Malaysians Will Be Able To Witness A Partial Solar Eclipse On 20 April
The eclipse is in conjunction with the hybrid solar eclipse phenomenon that occurs north of the Australian continent.
By Khadijah Amir — 13 Apr 2023, 03:39 PM
The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) announced that Malaysia will experience a partial solar eclipse next Thursday, 20 April
According to a report by Bernama, the partial solar eclipse is in conjunction with the hybrid solar eclipse that occurs in the north of the Australian continent.
MOSTI confirmed that the phenomenon will be visible to Malaysians in the peninsula from 11am to 1pm, whereas those in Sabah and Sarawak will be able to witness it from 11am to 2pm.
In a report made by The Star, the ministry also stated that the coverage of the eclipse will vary depending on the location, and the visibility of the eclipse may depend on the weather conditions that day.
The ministry also advised people, especially those who are fasting, to not stay out too long in the sun as the glare may cause dehydration. They also added that watching the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous as it could damage the retinas and cause permanent blindness.
Special viewing programmes of the eclipse will be held at the Kuala Lumpur National Planetarium and in Tawau, Sabah
Eclipse glasses will be distributed to the public for free at both locations on the day of the phenomenon. The ministry also added that the planetarium will provide telescopes with special filters that will allow visitors to watch the eclipse clearly and safely.
Visitors will also be able use the equipment provided to take clear shots of the eclipse.
In Tawau, special equipment from the planetarium in Kuala Lumpur will be sent over for the viewing.
Kuala Lumpur National Planetarium will also host a livestream of the event on their Facebook and YouTube pages, and will provide images of the eclipse taken in Malaysia, as well as from other parts of the world.
The last time Malaysia experienced a partial solar eclipse was on 21 June 2020. The next expected occurrence will be in four years time, in August 2027.
