PAGASA: Solar eclipse visible in southern PHL

Barring any weather disturbance, sky watchers in the southern parts of the country can expect to see a solar eclipse early Friday. PAGASA OIC Vicente Malano said those in the southern Philippines can see the event only as a partial eclipse. "It will be visible from Central Pacific Region, most of New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia and the southern parts of Philippines," Malano said. However, PAGASA said the eclipse is not visible in Luzon except in the southern tip. The eclipse may be visible starting 5:20 a.m. of May 10 until 7:33 a.m. in the Philippines. It indicated the areas where the eclipse can be observed include Sorsogon, Masbate, Roxas City, Puerto Princesa City, Cebu, Tacloban, Dumaguete, Surigao, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Zamboanga, Hinatuan, Cotabato, Jolo, Davao, and General Santos. Malano pointed out an annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun, causing the Sun to look like an annulus or a ring. "An annular eclipse appears as a partial eclipse over a region thousands of kilometers wide," he said. — LBG, GMA News