Last solar eclipse visible to Sri Lanka in two years on June 21

COLOMBO (News1st): The last solar eclipse that would be visible to Sri Lanka in two years can be observed on June 21, an astronomy expert has said. The eclipse will be visible from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, according to Prof. Chandana Jayaratne, the director of the Astronomy and Space Science Unit at the Colombo University. In capital Colombo, the eclipse would be visible between 11:51 am and 1:19 pm. "You need special protective spectacles or eclipse glasses to watch the sun safely or watch an eclipse," Prof. Jayaratne noted in a statement. He said the safest way to indirectly track an eclipse is by using a pinhole camera, that can be made by drilling a hole in a piece of cardboard. "If you prefer to look directly at the sun, use welders glass with gauge 14 or higher dark filters," the professor added. However, he warned the public to refrain for looking at the sun for more than three minutes continuously even while wearing filters. The next solar eclipse which can be viewed from Sri Lanka, is likely to fall on October 22, 2022.