KATHMANDU: Come Friday, the Sun will play a hide-and-seek game with Nepali sky gazers, leading to virtual darkness. The day on January 15 coincides with annual partial solar eclipse.

According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Sun will become visible from within a 300-km-wide track that traverses half of Earth.

After leaving Africa, the path of the Moon’s antumbral shadow crosses South Asia, including Nepal.

BP Koirala Memorial Planetarium Observatory and Science Museum Development Board reported that the partial solar eclipse would be available for viewers between 12: 24 pm to 3:40 pm in Nepal.

Sanat Kumar Sharma, deputy executive-director at the Board, said the sky gazers across the country would be able to enjoy a glance of the partial solar eclipse.

The obscure in the Sun will begin all the way from Mahendranagar, the western face of Nepal and passes through eastwards and come to an end in Chandragadhi of Jhapa.

“Chandragadhi will witness the highest eclipse in the Sun with 65.5 per cent and Mahendranagar the lowest with 45.8 per cent,” read a detail circulated by the Board to the media. In the Kathmandu Valley, the per cent of eclipse in the Sun will stand at 57.7 per cent in varying degrees of partiality, depending on curvature of the Earth.

The partial solar eclipse would last for 3:17: 49 hours in Nepalgunj, the longest duration. While, Simikot will witness the shortest duration in eclipse, surviving only for 3: 12: 33: 7 hours.

Kathmanduites will gaze the Sun for 3: 15: 58: 5 hours provided that the freak weather condition will not prevail upon. Some Hindus abstain from performing daily chores during the eclipse, while others refrain from eating to observe the fast on religious grounds. After the eclipse, they cleanse their bodies by taking bath and chanting mantras.

As far as Hindu religion goes, taking a holy dip in sacred rivers and going for pilgrimage on the day is considered highly auspicious.

Astronomers have warned not to stare at the Sun with naked eyes or with devices such as binoculars, telescopes and ordinary glasses, lest it could permanently damage the retina.

“Certified solar filter is the best way to ensure the protection of eyes,” suggested Shrestha.

The government has declared public holiday on Friday. Nepal Astronomical Society said the last annular eclipse was seen from Nepal on 23 November, 1965 and the next one to be noticed would be on 17 February, 2064.