PREPARING FOR TOMORROW'S SOLAR ECLIPSE

As people all over the world prepare with great excitement for the
solar eclipse, which will occur this Sunday, November 3, 2013, it is
necessary to alert our people to the significance of the cosmic event
and prepare them on how to safely observe it.
This very event is a solar eclipse, otherwise known as eclipse of the
sun, which occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth
thus casting the moon's shadow either partially or wholly on the
surface of the sun. It is essentially a natural phenomenon already
demystified by science, even though religious and traditional
believers often attribute supernatural significance to it.
The Director General of National Space and Research Agency, Dr. Seidu
Mohammed, wants Nigerians to bear in mind that the eclipse is a normal
natural event that should not bring about undue panic.
The excitement generated by eclipses all over the world is centred on
the fact that because they are unique and sometimes occur a few times
in a person's lifetime, people, naturally, want to view this interplay
of heavenly bodies. That is where the main danger is, and where
everybody — both children and adults — must play safe.

According to an article on Space.com entitled: "How to Safely Observe
Sunday's Solar Eclipse": "Here is a helpful reminder for new eclipse
chasers: be safe. A fraction of a second of magnified, unfiltered
sunlight will sear your eye's retina irreparably. Imagine a horrible
sunburn on your eyeball. Your eye cannot grow new layers and (peel
off) the (burnt) ones like your skin tissue can, so staring directly
at the sun is dangerous without the protection of safety equipment
used by veteran sky watchers and astronomers."

For the avoidance of doubt, the eclipse is likely to be partial in the
Southern parts, from Calabar to Lagos, while in the central areas like
Abuja and Kaduna; it is likely to be a full eclipse.
We call on youth people and students to allow the momentum of the
eclipse to fire their renewed interest in science and technology,
especially space research. They must get ready to join their peers
from other parts of the world to become equal stakeholders in these
areas in future.