New Zealanders are set for another celestial spectacle next week, with a rare partial solar eclipse visible across the country in the early hours of Monday, September 22.
The event comes just weeks after stargazers enjoyed a striking total lunar eclipse, known as a blood moon, on September 8. Unlike the lunar eclipse, however, this solar event requires extra precautions, as direct viewing of the sun without certified solar glasses can cause serious eye damage, Stuff reported.
According to the Stardome Observatory, the eclipse will begin shortly after sunrise, between 6:00 am and 8:00 am, with the maximum phase expected around 7:00 am. At that moment, the sun will rise already partially covered by the moon, creating a glowing crescent low on the eastern horizon, reported Stuff.
Visibility will vary across regions: Auckland will see around 60 per cent of the sun blocked, while further south the coverage increases, peaking at 72 per cent in Invercargill. Wellington will experience 66 per cent, Christchurch 69 per cent, and Queenstown and Dunedin 71 per cent.
“This is a rare event for New Zealand, with no comparable solar eclipse visible here for at least a decade,” Stardome said. “The amount of the sun covered will depend on where you are in the country,” Stuff quoted.
To mark the occasion, Stardome will host a free viewing party at One Tree Hill in Auckland from 6 am to 8 am, weather permitting. The observatory also reminded photographers to use solar filters to protect camera sensors when capturing the phenomenon.
While the blood moon earlier this month required no special equipment, this eclipse does. “It’s never safe to look directly at the sun without proper protection,” Stardome warned. Certified solar viewing glasses are essential, while ordinary sunglasses are not sufficient, as reported by Stuff.
The eclipse will end just after 8 am, as the moon slips away from the sun’s disc.