© Copyright Xansa plc SOLAR ECLIPSE 3 RD OCTOBER 2005

© Copyright Xansa plc The plane in which the earth moves around the sun is known as ecliptic plane. The moon moves in a smaller orbit around the earth. The plane of the moon's orbit is not aligned with the ecliptic, but it is inclined to the ecliptic plane by about five degrees. Because of this, only very rarely, the moon crosses the imaginary line connecting the sun and the earth. Whenever this happens, an eclipse of the sun takes place. Had this plane of the moon aligned with the ecliptic plane, every new moon day an eclipse of the sun would have occurred and every full moon day an eclipse of the moon would have occurred. By an extraordinary coincidence, the moon appears as big as the sun in the sky. This is why during a total eclipse of the sun, the moon completely blocks the sun. This is due to the fact that, though the moon is smaller than the sun, it is nearer to us. That is the sun is 400 times bigger than the moon at the same time it is 400 times farther than the moon. The moon moves in an elliptical orbit around the earth. Due to this, the moon sometimes comes closer to the earth and some times goes farther to the earth. Its distance from the Sun varies from 3,57,200 km to nearly 4,07,100 km. When it is farther away, its apparent size as seen from the earth slightly diminishes. During this time if an eclipse of the sun takes place, the moon will not be able to completely block the entire sun. An annulus of the outer regions of the sun will still be visible during the maximum eclipse. So this kind of eclipse is known as annular eclipse. One such annular eclipse of the sun will take place on October 3. The annular phase of the eclipse will be visible in parts of Europe, North African countries and in Indian Ocean. The eclipse begins at 13:05 hours (IST) and ends at 18:59 hours (IST) India, Western Asia, Europe and most of the Africa will witness partial phase that is only a fraction of the sun will be covered by the moon. In Chennai 38.5 per cent of the diameter of the sun will be covered. In Chennai, the eclipse begins at 16:25 hours (IST) and ends after the sunset. It is unsafe to look at the sun directly. Even during partial or annular eclipse one should not attempt to view the sun without any eye protection. Permanent eye injury or loss of eyesight will result. At B. M. Birla Planetarium, Periyar Science and Technology Centre, Gandhi-mandapam Road, Chennai-25, elaborate arrangements will be made for the public to witness the eclipse safely from 16:25 hours on October 3. KNOW ABOUT SOLAR ECLIPSE

© Copyright Xansa plc October 3 solar eclipse will be visible in India PTI | September 27, 2005 | 20:13 IST The solar eclipse on October 3 will be partially visible from India. Nearly 96 per cent of the sun will be eclipsed with only a ring being visible from India, Director General B M Birla Science Centre, B G Siddharth said Tuesday. He said the eclipse can be seen from 1610 hrs till about 1810 hrs in India, depending on the location. The eclipse would be visible in Eastern Greenland, Iceland, Europe (including the British Isles), Africa except the Southern tip, Western Asia. It will begin at 1306 IST when the shadow of the moon first touches the earth at local sunrise at a point in the Atlantic Occan near Azores (Port) Island, he said. The greater eclipse when the better part of the sun is obscured would be at 1601 hrs. The eclipse will end at 1900 hrs, Siddharth added. SOME PRESS REPORTS ON SOLAR ECLIPSE:

© Copyright Xansa plc Partial solar eclipse on Oct 3 By: Agencies September 26, 2005 Chennai: A partial phase of the annular eclipse of the sun can be viewed from India on October 3, but scientists have warned against witnessing the rare celestial event without any protection to eyes. “It is unsafe to look at the sun directly during partial or annular eclipse without any eye protection. Permanent eye injury or loss of eyesight will result,” a release from the Peiryar Science and Technology Centre here said. As the moon moved in an elliptical orbit around the earth, its distance from the sun varied from 3,57,200 km to nearly 4,07,100 km. “When it is farther away, its apparent size as seen from the earth slightly diminishes. During this time, if an eclipse of the sun takes place, the moon will not be able to completely block the entire sun. An annulus of the outer regions of the sun will still be visible during the maximum eclipse, which is known as annular eclipse,” it explained. It said the October 3 annular eclipse will be visible in parts of Europe and North African countries. India, Western Asia and the rest of Europe and Africa will witness partial phase (only a fraction of the sun will be covered by the moon). In Chennai, the partial eclipse, in which 38.5 per cent of the diameter of the sun would be covered, will begin at 4.25 pm and end after sunset. SOME PRESS REPORTS ON SOLAR ECLIPSE