Lunar eclipse to occur midnight Feb. 10 in Nigeria

Prof. Babatunde Rabiu, a space expert says the solar eclipse expected in Nigeria and some countries on Feb. 10 and on Feb. 11 is a natural occurrence that causes no harm.

The eclipse of the moon is expected to take place on Feb. 10, starting from Chile and will be seen across parts of South America in the morning.

The eclipse will be seen across the South Atlantic Ocean and expected to end in south western parts of Africa at sunset.

Rabiu, the Director, Centre for Atmospheric Research (CAR), Anyigba, Kogi, Rabiu told pressmen on Friday that the solar eclipse was a natural phenomenon that could be exciting to watch and could not cause any harm.

He said that it happens as a result of partial covering on the moon but should not be worshipped as being done in some societies.

“It can be an exciting view for the public and causes little or no harm to humans.

“Solar eclipse of the moon is a natural phenomenon that happens because the objects in the universe are in motion.

“The earth is in motion and the moon is also in motion, the moon moves around the earth in an orbit and takes about 27 to 28 days to complete the cycle.

“What happens is that, in the night you can see it clearly, but certain times some things might cover it and it is out of view, this covering is the eclipse which can be a partial or total.

“It is not a phenomenon to be worshipped or given a special attention, it is just a natural occurrence that can be exciting for viewing,” he said.

Another expert, Dr Narcial Russell, the Director of Missions in Africa, said that eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun.

“This can happen only at new moon when the sun and moon are in conjunction as seen from earth in an alignment.

“It comes approximately once every 18 months on a total solar eclipse,“ she said.

The director, who was also a medical researcher, said that the lunar eclipse looked like a streaks or smudges across the night sky.

The lunar eclipse is the first of the two lunar eclipses to occur in 2017 overnight on Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11.

The event is a minor eclipse also known as penumbral lunar eclipse.

During a total lunar eclipse, sky watchers can often see the moon turn intense blood red colour as it passes through the central shadow of the earth.

The February lunar eclipse is one of the several minor lunar eclipses leading to the next total eclipse of the moon in early 2018.

However, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASDA) did not issue its usual statement on the occurrence and the observance of the lunar eclipse

NASDA was established on May 5, 1990 with the broad objective to pursue the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic development of the country.