March 29 Total Solar Eclipse In Nigeria

Solar Eclipse: Weather Agency Advices Nigerians

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has advised Nigerians not to
panic over the total solar eclipse which will take place on March 29.

Agency reports quote NIMET's Director-General, Liwhu Akeh as saying
that the advice was necessary to enlighten people about the eclipse,
which will be total in five states.

The five states are Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Zamfara and Katsina.

According to the report, Akeh's advice was contained in a statement
signed by NIMET spokeswoman, Eva Azinge and made available to newsmen
in Abuja.

He said the eclipse, which will start from North-East, Brazil to Europe
through Africa, would take place between 9.15 a.m. and 9.45 a.m.

He said that part of the total eclipse that will cause complete
darkness would pass through North-Western and South-Western Nigeria as
well as some parts of the world.

"The remaining 31 states and the FCT will experience partial eclipse"
NIMET boss was quoted as saying.

The country's chief meteorologist said that Nigerians should not
therefore be disturbed by the natural occurrence, as there is no known
meteorological implication for the eclipse.

However, Akeh said that the solar radiation might transiently drop, but
would not be enough to significantly change surface temperature.

"The eclipse will not disturb the weather condition of the day, except
the temporary darkness in some locations that will experience it," he
said.

On the impact of the solar eclipse, he said that the sun could be
viewed safely with the naked eye only during the few brief seconds or
minutes of a total solar eclipse.

He further explained that an eclipse of the sun (or solar eclipse)
could only occur at new moon when the moon passes between Earth and
sun.

"If the moon's shadow happens to fall upon Earth's surface at that
time, we see some portion of the sun's disc covered or "eclipsed" by
the moon.

According to him, "as a result of this development, the moon's shadow
usually misses Earth as it passes above or below our planet at new
moon."

"At least twice a year, the geometry lines up just right so that some
parts of the moon's shadow falls on Earth's surface and an eclipse of
the sun is seen from that region," he added.

He, however, predicted that the next total eclipse of the sun would
occur on August 1,2008.

The Tide recalls that Nigeria had previously recorded eclipses in 1898,
1947, 1959 and 2001, with the most recent one igniting a riot in
Maiduguri where it occurred.

People who did not understand the phenomenon took to the streets
protesting that something bad had happened to them, while others
thought that the world had come to an end

http://www.thetidenews.com/article.aspx?qrDate=03/03/2006&qrTitle=Solar%20eclipse:%20Weather%20agency%20advices%20Nigerians&qrColumn=BACK%20PAGE

Updated: I've added the link to your post.   Wow, we've got to take pictures of the eclipse!

i think this can help

kool

yah it should be possible , just try as much as possible to prevent it from affecting your eyes, too bad i can't see this eclipse

Thanks to you all for the beautiful information supplied. I think I should have more to say on this next time. I actually want to show appreciation.

Thanks to you all once more.

the eclipse is from 9:15am to 9:45am on the 29th goodlcuk to you all that can view it, try and wear your protective UV lenses

Reports said that eight states, most of them within the South-West and the North-West zones of the country, would witness a total blackout. The states are Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Niger, while other parts of the country would experience partial darkness.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/290306/news02.htm  (if you have a digital camera, please take a series of pictures of the eclipse.  Thanks!)

Even if it's partial, we'll definitely notice it!

Me either! I can't wait to see the pics! you guys should try get it please.

i really wish i could feast my eyes on the solar eclipse. it doesnt come everyday you know. but  my eyes are still precious. i'm too young to go blind

i'd really love to see pictures. members please if u wouldnt mind!!!!!

my father once told me that when it happened when he was young, they viewed it. how? this is how:

they poured water in a wide basin and looked into the reflection of the sun and the moon as the eclipse occured. i could try the same if i wasnt at work

I can't take the pictures with a digital camera; the sun is just too bright.  i will try the water in basin approach.  Running to fetch a basin.  it's 9:15am already.  Run, run, run!

watching big bro nigeria and its just like a dark cloud there

all the welders in town will be able to safely look through their glasses, the black glass was excellent for getting a view of our partial eclipse and all we saw on earth was an eerie half darkness in what should have been bright sunshine for about half an hour, I took video of the effect on the ground but like Seun said its no good to look direct with any camera!

These are the best pictures I got from the water-in-basin approach.  The wind was not cooperative but I got really lucky in picture 3 above.  Yay!  Next time I'm going to have dark goggles on hand, definitely.

is this the eclipse in lagos now,   . . am on the 7th floor of a glass building where am seeing the sky very well,  ,  . . is this the partial  eclipse somebody tell me!!