PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE CAN BE OBSERVED IN MALAYSIA WEDNESDAY

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- This century's longest total solar
eclipse can be observed as partial solar eclipse in Malaysia between 8.23am and
9.48am Wednesday.

However, it would be difficult to view the phenomenon with naked eyes as
only 17.8 per cent of the sun would be obscured by the moon, head of Angkasa
space science research unit Mhd Fairos Asillam said.

The northern part of Peninsular Malaysia would be the best place to observe
the eclipse, he said in a statement.

The total solar eclipse, which would last for six minutes and 39 seconds,
would pass through Ryuku Islands in Japan and through the Pacific Ocean, he
said.

Mhd Fairos said the moon's umbral shadow would begin covering India and then
Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and China.

Mhd Fairos said Angkasa, the national space agency, would sent three
officers to carry our research and take data as well as images of the eclipse in
Jinshan, Shanghai, China.

Several groups would also carry out expeditions in China, among them from
the University of Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysian Islamic
Development Department, Malaysian Syarie Astronomy Association, Stargazer
Scientific and Falak Online, he said.

Malaysians would be able view the live webcasts of the eclipse through the
websites www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/2009/index.html,
www.saros.org/index.html, www.live-eclipse.org and www.eclipse-tv.com.

Malaysians would be able to observe partial solar eclipse on Jan 15, 2010,
March 9, 2016 and Dec 26, 2019, he said.
-- BERNAMA