By Hazarry bin Haji Ali Ahmad
The Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam

Bandar Seri Begawan – A perfect alignment of the 3 celestial bodies, Earth-Moon-Sun, will occur on Sunday June 21, 2020, resulting in a spectacular annular solar eclipse which can only be view from specific areas on Earth.

The annular phase of this solar eclipse will be visible from parts of Africa including the Central African Republic, Congo, and Ethiopia; Asia in Yemen, Oman, south of Pakistan and northern India, China including Taiwan. You must be located within the narrow path of annularity represented on the map above by a red line (about 11,400 km long and 21 km width), where people in these areas will see the characteristic “ring of fire”.

Use this Interactive World Map of the Annular Sun Eclipse of June 21, 2020 by NASA to find out start time of the eclipse for your location: https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2020Jun21Agoogle.html

While for many areas around the globe will experiencing some part of the Sun is covered by the Moon in most Africa, Southeastern Europe, most of Asia including Brunei Darussalam and some tip of Northern Australia (see map above).

Partial Solar Eclipse from Brunei

The partial solar eclipse happens when the moon never completely covers the sun. In Brunei, the phenomenon will start at exactly 3:10 pm, will last for about two hours and 13 minutes. The maximum phase of the eclipse (greatest obscuration) will occur at 4:22:36 pm with the moon covering 28.2 per cent of the sun’s disc. The partial eclipse will end when the moon leaves the sun’s edge at 5:23 pm. Diagrams of the eclipse sequence or phases from Brunei in Local Time are as follow:

The next eclipses visible from Brunei Darussalam:
1. Total Lunar on Wednesday, 26 May 2021 and Partial Lunar on Friday, 19 November 2021
2. Partial Solar on Thursday, 20 April 2023

Partial Eclipse Visibility for Southeast Asia

The partial eclipse of the Sun will be widely visible to areas in the Southeast Asia regions from Burma to the Philippines, but will not be visible from West Java Indonesia. The map and table of timing for the eclipse show below:

Viewing Eclipse of the Sun Safely

Watching a solar eclipse will be a breath taking experience especially because of it’s rarity and mystery. However, it comes with a warning! Our sun emits dangerous radiations. Never look directly at the Sun without proper solar filter even when if the Sun is almost completely blocked during the solar eclipse or by the clouds.

Don’t stare at the sun without protective glasses. Avoid using improper solar filters such CD, plastic bag, sunglasses, exposed x-ray film etc. to view the sun as harmful radiation can still pass through these objects.  You can purchase a solar eclipse glass. Solar UV radiation can burn the retinas at the back of your eyes, and cause permanent damage or even blindness. Another safe method of viewing the sun is to use a projection of the sun using small pin-hole camera or binocular or a small telescope.

Astronomy Eclipse Talk

Live streams

List of live streaming videos of the eclipse from around the world:

Find out more on 21 June 2020 Annular Solar Eclipse resources and events compiled by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) https://iau.org/public/noc/eclipse/

Solar Eclipse Activities

Let us know if you are organising either individual or in group for Jun 21 solar eclipse observation or activities in Brunei Darussalam & get featured in our first nationwide livestream solar eclipse coverage. Contact: +673874 4170 (Hj Jamri)  or e-mail jamri@bruneiastronomy.org