Nigerians await solar eclipse today

Nigerians on Saturday said they were awaiting the annular solar eclipse, which would be seen in various parts of the world, including Nigeria today. The Nigerians, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH from different parts of the country, said they would not miss the opportunity of viewing the eclipse. A Lagos-based photographer, Emmanuel Arewa, said he had decided to go out with his camera to take a photograph of the eclipse. “When the last eclipse happened in Nigeria, I was not into photography. I was in school then. If I remember what happened then, I regret not taking photographs of it. So, this time around, I will go out with my camera because I must not miss a shot of it,” he said. Mr. Marcel Egbuta, a banker, who is based in Mubi, Taraba State, told SUNDAY PUNCH that he and most people in the state would watch the eclipse. He said, “We are not aware of it. We are still trying to ensure that we are secure from attacks. But now that you have told me, I will tell my people and we will watch out for it.” An Enugu-based banker, Ngozi Nwachukwu, said she heard about it but did not know that it could be viewed in Nigeria. According to www.timeanddate.com, partial eclipse will be visible in Lagos by 12:50pm, when the moon would touch the edge of the sun. It added that by 2:32pm, maximum eclipse would occur and the moon would be seen closest to the centre of the sun, and another partial eclipse by 4:01pm, when the moon would leave the edge of the sun. The website also stated other dates when eclipse would be visible from Lagos, including April 15, 2014, (total lunar eclipse), October 8, 2014 (total lunar eclipse), April 4, 2015 (partial lunar eclipse) and September 28, 2015 (total lunar eclipse). According to www.earthsky.org, proper eye protection is needed to view the eclipse. SOURCE: THE PUNCH