Locations set up all across Oman to watch solar eclipse

Oman Sunday 22/December/2019 13:02 PM
By: Times News Service
Locations set up all across Oman to watch solar eclipse

Latest: Second location in Muscat set up for eclipse watchers

Muscat: Several locations have been set up all across Oman for people to safely watch the solar eclipse, which will take place in the country on the morning of 26 December.

The locations – featuring telescopes from which people can observe the eclipse – have been set up by the Astronomical Society of Oman, under their Public Observation for Solar Eclipse programme. All of these locations will be open to people from 6:30am to 9am.
In Muscat, Seeb beach has been assigned as the location from which people can watch the annular solar eclipse, while in North Sharqiyah, three separate locations have been organised: Al Sharqiyah University, Sayyid Hamad Al Busaidi Library, and Al Sheikh Said bin Khalfan Al Khalili School.

“Our astronomical telescopes will be waiting for you at Al Seeb to observe the annular eclipse,” said Issam Al Sharji of the Oman Astronomical Society. “Our team will also be waiting for you at the public observation sites in Al Mudhaibi and Ibra to observe the annular eclipse. For the people of Dhofar, the astronomical observation team will be waiting for you in Al Dhahariz beach.”

While people in the southern governorate of Dhofar can go to Al Dhahariz beach, those in Buraimi can head to the Buraimi University
College, while in the central governorate, Al Wusta, Haima public park is the area allocated to watch the solar eclipse. In South Al Batinah, Al Rustaq Park is the location to which people can go on the morning of the 26th.

“The astronomical team will be waiting for you at the Buraimi University College,” said Al Sharji. “For the people of Al Wusta Governorate, the team will be waiting for you in the Haima public park. In Al Batinah, the astronomical observers will be waiting in Rustaq public park. The people of Al Dhahirah can go to Kawas Mountain to observe the annular eclipse.”

The Kawas Mountain in Al Dhahirah – of which Ibri is the capital – has been earmarked as the eclipse observation location in that region, while in Al Dakhiliyah, Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Nizwa is the designated location. Another assigned location is the entrance to Al Zahia, on the Adam-Ghaba road. In Sharqiyah South, the Atana Stay hotel is the assigned location.

“The people of Ash Sharqiyah South will have telescopes waiting for them in Atana Stay Ashqarah to observe the annular eclipse,” explained Essam Al Sharji. “The people of Al Dakhilyah, our telescope will be waiting for you at the entrance to Al Zahia on the Adam-Ghaba road. Our astronomical telescope will also be present at Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Nizwa to observe the annular solar eclipse.
“The people of Al Batinah North can go to the Silver Jubilee Park in Sohar where the astronomical observation team will be waiting for them,” he added. “People from Ash Sharqiyah South, our telescope will be there at Atana Stay Al Ashqarah to observe the annular solar eclipse. Join us!”

Across Oman, the eclipse is expected to begin at 6:30am, before sunrise, which is expected to be between 6:35 and 6:58 across the country. Maximum eclipse will take place between 7:35 and 7:39, depending on people’s location in the country, before ending around 8:59 am.

Those who wish to buy glasses through which they can watch the eclipse are welcome to contact Astro Portal Enterprises, on +968-92318123, or on [email protected]