TAREGNA, India (AP) — Hordes of scientists, students and nature enthusiasts prepared Tuesday for the longest total solar eclipse of this century, while millions planned to shutter themselves indoors, giving in to superstitious myths about the phenomenon.
Wednesday's eclipse will first be sighted at dawn in India's Gulf of Khambhat, just north of the metropolis of Mumbai, before being seen in a broad swath moving north and east to Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan and China.
A Sadhu, or Hindu holy man, watches the solar eclipse through specially-designed viewing glasses in Allahabad, India, Wednesday, July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century pitched a swath of Asia into near-darkness after dawn, as millions watched the once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon Wednesday.
A partial solar eclipse is seen behind the Golden Temple, a Sikhs holiest shrine, in Amritsar, India, Wednesday, July 22, 2009. Millions of Asians turned their eyes skyward Wednesday as dawn suddenly turned to darkness across the continent in the longest total solar eclipse this century will see. Millions of others, seeing the rare event as a bad omen, shuttered themselves indoors.
People watch the total solar eclipse at the Yonsei University on July 22, 2009 in Seoul, South Korea. The moon covered 78 percent of the sun during the solar eclipse viewed from Seoul.
The sun is covered by the moon during a total solar eclipse in the Indian city of Varanasi on July 22, 2009. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century cast a shadow over much of Asia, plunging hundreds of millions into darkness across the giant land masses of India and China.
An Indian Hindu devotee offers prayers as she stands in the River Yamuna in New Delhi on July 22, 2009, during a partial solar eclipse. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century cast a shadow over much of Asia, plunging hundreds of millions into darkness across the giant land masses of India and China.
Children watch a solar eclipse through protective glasses outside a planetarium in Taipei on July 22, 2009. Taiwanese people gathered at planetariums and parks to observe the longest solar eclipse of the 21st century.
Indian schoolgirls use solar viewing goggles to view the sun in Siliguri on July 21, 2009, on the eve of a total solar eclipse. A total eclipse of the sun will be visible from within a narrow corridor, which traverses half the Earth, begins in India and crosses through Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and China on July 22, 2009. Hundreds of millions of people across China, India and Japan will witness the longest solar eclipse of the century as tourists and scientists are flocking to the best viewing spots from across the globe for up to six minutes and 39 seconds of darkness.
A boy looks into a telescope, as a girl tries out a solar view goggles after a demonstration on safely watching a solar eclipse at the Science City in Ahmadabad, India, Tuesday, July 21, 2009. Millions of people across Asia will witness the longest total solar eclipse that will happen this century, as vast swathes of India and China, the entire city of Shanghai and southern Japanese islands are plunged into darkness Wednesday for about five minutes.
Students try solar eclipse goggles after a demonstration to safely watch solar eclipse, in Allahabad, India, Tuesday, July 21, 2009. Millions of people across Asia will witness the longest total solar eclipse that will happen this century, as vast swaths of India and China, the entire city of Shanghai and southern Japanese islands are plunged into darkness Wednesday for about five minutes.
Visitors try out solar view goggles after a demonstration on safely watching a solar eclipse at the Science City in Ahmadabad, India, Tuesday, July 21, 2009. Millions of people across Asia will witness the longest total solar eclipse that will happen this century, as vast swaths of India and China, the entire city of Shanghai and southern Japanese islands are plunged into darkness Wednesday for about five minutes.
A visitor looks at the sun at a campsite of Tatsugo town on Japan's southern island of Amami Oshima Tuesday, July 21 , 2009. Millions of people across Asia will witness the longest total solar eclipse that will happen this century, as vast swaths of India and China, the entire city of Shanghai and southern Japanese islands are plunged into darkness Wednesday for about five minutes.
Visitors watch the Milky Way at a campsite of Tatsugo town on Japan's southern island of Amami Oshima early Tuesday, July 21, 2009. Visitors all hope for a perfect view of the total solar eclipse on July 22
A Chinese couple try out welding screens they bought at a hardware store to view the solar eclipse in Beijing on July 21, 2009. Heavy clouds and rain are likely to ruin the party for millions of people hoping to watch the solar eclipse on July 22 in Shanghai and other parts of eastern China, meteorologists said.
A 21-year-old male sealion Rook tries to wear sunglasses as he will observe a solar eclipse at the Sunshine International Aquarium in Tokyo. The sealion, who has never seen an eclipse, will observe the solar eclipse with guests on July 22.
