Rare solar eclipse sweeps Atlantic

3 November 2013
Last updated at 09:41 ET

A rare solar eclipse allowing a view of the Sun that is totally or partially blocked out by the Moon is under way.

It was first visible in the southern United States, and is moving east. The best view of the total eclipse on land was visible from Gabon.

The total eclipse will then sweep east across the African continent. Partial views will be available in eastern North America and southern Europe.

Experts warn that no-one should attempt to view the Sun with the naked eye.

A safe view of eclipses can be obtained by using special welder’s glasses or a pinhole camera.

Halo

This solar eclipse is a rare occurrence in that it is “hybrid” – switching between an annular and total eclipse.

In a total eclipse, the Moon completely covers the sun, while an annular eclipse occurs when the Moon is at its farthest from the Earth and does not block out the Sun completely, leaving a halo of sunlight still visible around the Moon.

The eclipse event began about 1,000km (620 miles) east of Jacksonville, Florida with an annular eclipse visible for four seconds at sunrise.

As the Moon’s shadow raced east the eclipse switched from annular to total along a narrow corridor.

The greatest total eclipse occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 330km south-west of Liberia, and lasted for more than one minute.

On land, the best total eclipse was visible in Gabon, Nasa said.

“The eclipse will then continue across Africa through the Congos until it passes through northern Uganda and northern Kenya, ending in southern Ethiopia and Somalia,” said the International Astronomical Union.

Either side, a partial eclipse will be seen within a much broader path including eastern North America, northern South America, southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Do you live along the pathway of the forthcoming eclipse? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.

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Rare solar eclipse sweeps Atlantic

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Atlantic Hurricane Season Kicks Off Quietly

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Satellite image of Hurricane Sandy in October of last year.

NOAA

Satellite image of Hurricane Sandy in October of last year.

NOAA

Today marks the beginning of the six-month Atlantic hurricane season. Maybe it’s a good sign, then, that it’s pretty quiet out there. The National Hurricane Center is watching only a small wave near Mexico that has a low possibility of developing into a tropical system.

NPR’s Debbie Elliott, however, reports the season is expected to be pretty busy. She filed this report for our Newscast unit:

“Federal forecasters say water and weather conditions in the Atlantic basin are expected to produce more and stronger hurricanes, making for an active season.

“Last year was the third busiest on record with 19 named storms. Ten were hurricanes, including Sandy, which caused $ 50 billion in damage along the Eastern Seaboard.

“State officials say coastal residents should be preparing evacuation plans and taking other precautions before the peak of hurricane season in late summer.

“Along with the alert to be ready, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is telling residents to be wary of scams, including a recent rash of companies offering window film as hurricane protection.”

As we reported earlier this month, NOAA said there is a 70 percent chance of 13 to 20 named storms this season. Six of them, said NOAA, could become major hurricanes, which means hurricanes with winds grater than 111 mph.

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Atlantic Hurricane Season Kicks Off Quietly