Other parts of Southeast Asia witnessed substantial partial eclipses.
Advertisement
The eclipse began several minutes after sunrise, and reached its peak at around 8: 20 a.m. with about 90 percent of the sun being obscured by the moon. A partial phase of the eclipse was also visible from western and northern Australia, as well as American Samoa, Hawaii, Alaska and other areas.
The previous total solar eclipse was in March a year ago and was best viewed on Norway’s Svalbard islands near the North Pole. It also prompted some Indonesian towns to switch on their street lights during the morning.
Reuters reports the total eclipse stretched across three time zones and 12 provinces of Indonesia and could be seen by about 40 million people.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun, covering the Earth.
Wow, a total solar eclipse!
The last time a total eclipse occurred over Indonesia was in 1988.
Even with the somewhat unusual timing and rather inconvenient path (for those of us in Canada), we can still watch the eclipse, no matter where in the world we happen to be.
Viewing this total solar eclipse won’t just be about the spectacular view.
A partial solar eclipse is seen behind passenger capsules of the Singapore Flyer Wednesday, March 9, 2016, in Singapore.
The sun then went entirely dark in a broad arc right across the country, to the eastern Maluku Islands, before the eclipse swept out across the Pacific Ocean.
Advertisement
For some of Indonesia’s tribes, the eclipse is viewed with apprehension. NASA provided a look at the eclipse. Ali Kotarumalos and Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, George Rajaloa in Ternate, Abdy Mari in Sigi Biromaru and Rachel D’oro in Anchorage contributed.
