Rare partial solar eclipse can be seen in Singapore on Thursday

SINGAPORE – Stargazers will get to see the Moon partially cover the Sun in the late morning and early afternoon on Thursday, in a rare hybrid solar eclipse.

Some places, such as the town of Exmouth in Australia, where the Moon’s apparent size will be largest, will observe a total solar eclipse, said Singapore’s Science Centre Observatory earlier in April.

Countries such as Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, which are outside the complete shadow of the Moon, will see a partial eclipse.

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, casting a shadow on Earth that either fully or partially blocks the Sun’s light in some areas.

The observatory said the Moon will cover an average of 15 per cent of the Sun’s disk at the peak of the eclipse on Thursday.

The eclipse, which can be spotted from most places in Singapore, is expected to start at 10.54am, reach its peak at 11.55am and end by 12.58pm.

Science Centre Singapore will be hosting a viewing session at its Ecogarden with telescopes set out.

A live stream of the eclipse will also be available on its

YouTube channel

.

The Science Centre Observatory advised members of the public to view the eclipse in a safe manner.

It said: “Directly viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is unsafe, and the use of sunglasses and common household or vehicular solar films is also insufficient.

“To ensure adequate protection for the eyes, viewers must use specialised solar filters. Those using telescopes or binoculars to view the eclipse should use proper solar filters designed for the equipment.”

Solar viewers are available for $5.90 at the Astro Scientific Centre, which is also at the Science Centre in Jurong East.

After Thursday, Singapore will have to wait till Aug 2, 2027, and July 22, 2028, to see another solar eclipse.

“It will be a partial solar eclipse (on Aug 2, 2027) occurring during sunset, which is difficult to catch,” said the observatory.