Ethiopia Witnesses Annular Solar Eclipse

Addis Ababa, June 21/2020 (ENA) Ethiopians on Sunday morning witnessed the solar eclipse after the moon is moving between the sun and the earth obscuring the planet Earth. 

The solar eclipse was visible in several cities across Ethiopia, including the historical town of Lalibela and the capital Addis Ababa starting from 6:50 a.m to 9:30 a.m.

Full eclipse is visible in western and north eastern parts of Ethiopia, especially in Lalibela and Alamata towns and other parts of the country witnessed partial eclipse of 60-80 percent.

A solar eclipse, commonly known as the “ring of fire”, can only take place at the phase of new moon, when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth and the moon casts a shadows over Earth's surface.

The event was took place for three hours and the sun was fully dark for 38 minutes around 9:40 in the morning, especially in Wollega, parts of Gojam, Gonder where over 98 percent of the sun was covered by the moon at Lalibela.

Nations has celebrated the annual solar eclipse at the historical town of Lalibela, in collaboration with Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute and other stakeholders.

Apart from Ethiopia, the solar eclipse was also visible in parts of Republic of Congo, Central Africa, India, Pakistan and China.

The first place that witnessed the annular eclipse is near the town of Impfondo in the northeastern Republic of the Congo, where the annular eclipse begins at 5:47 just a few minutes after sunrise.

The annular solar eclipse is one of the most stunning astronomical events and the next solar eclipse will be visible after 18 years in 2038, it was learned.

The solar eclipses can be divided into three categories -total, partial and annular. A solar eclipse is witnessed when the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun.

In a partial eclipse, the moon covers a part of the Sun and makes the leftover Sun visible.

Lastly, during an annular solar eclipse, the Moon covers the Sun fully, but due to its relatively small size the out ring of the Sun is completely visible.