Eclipse of the sun - passing by 22nd July 2009

Extracted from NASA website

Truthfully, when our regular religous teacher mentioned that he will be in Shanghai this coming 22nd July 2009 to witness solar eclipse, I just let it pass. Maybe too sleepy to register it as a important. That was somewhere around 21st June 2009.

Then something triggers this old grey matter. If the ustaz, a non-Science person, is willing to travel to Shanghai to witness the solar eclipse, it must be significant. I mean Ustaz going to Mecca is routinely normal, to Shanghai? UUmmmrppphh...

Back home, surf through the net looking for some clues, see some myths and facts :-

1. Wikipedia describe eclipse as an astronomical event that occurs when one celestial object moves into the shadow of another;
2. The 21st longest total solar eclipse will occur on 22nd july 2009, visible in India, China, Nepal, Hawaii and will last up to 6 minutes 39 seconds;
3. A dark red shadow will creep across the sun and can be observed in Malaysia from 9:07 am to 9:48 am. That's on 22nd July, 2009;
4. In Indian astrology, this is an inauspicious event;
5. The next total solar eclipse will happen in 2034 and 2087;

Mark the day. Wednesday 22nd July 2009. Hindu temples will be closed during the duration of the eclipse whilst Muslims can perform solat sunat 2 rakaat. I am not too sure about the Christians and Buddhist.

In days of old, villagers will beat on drums and old containers to chase the demons away because they believe that demons are trying to eat the sun. Some believe that this is a bad omen.

In this age, there are some 'naughty' e-mails circulating warning of impending natural disaster on 22nd July 2009. True or false? I am not a soothsayer so I don't predict. I will try to download the email here, maybe later...

DISCLAIMER

There is an email going around tying the coming solar eclipse to possible natural disaster...it may be true, it may not be true...so the best thing is DON'T PLAY GOD

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...