A tourist feeding her child even as the eclipsed setting sun was
getting lost in the dense atmosphere was a sight to behold, and yet it was
surely one of the most unimaginable things in a country where superstitious
belief systems still rule the roost even amongst the literate people too.
Hundreds of people both locals and as well
as a large number of tourists took this golden opportunity to view the last
partial solar eclipse of the year from Miramar Beach. Members of the
Association of Friends of Astronomy, which is managing the Public Astronomical
Observatory based in Panjim, had set up telescopes and also provided safe
viewing Mylar Solar goggles for the benefit of the public.
All over the country, a partial phase of
the eclipse having a very short duration of a few minutes to over an hour based
on geographic location was witnessed. In Goa, the maximum phase lasted just a
little over one hour and the moon covered only about 17 percent of the sun’s
disc that turned dark.
Enthusiastic AFA members Sumukh Kamat and Shreyas Parab focused
their telescopes on the sun, the moment the moon appeared to make its first
contact with the sun, just a fraction of seconds past 5 pm. The delighted crowd,
young and the elderly made a beeline to view the eclipse, for many of whom it
was their first experience.
Even as AFA members were busy showing the eclipse to the public,
there was a surprise visitor in Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant making his
presence to join the public in observing the eclipse, even as some tourists
couldn’t believe their eyes. CM Sawant has been taking a keen interest in
supporting the awareness activities carried out by the AFA across the state.
Chaitali and her family from Chandrapur were delighted to view
the eclipse as was Raghavendra Y from Bangalore, who recollected, “I had seen
an eclipse a long time ago when I was schooling.” Aghnu Murmu from Jharkhand,
working as a construction worker in Goa, was one of the first timers who
observed the moon slowly sliding across the sun. Many tourists expressed their
happiness about the initiative by the young AFA brigade in spreading the
knowledge of astronomy amongst students, and one of them noted that such
viewing is totally out of question in Mumbai.” Charudatt Kamat, a resident of
Panjim and a geology faculty at Fr Agnel Institute, Verna, was there along with
his archer niece Ishani and nephew Shripad, who were impatient like other kids
to have a glimpse for the first time.
One of the most active physics teacher teaching at Green Rosary
Higher Secondary School, Deepa U, noted, “It is highly commendable that people
are taking a keen interest in such natural phenomenon today as there is greater
awareness about eclipses and superstitious beliefs are decreasing slowly.”
There was a time in India, whenever there was any eclipse, people would remain
indoors till the eclipse lasted, lest they face some ill omen in their life as
the understanding about eclipses was very poor back then.
Astronomers, mathematicians and space scientists have done
pioneering work in deciphering the myths behind one of the most fascinating
natural phenomenon, for us to enjoy the enthralling sight, but always with due
precaution to safeguard our eyes. AFA member Videsh Khandeparkar said, “The old
beliefs of not having food during the eclipse or taking bath are thankfully
things of the past.”
It was a rare sight to watch such a large number of people turn
up to watch the eclipse, which only demonstrates that the mass awareness has
succeeded, thanks to the late Percival Noronha, the founder of the association
who strived hard to eclipse the beliefs when science was in a nascent state.
This
eclipse will surely help cement our scientific mindset and tourists who peeped
directly at the eclipsed sun will cherish the memories of a Diwali delight in
their lives.
