The longest Solar Eclipse of the 21st century

It was reported as the longest solar eclipse of the 21st century, but it was partial solar eclipse for us in Sri Lanka.

I used Panasonic DMC-LZ8 Digital Camera mounted to 14gadge welder’s glass.
The eclipse is part of saros series 136
Coordinates: 6.8670° N, 79.9830° E
Time:06: 45 - 07:20
Location: Athurugiriya, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
(GMT + 05.30)

And the clouds! :(

The eclipse is part of saros series 136, like the record-setting solar eclipse of July 11, 1991. The next event from this series will be on August 2, 2027. The exceptional duration is a result of the moon being near perigee, with the apparent diameter of the moon 8% larger than the sun (magnitude 1.080) and the Earth being near aphelion where the sun appears slightly smaller.

This will be the second in the series of three eclipses in a month, with the lunar eclipse on July 7 and the lunar eclipse on August 6.


Around the World.

The longest Solar Eclipse of the 21st century was visible through Asia from India to China into near darkness today (Wednesday) as millions gathered to watch the phenomenon.

It is the longest such eclipse since July 11, 1991, when a total eclipse lasting 6 minutes, 53 seconds was visible from Hawaii to South America. There will not be a longer eclipse than Wednesday's until 2132.

Unfortunately even in the 21st century there were many reports across the world that millions of people, gripped by fear, shuttered themselves in. India abounds in superstitions and fables based on Hindu mythology, one of which says an eclipse is caused when a dragon-demon swallows the sun.

Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, at 8:33 a.m

Anji, east China's Zhejiang Province, at 9:35 a.m.

Student in Vietnam

School girls viewing in Siliguri, India

Northern Indian city of Varanasi

Hindu devotees take a holy dip in the waters of river Yamuna.

Images Credit: Thilina Heenatigala/AP/Xinhua/ CNN iReports/ NASA/