25 September 2006
Clouds that appeared between 1000 hours and 1100 hours in some parts of Accra on Friday hindered the full viewing of the annular eclipse.
The excitement that filled the air when Ghana experienced a total eclipse last March was absent.
Some people, who joined Dr Emmanuel Amamoo-Otchere, Director of the Centre for Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Services (CERGIS), at the University of Ghana, Legon, expressed regret at the sight of the clouds.
Those who had gathered at Legon, including staff of the University, students, lecturers, journalists and passers-by, also expressed mixed-feelings as the clouds went on and off.
There was jubilation when the sun was on and the phenomenon could be viewed clearly.
Dr Amamoo-Otchere said the presence of the clouds was his greatest fear since they could hinder the full viewing of the eclipse.
He explained that the eclipse goggles were supposed to work perfectly without clouds in the sky hence people viewing when the clouds appeared could see nothing at all.
"The cloud is covering the skies hence we cannot see what is happening. I wish there was a way to go beyond the clouds now," he remarked in frustration at a point.
The annular and partial eclipse had its path of totality on mid-Atlantic about 3,500 kilometres to 4,000 kilometres off the West African coast hence the partial eclipse in the whole of the West Africa Sub-Region.
An annular eclipse does not produce total obscurity of the sun by the moon so the totality of darkness of such an eclipse is not absolute like the total solar eclipse.
An annular eclipse is when the moon is at play with the sun in relation to one's position. Such an eclipse could occur anytime.
Ghana experienced a total eclipse of the sun on March 29 2006. Dr Amamoo-Otchere said Ghana was likely to have a partial eclipse again in 2013 and 2016 and noted that such celestial occurrences helped in building and developing space technology, which was good for the economy of the country.
Unlike the enthusiasm and eagerness with which residents in the Cape Coast, awaited and poured into the streets to watch the total eclipse on March 29, many residents went about their normal duties during the partial solar (annular) eclipse in the town on Friday morning.
Some people, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency about the phenomenon on Friday, said while the eclipse on March 29 was a rare experience, "there is nothing special about this one".
Mr. John Ghorman, the Regional Internal Auditor of the Ghana Education Service (GES) said apart from the alternative dullness and brightness of the atmosphere, the eclipse was not very visible.
Mercy Mensah, a trader, Nab Arthur, taxi driver and Madam Araba Essuon, unemployed said they tried to watch the partial eclipse but did not see anything.
Ms. Barbara Arkhurst, a teacher, said partial eclipses were very common and nothing spectacular.
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