Total Solar Eclipse Can Be Observed In Biak And Kisar Island

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASH/Karl Magnuson

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said that a total solar eclipse could be observed in Biak, Papua, and Kisar Island, Maluku on April 20.

"Total solar eclipses can be observed in Biak and Kisar Island. Meanwhile, ring solar eclipses cannot be observed in Indonesian territory," said BMKG Deputy for Geophysics Suko Prayitno Adi as reported by ANTARA, Monday, April 10.

He explained that the peak duration of the eclipse in Biak was one minute and two seconds at 13.57.13 WIT. Meanwhile, the peak duration of the eclipse on Kisar Island is one minute and five seconds at 13.22.56 WIT.

Partial solar eclipses, he added, could be observed in parts of Indonesia. However, parts of the northern province of Aceh cannot observe solar eclipses.

Suko Prayitno said the solar eclipse on April 20, 2023, was a hybrid solar eclipse. A hybrid solar eclipse is a total and annular solar eclipse that occurs sequentially in one eclipse phenomenon.

A hybrid solar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon, and earth are exactly in line so that in a certain place the moon disk observed from the earth is smaller than the sun's disk and in certain other places the moon disk observed from the earth is the same as the sun's disk.

As a result, during the peak of the eclipse in a certain place, the sun will appear like a ring, which is dark in the middle and bright on the edges, while in certain other places, it will appear as if the sun is covered by the moon.

The position of the observer affects the magnitude of the eclipse that will be observed. So, observations of the two eclipses cannot be made simultaneously and at the same location.

"Events of hybrid solar eclipses are relatively rare," he said.

Suko Prayitno reminded the public not to see the eclipse process directly because solar radiation can damage their eyes.

"Use special glasses that use filters to see the sun," he said.