The eclipse will reach its peak in India at about 6:20 a.m. local time (8:50 p.m. EDT; 0050 GMT), and will last 6 minutes and 39 seconds at its maximum point.
It will be seen for 3 minutes and 48 seconds in the Indian village of Taregna, where scientists say residents will have the clearest view.
Over the past week the village has been swamped by researchers who will study scientific phenomena ranging from the behavior of birds and other animals to atmospheric changes affected by the eclipse.
Hotels in Patna were fully booked while taxis raised their rates sensing a brief opportunity in the sudden interest in the village.
Scientists set up telescopes and other equipment in Taregna a day in advance to make the most of the brief window of opportunity provided by the eclipse.
"We are hoping to make some valuable observations on the formation of asteroids around the sun," Pankaj Bhama, a scientist with India's Science Popularization Association of Communicators and Educators, said Tuesday.
A 10-member team of scientists from the premier Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bangalore and the Indian air force will be flying and filming the eclipse as it becomes visible in different parts of the country, an air force press release said.
Thousands of people lined up outside a planetarium in Patna on Tuesday to buy solar viewing goggles. The goggles, costing 20 rupees (40 cents), are supposed to act as filters and allow people to look at the sun without damaging their eyes.
But millions across India were shunning the sight and planned to stay indoors, gripped by fearful myths.
Across India, even in regions where the eclipse was not visible, pregnant women were advised to stay indoors in curtained rooms over a belief that the sun's invisible rays would harm the fetus and the baby would be born with disfigurations, birthmarks or a congenital defect.
Krati Jain, a software professional in New Delhi, said she planned to take a day off from work Wednesday to avoid what she called "any ill effects of the eclipse on my baby."
"My mother and aunts have called and told me stay in a darkened room with the curtains closed, lie in bed and chant prayers," said Jain, 24, who is expecting her first child.
In the northern Indian state of Punjab, authorities ordered schools to begin an hour later than usual to prevent children from venturing out and gazing at the sun.
Still, it was not all gloom and doom. A travel agency in India is running a charter flight to watch the eclipse by air, with seats facing the sun selling at a premium.
Back on the ground, additional police and paramilitary troops were posted around Patna and Taregna after Maoist rebels called for a strike Wednesday to protest against the rise in the price of gas and other essential commodities.
The rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, frequently target police and government workers.
"Adequate numbers of forces have been deployed at Taregna where top scientists and researchers are gathering to view the celestial wonder," said R. Mallar Vizhi, a senior superintendent of police in Patna.
TAREGNA, India (AP) — Hordes of scientists, students and nature enthusiasts prepared Tuesday for the longest total solar eclipse of this century, while millions planned to shutter themselves ind...
TAREGNA, India (AP) — Hordes of scientists, students and nature enthusiasts prepared Tuesday for the longest total solar eclipse of this century, while millions planned to shutter themselves ind...
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Huh? neither the word "plunge" nor the words "total darkness" appear in this article...
An eclipse IS "darkness" it's somewhat similar to the light level shortly after the sun sets if you can see the sun set over the horizon, but the sky is darker because during a sunset the sun is still shining across the sky above you, but there is much less ambient light around you during the eclipse. its very hard to describe the eerie drop in light that occurs... highly recommended that you chase one some day
i was in La Paz, Mexico in 1991 to catch that one which was nearly 7 minutes.
kewe: Huh? neither the word "plunge" nor the words "total darkness"
Were you in WA, OR, ID, MT, or ND in 1979? Were you in HA in 1991? Those were the last times that a total solar eclipse passed through the United States, all others would have been partial, allowing much more of the earth's sunlight to illuminate. With the changes of the moon's relative distance to the earth it can be too small to totally cover the sun, but a Total Eclipse occurs when the moon completely obscures it, that can make the affected area of moon shadow night sky dark.
Not total darkness, no but it's not completely B.S. either. I was in 6th grade in 1958 when we had a total solar eclipse in the Philippines. We were out on the football field and it got really dark. Roosters were crowing and crickets started chirping.
Bakunawa: Not total darkness, no but it's not completely B.S. either.
Solar eclipses do not produce total darkness. I have witnessed a few.
The sky does become a little darker and an interesting type of light is created, but it is definitely NOT dark.
Why does the media say that Asia will be "plunged" into total darkness?
Total B.S.
oakley9: Solar eclipses do not produce total darkness. I have witnessed
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AP INDRAJIT KUMAR SINGH First Posted: 08/21/09 06:12 AM ET Updated: 05/25/11 02:40 PM ET