Cloudy skies threaten view of eclipse - Pagasa

Cloudy skies loom on Wednesday and may block the view of a partial solar eclipse in the Philippines, state weather forecasters said Tuesday afternoon. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) weather bureau chief Nathaniel Cruz admitted this is a concern for them, noting that an eclipse is a rare phenomenon. "'Yan ang isang inaalala (namin). Bihira lang ito nangyayari, ang partial solar eclipse (That is one worry for us. A partial solar eclipse is a rare occurrence)," Cruz said in an interview on dzRH radio. Cruz also said southern Luzon and Metro Manila will have cloudy skies. He said the condition may last until Thursday. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, Pagasa said a monsoon trough is affecting Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. "Central and southern Luzon, the whole Visayas and Mindanao will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening," it said. Light to moderate winds blowing from the southeast to southwest will prevail over Luzon and coming from the southwest and variable over the rest of the country, it added. Coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate. On Wednesday morning, a partial solar eclipse will occur in the Philippines, and most of eastern Asia, Indonesia and the Pacific Ocean. People in the Philippines will get a chance to watch the partial eclipse between 8:26 a.m. and 11:10 a.m. The total solar eclipse will cover India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Central China, the Pacific Ocean, Ryukyu Islands, Marshall Islands and Kiribati. State astronomers cautioned enthusiasts against viewing the solar eclipse directly without proper eye safety, even if it is only a partial eclipse. Pagasa director Prisco Nilo said viewing the eclipse directly may cause damage to the retina. "Even the use of unconventional methods like viewing with X-Ray Films, sun glasses, smoked glass & photographic films and negatives, which are used in various countries to view eclipses, are also dangerous," Nilo said on Pagasa's astronomical diary site. Nilo said the safest method is still indirect viewing, like projecting the image with a pinhole camera. "However, innovation has brought in some safe options like usage of safe and certified solar filters, through which one can view a Solar Eclipse safely, following the instructions provided with the filters," he said. Pagasa said the eclipse may be viewed in Metro Manila, Calayan Island, Laoag City, Tuguegarao City, Baguio City, Angeles City in Pampanga, Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Lucena City, Naga City, Iloilo City, Cebu City, Zamboanga City, Jolo in Sulu, Davao City, and General Santos City. The eclipse may start as early as 8:26 a.m. (Laoag) to 8:33 a.m. (Metro Manila) to 9:05 a.m. (General Santos City). Maximum eclipse is expected at between 9:40 a.m. (Laoag) to 9:43 a.m. (Metro Manila) to 10:44 a.m. (General Santos City). The eclipse is expected to end at 10:48 a.m. (Puerto Princesa) to 11:01 a.m. (Metro Manila) to 11:06 a.m. (General Santos City). - GMANews.TV