Viewing will begin at 07:45 United Kingdom time on Thursday 1 September and will start from the observatory at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands before moving across the continent to South Africa, Tanzania, Madagascar, and finally Réunion Island – travelling more than 9600km across the continent.
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The show will feature live telescope shots from Slooh’s flagship observatory in the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa, as well as views from South Africa, Tanzania, Madagascar and tiny Reunion Island.
According to TimeandDate.com, this phenomenon is known as an annular solar eclipse, which is when the moon moves in front of the sun, creating a ring-like impression. This means the moon would pass by the sun and cover it up. Thursday’s eclipse will begin a little after 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT), reach its maximum extent three hours later and wrap up at about 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT).
South Africans will be able to view a partial solar eclipse on 1 September, which will be visible from southern and central Africa. There will be a ring or “annulus” of sun remaining at mid-eclipse.
To be more precise, the phenomenon is called an annular solar eclipse.
In an annular solar eclipse, the Moon is too far from the Earth to block out the entire Sun, leaving the Sun peeking out over the Moon’s disk in a ring of fire.
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Editor’s Note: If you are not a resident of any of the countries where the Solar Eclipse will be visible, you can simply follow the livestream at the same time.
