Catch rare ‘ring of fire’ in Singapore on Boxing Day
A rare "ring of fire" will be visible on Boxing Day afternoon, as the annular solar eclipse returns to Singapore skies for the first time in 20 years.
Areas in the southern half of Singapore, including Sentosa, Jurong, Bukit Timah and Changi, will be able to witness the phenomenon from about 11.30am to 3.20pm on Dec 26.
The Moon will cover about 94 per cent of the Sun's surface, leaving its outer edges visible in a "ring of fire" from about 1.22pm to 1.24pm.
The Astronomical Society of Singapore, in collaboration with the People Association, is hosting a viewing party at PAssion WaVe@Jurong Lake Gardens from 11am to 4pm.
It is setting up telescopes and binoculars with filters for enthusiasts to witness the rare sighting.
There will also be a live screening of the annular solar eclipse in a sheltered open area.
Organisers are expecting a crowd of about 500 to 1,000.
Astronomical Society president Albert Ho said: "Our main issue is with the weather. It's been raining consistently over the past week, but hopefully we'll still be able to see (the annular solar eclipse)."
Mr Ho warned that it will be dangerous to look directly at the ring because the Sun would still be too bright.
Solar filter glasses, which can be bought from Science Centre Singapore, should be used to view the phenomenon safely.
The last time an annular solar eclipse of a similar magnitude was visible from Singapore shores was on Aug 22, 1998, when about 83 per cent of the Sun disc was blocked.
The next annular solar eclipse to be seen from Singapore will be in 2063.
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