Malaysia to experience partial solar eclipse on April 20

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) said Malaysians in Sabah can view the phenomenon from 11 am to 2 pm while those in the Peninsula can view it from 11 am to 1 pm.

"For viewers in Peninsular Malaysia, the eclipse will reach maximum coverage of one per cent to 15 per cent while in Kuching, Sarawak, it will reach 30 per cent; in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah it will be 34 per cent; and the highest coverage will be in Tawau at 43 per cent," it said in a statement.

According to MOSTI, viewing programmes of the partial solar eclipse will be held at the Kuala Lumpur National Planetarium and in Tawau, with eclipse glasses distributed for free at both locations to enable the public to view the phenomenon safely.

Several telescopes with special filters will also be provided to enable visitors to view the partial solar eclipse more clearly and safely, in addition to capturing the image by using either a smartphone or Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera combined with observation facilities provided.

MOSTI also reminded the public not to look at the sun directly without the use of special filters as it could damage the retina of the eye, resulting in permanent blindness.

In addition, live streaming on the National Planetarium's Facebook and YouTube channels is also provided, with the images to be shared being the eclipse phenomenon in Malaysia or images taken from other locations around the world that also experience a hybrid or partial solar eclipse.

"The visibility of the partial solar eclipse also depends on weather conditions in certain locations when the phenomenon occurs on April 20.

"If a location experiences thick cloud formation or rain or is cloudy, then it won't be possible to view the partial eclipse from that site," it added.

MOSTI also advised Muslims who are fasting not to stay too long under the sun as it could cause dehydration.

The partial solar eclipse is a rare phenomenon, with the last one occurring on June 21, 2020 and it will only happen again on Aug 2, 2027.