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| Century's first total solar eclipse on Jul 22 | | | Agencies
Chennai, Jul 11: A total solar eclipse of the longest duration in the 21st century will occur on the morning of July 22.
According to a press release from India Meterorological Department here today, the eclipse would be of special interest for scientists as well as the people of the country as its path of totality would pass through thickly populated regions of west, central, east and north-east India.
The eclipse, whose partial phase would be visible throughout the country, would provide a rare opportunity to view and study a grand spectacle of nature. In general, the partial phase could be seen in the regions of eastern Asia and Pacific Ocean.
At around 0623 hrs (IST), the central path of the eclipse would touch the earth at sunrise at a point in the Gulf of Khambhat in the Arabian Sear near the southern coast of Gujarat. At this time, the path of totality would be about 200 km wide and duration of the totality at the central line would about three minutes 30 seconds. The shadow would cross over central India, passing through south-east of Nepal, North Bengal, southern parts of Sikkim, most of Bhutan and north-western tip of Bangladesh. Then it would enter China touching Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar.
Then sweeping over China, the umbra would enter East China Sea and pass through Japan's Ryukyu Island, the release said. The maximum duration of totality of six minutes and 44 seconds would occur at 0805 hrs (IST) in the North Pacific Oceans where the width of the path would about 258 km. The rest of the path would not pass through major land areas.
The partial phase of the eclipse would also be visible at Puducherry, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Chennai and Kannyakumari.
The next solar eclipse, which would be Annular, would occur on January 15, 2010, the release added.
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