Madagascan astronomers forecast annular eclipse on Jan. 15

ANTANANARIVO, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Madagascan astronomers forecast the annular eclipse of the sun on Jan. 15, 2010, an official source in the capital city Antananarivo announced on Wednesday.

It is a partial eclipse, which will be visible in the Indian Ocean island country only around 9:00 a. m. (0600 GMT) for 11 minutes. It should be observed with special glasses for eclipse "because we could see nothing without glasses," said Charles Ratsifaritana, the president of the Madagascan Association for Promotion of Science.

"Observation of the eclipse without glasses could cause negative consequences such as the acceleration of cataracts, aging of the lens, burning of retina provoking blindness," Ratsifaritana warned.

However, no special glasses have been distributed for watching the astronomical phenomenon, critics say, for fear of a danger to the health of eyes from its intense emission of radiation.

This annular eclipse of the sun will be observed partially in the island country, while it will be seen fully in Central Africa, China and India for two hours, according to astronomers.

A total solar eclipse was already seen in Madagascar on June 21,2001. This extraordinary phenomenon covered 20 percent to 59 percent with a rate of 100 percent visibility on a strip about 180km wide across the southern part of the country.

Carrying special glasses for the eclipse was famous in 2001, when some countrymen locked themselves in their houses for fear of blindness.