Don’t Miss the Solar Eclipse Tomorrow

It's going to be spectacular.
by Tony Nievera | March 08, 2016

It’s not every day that the sun, moon and Earth are in perfect alignment, and guess what—a total solar eclipse is happening tomorrow.  March 9 is going to be an extraordinary day when even the world’s brightest morning will be as dark as night. This is because the moon will be blocking sunlight from reaching the Earth for a few hours.

In the Philippines’ part of the world, only a partial solar eclipse will be seen. And while the planet, moon, and sun won’t look perfectly aligned, the sun will still be looking pretty peculiar. It will be like the moon took a bite from the sun. So, don’t miss out on experiencing this rare sight.

For those residing in Manila, catch it tomorrow at 7:51 am. The maximum point of this solar eclipse will be at 8:58 am, and it will end at 10:14 am. While Luzon will experience only 30% to 60% of the solar eclipse, Visayas and Mindanao will see the sun much more covered. For Visayas, it’s going to be 60% to 70% while Mindanao’s solar eclipse will be up to 80%.

Watch the interaction of the sun and moon during a partial solar eclipse up close through this video. As for seeing that interaction in person, you have about two hours to marvel at this exceptional phenomenon.

In your excitement to see the partial solar eclipse, don’t forget to view it responsibly.  Don’t look at the sun directly as this would definitely harm your eyes and may even cause blindness. It’s much safer to view the eclipse indirectly through tools with a solar filter. Binoculars, telescopes and various kinds of glasses won’t be able to protect your eyes if they’re not equipped with solar filters. Alternatively, you can also practice your DIY skills, and follow this to make your own pinhole projector.

Photos and articles online won’t compare to actually experiencing a solar eclipse yourself, so make sure you catch it tomorrow morning, March 9 at 7:51 am.

Got other tips for viewing a solar eclipse? Sound off below!