Guwahati City sky gazers flock planetarium to witness solar eclipse

GUWAHATI: Along with their counterparts in rest of the country, the sky gazers in Guwahati witnessed the annular solar eclipse that occurred on Sunday morning. A few city denizens thronged the Guwahati Planetarium.

Curator of Guwahati Planetarium Babul Chandra Bora said that the planetarium had made no arrangements for the public so as to prevent mass gathering in view of the COVID-19 situation. However, a few curious people came to the planetarium to witness the event.

Bora said, "Arrangements were made for the officials for scientific observation only. Public were not allowed to gather here especially because of the current situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic. But a few people came out of curiosity, so maintaining the social distancing we made arrangements of direct viewing through the telescope with solar filter and telescope projection for them."

Bora said that around 100 people came to the planetarium and all of them were above the age of 10.

Bora said, "The eclipse began in Guwahati at 10.57 am and it was clearly visible as there were no cloud at that time. The maximum eclipse occurred at 12:54 pm. At that time there was 80% obscuration of the Sun by the Moon."

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