On Thursday, December 26, look up to get your belated Christmas gift from the universe.
Just one day after Christmas, Filipinos will be able to catch an annual solar eclipse. The sun and moon will align for three hours and 15 minutes at noontime.
The partial solar eclipse will begin at 12:36 p.m. and reach its maximum eclipse at 2:19 p.m. when the moon is closest to the center of the sun. The moon will leave the sun's edge at 3:47 p.m.
Depending on where you are on earth, the eclipse will either be partial or full. For the Philippines, about two-thirds of the sun will be eclipsed by the moon on December 26.
For astronomy lovers, a number of astronomy organizations will be holding telescope viewings across the country. One of which is Manila Street Astronomers, which will be posting its free telescope viewing locations soon.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the best place in the country to catch the eclipse will be on Sarangani Island, Davao Occidental.
A solar eclipse is when the sun, moon, and earth align, with the moon blocking the sun's light for a certain period of time. From earth, humans will see the dark side of the moon as it blocks the sun's rays.
If you're at work, take a late lunch break to catch the rare sighting in the sky.
