from Earth than normal and hence its shadow will not completely mask the sun, making it appear like a bright ring outlining the moon. It will give the sun a spectacular appearance of a ring of fire, which will be visible for over 10 minutes in Kerala with the best views of the Bailey’s rings being visible after 1PM .
In Kerala, the best spot to watch this celestial spectacle is Varkala near Kollam . Many enthusiastic astronomers and sky watchers from all over the world have reached Varkala to record this rare celestial phenomenon. Arrangements have also been made for the people to watch this event in many places. In Kerala, all temples will remain closed during the eclipse and special rituals will be performed to ward off any evil effects of the eclipse.
Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu will witness the last touch of the annular solar eclipse. Apart from India, the annular eclipse will be visible across Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and South-East Asia. Solar eclipse should be watched only through properly designed solar filters or goggles to ensure that the eyes are not effected.
