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Muhammadiyah University aims to break eclipse observation records
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A view of a partial solar eclipse. (NASA/Philip Calais)
T
he North Sumatra Muhammadiyah University (UMSU) in Medan aims to break two Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) records during the observation of an annular solar eclipse predicted to occur on Thursday – which will be the final solar eclipse of the decade.
The first record will be set by using a giant pinhole camera, measuring 7 meters by 15 meters, to observe the eclipse. For the second record attempt, the university hopes to gather 3,000 people to observe the phenomenon using eclipse glasses, which will be given our for free during the event.
"We want to break the two records during the annular solar eclipse observation at the university," UMSU rector Agussani told reporters at the campus on Monday.
Agussani said the observation event was aimed at providing education on astronomy to the public. He said the biggest challenge would be the weather, be it rain or clouds. Nevertheless, Agussani expressed optimism that the university would be able to break the records.
He welcomed people in Medan and its surroundings to join the UMSU students and academics to observe the eclipse using eclipse glasses or the telescope that belongs to the university's astronomical observatory.
Head of the observatory, Arwin Juli Rakhmadi Butar-butar, said that aside from using the giant record-breaking telescope, the observatory would also provide a number of other telescopes around the park at the university’s postgraduate campus for people to use.
Head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Region I Medan, Edison Kurniawan, said an annular solar eclipse occurred when the moon covered the center of the sun, leaving only the sun’s perimeter visible, forming what appears to be “a ring of fire”.
"At the peak of the eclipse, the sun looks like a ring, dark inside and bright outside," Edison said at his office recently.
He added that the annular solar eclipse would start at 10:13 am and end at 2:02 pm local time on Thursday, with the peak to appear at 12:40 pm.
The eclipse will be visible in the western parts of Indonesia, such in North Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan and East Kalimantan.
Edison said the eclipse would also be observable in other parts of the world including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirate, Oman, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, the Indian and Pacific oceans and parts of eastern Africa, Asia and northern Australia.
An annular solar eclipse occurs every one or two years. The last time it was observed in Indonesia was on Feb. 26, 2017.
The upcoming annular solar eclipse will be the fifth and final solar eclipse of the year, according to data from the BMKG. Two partial solar eclipses occurred on Jan. 5 to 6 and July 17, while two total solar eclipses occurred on Jan. 21 and July 2.
